The Illegal Immigrant Problem by Willie Ray Starling

The Illegal Immigrant Problem by Willie Ray Starling

The Illegal Immigrant ProblemWillie Ray Starling

For more than a hundred years, a tiny island off the tip of Manhattan, New York City has memorialized the legal citizenship of millions of immigrants from around the world. The names inscribed upon Ellis Island's massive wall identify those who respected our country's laws enough to enter here...legally.

Over the past thirty years, the steady stream of illegal immigrants into America, and North Carolina in particular, stands in stark contrast to the Ellis Island immigration story. Today, under the weight of unregulated "illegal" immigration, our public schools, social services, public safety, and criminal justice systems are in trouble. According to a study by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) in Washington D.C., "In the last 10 years, 1.4 million new illegal residents settled in the state." This is population growth equal to adding five new Raleigh's to the state threatening traffic, pollution, overcrowded schools and lack of affordable housing while potentially decreasing quality-of-life and straining vital natural resources without an increase in legal tax revenues.

Currently, the NC House "Rules Committee" has seven bills before it that offer potential solutions. I ask the vice-chairman of this committee, Rep. Steven LaRoque, to expedite moving these bills through committee and onto the floor for debate and vote. Will he allow the Democratic leadership to leave Raleigh without even a discussion on bills that crack down on illegal immigration? Here's my question for Mr. LaRoque and his colleagues: why can't North Carolina join Georgia, Virginia, Tennessee, Colorado, Arizona, and many other states busily taking immediate and decisive action to stem the tide of illegal immigration?

This problem isn't insurmountable, and I offer two simple ways to Halt the wave of illegal immigration threatening our state. First, if there exists no benefit for illegals to be here, they will go home and cease from coming here illegally. We need to eliminate benefits to those who are here illegally.

Secondly, we need to identify those businesses and industries that employ illegal immigrants. Offering employment to illegal non-citizens cheats our Capitalist system and is therefore un-American. Those farmers, factories, and small businesses that use illegal labor must have the incentive for doing so removed.

If you ever visit Mexico on vacation and take a job while there, you will have broken Mexican law and can be thrown straight into a Mexican jail without bail while you await trial. Mexico strictly enforces this law. We should be as prudent and create and enforce similar laws here in North Carolina. Let our unemployed and high school aged citizenry work the jobs currently being worked by illegals. It has been said these people work the jobs Americans refuse to work. I disagree. Fact is, our teenagers stopped being offered the chance to work on farms decades ago when farmers realized they can get more labor for less cost by using illegal immigrants. That is simply wrong, and it is bad for our youth who need to learn work ethic from farm labor just like we did.

Willie Ray Starling is the Republican candidate for NC’s 10th State House District1523 Indian Springs Rd.Mount Olive, NC 28365Hm 919-658-2337/Cell 919-222-VOTE (8683)
14 Aug 2006 by Editor