Dear Editor,

I have been hearing people discussing the illegal alien problem in the United States of America. I have heard some speak of how all Americans were immigrants. I have heard others saying illegal aliens are trying to have a better life style. Large companies claim illegal aliens do jobs no one else wants to do. I have seen on the news illegal aliens are protest marching on American streets. I would like to state my opinion on these four issues.

My ancestors came to this land before it was the United States of America. They were indentured for seven years to pay for their passage over here. After they were freed from their obligation to their land holder, they worked and obtained land. They shared their land with others and built towns. They were elected to Congress and the Senate. They helped to create and mold our country. I worked for nineteen years as a teacher in my community. I am a legal American citizen. I am not an immigrant. I am not an illegal alien. At this point, I would like to bring to your readers attention that the definitions of immigrant and illegal alien are different. An immigrant is not breaking the laws of the United States of American. An illegal immigrant is breaking the laws of the United States of America.

Those who sympathize with the illegal alien will say he is just trying to improve the quality of his life, and he does contribute to the American economy. To those of you who don't know, illegal aliens have several families living in a single family dwelling. They don't have car insurance, health insurance, or pay taxes. They own and operate one vehicle for the whole group. Most do not fluently speak the language. They share expenses, and send the bulk of their earnings back to Mexico, so when they do return home they can live in the lifestyle they seek. I do not understand how this supports our economy to the extent that sympathizers claim.

Large companies support their hiring of illegal aliens by stating the illegal aliens will do jobs legal American citizens won't do. In my opinion, if the companies who are hiring illegal aliens were meaningfully penalized, they would have to clean up their acts by increasing wages, providing benefits and improving working conditions. Then, legal American citizens would do the jobs. It is my belief illegal aliens are doing those jobs, because they are the only jobs they can get with their illegal status. I will not support companies who are boldly abusing illegal aliens and blaming legal American citizens.

I ask you, "Why do illegal aliens feel safe protesting on American streets? What do you see wrong with this picture?" Why aren't they afraid of being arrested and deported? Why has America become the laughing stock of the world? What other countries have illegal aliens, without fear, protesting on their streets? I don't know about you, but I am tired of all the chaos in the United States. I want my country back. I want legal American citizens to be able to respect the decisions their leaders make. I want the United States to become,once more, the great country it once was.

So, I leave you with these questions, "Are all American citizens immigrants? Has the illegal alien improved his lot in life here in the United States or in his own country? Does the illegal alien truly support our economy in a significant way? Who is benefiting from hiring illegal aliens? Would legal American citizens apply for jobs from an improved company? Should illegal aliens be allowed to protest on American streets?"

Valerie Gamblin, Cleveland.
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