Being a Texan, I quess I have differing views on this subject. In our central Texas area, hospitals are going broke trying to cover costs that illegals cannot or will not pay. My school taxes are going thru the roof trying to pay for all children in Texas, legal or not, to have an education. I am very offended by some remarks on FR about Hispanics. Texas was mostly hispanic before it was a Republic, so many hispanics were Texans before my people were. I have hispanic grandchildren. But, I do not support giving illegals of any nationality legal status of any kind. All should go thru the proper channels to become a citizen of America. And I strictly support scaling way back on the number of immigrants allowed into America.
I, too, live in what is called central Texas and I have differing views on Hispanics (whatever that is) or Mexicans. My position has always been the illegals who are arriving now are not at all the same caliber of people as the people of Mexican descent who have lived here longer than all of our ancesters (except my husband's). These people have broken the law, first and foremost. They are not being made to obey even fundamental laws that we have to obey. My taxes also have doubled in the last three years on a very small fixer-upper which we had planned for a retirement home and as things are going, the taxes will be prohibitive for retirement, so we are looking outside the state of Texas.
The state of Texas, school districts, the city of Dallas and how many more are broke and there is only one reason for this. It is not because we are not paying enough taxes. It is simply we have had an influx of too many people using the social services and these people do not pay into the tax base that supports these services. These are the facts. They are not pretty, but they are facts.
I also have Mexicans in my family and, believe me, when I am speaking of the illegals who are destroying this great state and great nation, I am not talking about the likes of my family members or of the friends and neighbors I have had for my 61 years in this state.
President Bush should announce today he is closing the borders and putting troops to guard it, that within 30 days the INS will begin sending home anyone who is here illegally(with or without anchor babies) home, and that he is going to fine any employer who is employing illegals, $1,000 per day (per illegal), retroactive to today. The 30 days will give them time to get their affairs in order.