Free Republic

IOWA FALLS, Iowa – People born in Iowa Falls live and die here. Strangers are rare. In this town of 5,000, fewer than 50 were born outside the U.S. Last year’s census showed that 97 percent of the residents described themselves as “white.” Yet, to many here, immigration was the top issue in the presidential race. To them, it’s about fairness and jobs. “They have entered the U.S. illegally, but they are here, reaping the benefits,” said Linsley Baldwin, a Republican who wanted tighter border control and deportation of undocumented workers. “I don’t think amnesty is the answer. They’re earning...

George Foresman, undersecretary for preparedness in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, was not prepared to call the invasion of illegal aliens into this country an invasion. Mr. Foresman's visit to the Trib last week went downhill from there for at least one columnist. And after being assured his office would provide answers by Monday to the immigration questions he was unable to address, the DHS follow-through was more foul-up than follow-up. Foresman, a very likeable person with truly stellar credentials in security and preparedness, made it perfectly clear that he (and presumably DHS) did not consider the roughly 11...