Illegal immigration has a long and storied history in our nation. There are powerful arguments to be made that we can no longer afford to allow millions of people to enter the country illegally. The reasons for this are simple: illegal immigrants expose us to the threat of terrorism, they consume public services that they do not pay for such as Medicaid, our schools, and our hospitals, and they take away jobs for lower wages that otherwise would have gone to Americans. Even when illegal immigrants are not taking away American jobs, their presence in our communities is a net drain on public resources that must be curtailed.
The United States Border Patrol (USBP) is the agency charged with controlling the flow of illegal immigration into the United States. Every year, USBP agents apprehend over one million people entering the country illegally along our nationÆs borders. For every person apprehended, USBP agents estimate that at least two or three are successful. This is an untenable situation, especially given the threat that terrorism poses. The USBP, in its new national strategy, acknowledges this frightening reality when it notes that while some people characterize illegal immigrants as economic migrants, ôan ever-present threat exists from the potential for terrorists to employ the same smuggling and transportation networks, infrastructure, drop houses, and other support and then use these masses of illegal aliens as æcoverÆ for a successful cross-border penetrationö (USBP, 5). Given our post September 11 reality, we simply cannot afford to give terrorists such an easy and accessible route into our nation.
There are currently an estimated 8.7 million illegal immigrants living in the United States. In theory, these illegal aliens cannot get jobs or social welfare such as Medicaid or unemployment compensation. In reality, however, they have access to all of these things due to the thriving underground economy...