To the Editor:
The American people get to decide who moves into the United States. If immigrants are coming for a free meal, we don’t need them. If immigrants are coming for free healthcare, we don’t need them. If immigrants are coming for free housing, we don’t need them. If immigrants are coming and their presence in the United States increases the public debt, we definitely don’t need them.
If immigrants come here to improve their lives and the lives of their family members without becoming a burden on American society, we will seriously consider their application. If immigrants bring skills which are needed by other Americans, we will seriously consider their application. If immigrants come here with their own money and are coming to establish a business which both benefits them and America, we will seriously consider their application.
The purpose of immigration to the United States should be to allow hardworking people into our borders so that they and America benefit. The purpose of immigration to the United States should not be to feed, clothes, house, and give medical aid to foreigners at public expense.
The process of immigration to the United States should bring people into our country who want to be Americans, and all that means, including loyalty to this country above all other national loyalties.
Finally, immigrants should not be allowed into the United States to become a permanent underclass of low wage workers. While this benefits agriculture corporations, supermarkets, and consumers, it creates a large population within our borders which has only animus for “American” society.
A reasonable number of refuges whose lives are in actual danger can be an exception to the assertions above, as long as money (not additional debt) is programmed into the budget. Private donations would work even better than public money during a refugee emergency.
Lee Presser
Edwardsville