Letter: Illegal immigrants are criminals

Sunday, May 21, 2006 | 7:36 a.m.

I believe the demonstrations for immigration rights were a disgrace to the American people, but they did succeed in driving home the magnitude of the problems.

It is hard to comprehend that 12 million illegal immigrants have been allowed into our country. It is even harder to comprehend that the government would allow them to demonstrate against the United States at our expense on our soil.

It is deplorable that our government would even consider rewarding illegal immigrants with citizenship.

I don't blame anybody for wanting to come to the United States of America, as it is a wonderful place. But when the first thing you do when you step foot on American soil is illegal, it is flat out wrong.

Anybody who comes into this country illegally is a criminal. It is the equivalent of saying, "I am going to come into your country even if it means breaking your laws, and there is nothing you can do about it."

If you don't respect our immigration laws, you don't respect America, and therefore you don't belong here! If the president, congressmen and senators knuckle under on this problem and allow millions of illegal immigrants citizenship, they are not paying attention to the majority of the American people.

It is time that our immigration laws are enforced. We want the American flag (get that other one out of my face), only the English language and the sole loyalty to the United States.

Iris Marshall, Henderson