Economics not part of immigration debate

Monday, Jan. 1, 2007 | 7:01 a.m.

A Dec. 27 Las Vegas Sun article by Timothy Pratt reported on the push for legislation to study the economic impact data on illegal immigrants in Nevada. The 800-pound gorilla casting a shadow over this study seems to be that of avoiding a bias regarding methods, data, and being agenda-driven.

While an unbiased report may provide a telling economic picture and provide interesting statistics, it will not lead to a solution to our illegal immigrant problem.

First, this report might lead you to believe that this is mostly an economic issue. It is not. One group has a political/social agenda. Another group understands that we are a nation of laws and that laws have been broken, and that taxpayers spend billions of dollars every year supporting illegal immigrants.

Second, there is an underlying issue of our nation's sovereignty, language and culture that statistics will not resolve.

Have the study, but understand that an economic report will not change the debate as economics should not be a factor when laws have been broken.

Solutions are not hard to find - it's elected officials who will do the right thing who are hard to find.

Richard McArthur, Las Vegas