CONGRESSMAN ELTON GALLEGLY

What is he crazy? This is California; the home of the undocumented immigrant. That is partly why we have the 10th highest effective tax rate, a 45 billion dollar State deficit, streets full of cocaine and meth; not to mention closing hospitals, high crime rates, and all the other "good" stuff.

Did I mention that there are only a few schools in LA County that I would consider sending my daughter? And to get into one of those schools you just need to buy a million dollar plus home. Of course there are always private schools at 20 thousand plus a year. Don't worry; I am sure there are plenty of benefits to compensate us all. Now if we could just figure how to get our share of the benefits from Big Business Bush.

This is the bizarre world of California in which the legal citizens, residents need to defend wanting to obey the law and reduce the drugs from coming into the USA to outsiders.

This is one crazy place, but then again it is the land of OZ. I think this is just another reason why we need to enforce our laws (or change the laws) and treat our rights to vote as precious; and should be defended against the influence of outsiders.

Maybe we should all break the law when it helps us or our family? Maybe we should all fudge a little with our taxes, take something from the local store if we need it, and "borrow" some of our neighbor's tools? If we all break the law we should be okay and there is nothing that could be done, right? The movement of no respect; sounds good?

Question: How many people do you actually trust? Does our culture foster trust building or just building fortunes?


California Chronicle : November 13 , 2006 -- by Congressman Elton Gallegly:

In the past two columns, I've discussed two magnets that attract illegal immigrants to the United States. Employment, of course, is the big one. The second is the acceptance of easily forged, foreign-issued identification by banks to open accounts. That practice is also a boon to drug smugglers and terrorists.

But many other magnets, provided by states and local governments, provide incentives for illegal immigrants to migrate here.

While it's true that the federal government provides some benefits for illegal immigrants - such as lower education and emergency health care - some states go far beyond that.

California offers some of the greatest benefits to illegal immigrants, which is why it is home to an estimated 40 percent of the U.S. illegal population. If California doesn't change its tactics towards illegal immigrants, it could see that percentage climb much higher with all the associated troubles it brings.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, state legislatures introduced more than 500 pieces of legislation targeting illegal immigration during the first six months of this year. At least 57 of those bills passed, the highest number ever recorded. The bills were spread out among 27 states. California was not among them.

Instead, California is one of only 10 states that provides in-state college and university tuition to illegal immigrants. That's grossly unfair to a legal high school student who moves out of California for a year, then returns to attend college. That student will pay about $17,000 a year more than an illegal student - who shouldn't be entitled to attend anyway.

In addition, California spends nearly $1 billion a year in Medi-Cal services for an average of 780,000 illegal immigrants a month, over and above emergency health services.

Births to Medi-Cal-covered and illegal immigrant women jumped 25 percent from 1995 to 2004, from about 85,000 to 105,000 a year. Costs associated with those births skyrocketed 135 percent.

The federal government is trying to rein in those costs by requiring proof of citizenship or legal status to receive full benefits, which is slated to go into effect this summer. But according to at least one published report, California officials are looking into ways to skirt those requirements.

Of course, not all illegal immigrants take advantage of Medi-Cal for pay their health care bills. Many just don't pay. Hospitals are forced to pick up the slack, amounting to an estimated $1.4 billion a year. Hospitals pass the costs onto paying patients or close their doors.

Local governments also provide magnets for illegal immigrants. Los Angeles and San Francisco, for instance, have declared themselves to be sanctuaries where cooperation with federal immigration authorities is disallowed. These sanctuary laws, such as Los Angeles' Special Order 40, are illegal under the 1996 federal immigration law and a 1999 U.S. Supreme Court ruling. But, as we've already seen, federal immigration laws are rarely enforced.

More than 375,000 known illegal immigrants have been ordered deported but have disappeared pending immigration hearings. It seems likely most are hiding in declared sanctuaries.

In an attempt to force compliance with the law, the House passed provisions in two spending bills this year that would withhold Homeland Security and other federal funds from state and local governments with sanctuary policies.

Another magnet is the acceptance of the matricula consular card as legitimate identification by police and local government agencies, including both Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. With this easily forged, foreign government-issued ID, illegal immigrants can use an array of county services and avoid arrest.

Only illegal immigrants, criminals and terrorists need consular cards for identification. Those legally in the country would have other identification. Anyone using a consular card should be assumed to be illegally in the country and arrested, not coddled.

The above are just some of the magnets that draw illegal immigrants to California. Fortunately, there's an easy fix. End sanctuaries. Assume that anyone who offers a consular card as identification is here illegally and arrest them. End subsidized higher education for illegal immigrants. Provide emergency care for anyone, but if they're illegally in the United States send them home when they have recovered.

As I said in the first of this series of columns, the current debate about the House and Senate immigration bills is a debate about enforcing our laws. Until the United States returns to its foundation as a nation of immigrants and a nation of laws, discussion about any other aspects of immigration reform is mute.

California and its cities and counties need to recognize they are part of the problem. Other states are stepping up to the plate, even as the House tries to force the federal government to do the same. California and local officials must take a lead in this endeavor, by reconsidering its policy of accepting consular cards as legitimate identification and turning a blind eye to the problems illegal immigration causes in our state.