George Putnam
Friday, Oct. 17, 2003

Perhaps both should revisit Article 4, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution, which states: "The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion. ..." There's that word again: INVASION.

There are approximately 20 million Mexican immigrants living in the U.S. It is estimated that between 3 million and 5 million are illegals. The impact on California is that nearly one quarter of our current $38-40 billion deficit stems directly from immigration. And yet with our state government's $6.4 billion debt growing, the administration continues to tolerate porous borders and an influx of impoverished, undereducated, unskilled labor pouring across our borders. We're providing a welfare state for Mexico!

The costs of immigration are simply overwhelming. Americans pay nearly $8 billion annually for educating the children of illegal aliens. Even as states struggle with billions in debt, our federal government continues to advocate massive immigration of 1.5 million annually. And nothing is being done to stop 800,000 illegals pouring across our borders each year.

The Center for Immigration Studies in Washington estimates that illegal aliens have cost U.S. workers $133 billion in job losses.

• Mexicans working in the U.S. taking American jobs send home $10-11 billion annually.

• In 2002, foreign workers sent $25 billion back home to Latin America – $16 billion to Asia.

• U.S. unemployment jumped from 6.1 percent to 6.4 percent in June, which is 20 million Americans out of work.

• Our country is now $6.4 trillion in debt! That figure is climbing as our corporations outsource to India and China.

• We are paying $7.4 billion to educate children who are in this country illegally.

Plain figures are frightening. Hispanic babies born in California – automatic citizens – defy the figures. At UCLA Medical Center, a 35-year-old lady we'll call "Maria" was recovering after giving birth to her sixth child, says she can't wait to have another. Her grandmother had 25 children. Her mother gave birth to 18. Maria had her first child at 14. The father says, "There's a lot of joy in each of them, but we don't have enough money."

U.S.-born children of Latino immigrants will emerge as the largest component of the Hispanic population over the next 20 years. California has the largest number of Hispanics with 12 million, about one-third of its total population, followed by Texas, New York, Florida and Illinois. Los Angeles County has the largest population of Hispanics among all counties – approximately 5 million.

The costs to Americans of caring for all these people are prohibitive: Food stamps and medical benefits cost $65 billion annually.

• More than 75 percent of all illegal drugs come through our porous borders.

• More than 25 percent of the prisoners in our federal prisons are illegal aliens. The cost is $900 million per year just to feed and house them.

• And how about diseases?
  • 7,000 new cases of leprosy in three years have crossed over from Mexico, India and Brazil.

  • We now have 16,000 new cases of drug-resistant tuberculosis that is incurable.

  • Venereal disease is rampant among illegals.

All this ... and yet our leaders keep sending mixed signals concerning the illegal alien invasion. The governor-elect of California hints that he might support an amnesty program for illegals in California. In late August, Schwarzenegger said illegal aliens already in the country should be permitted to stay.

More recently, he said he supported a bill sponsored by Sen. John McCain that would grand temporary working permits to allow illegal immigrants to travel to and from the U.S. and loosen the requirements to apply for visas. And Schwarzenegger added, "I want to make all undocumented immigrants DOCUMENTED AND LEGAL in this country."

These are the people we elect to public office – people who have sworn to uphold the Constitution, protect U.S. citizens and guarantee our security and sovereignty. If this state of affairs continues, our beloved nation will become another Third World catastrophe. America will be divided – the wealthy at the top; the impoverished, undereducated, unskilled at the bottom; and a diminishing middle class trying to carry the load.

The governor-elect and president have a lot to talk about.

The legendary George Putnam is 89 years young and a veteran of 69 years as a reporter, broadcaster and commentator ... and is still going strong. George is part of the all-star line-up of Southern California's KPLS Radio – Hot Talk AM 830. Click here for George's complete bio

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