Illegal Immigrants

I think the United States should take a stand on Mexican immigration so that we can pay less in taxes and make those taxes really work. I teach English as a second language at a high school in Escondido, and most of my students are illegal immigrants.

They are receiving not only a free education but also free meals at school. Our classes are overcrowded and materials are difficult to obtain because our budget is low.

Why are we paying to feed and educate them while they are at school? Why do I have to sit in traffic because of the INS at San Onofre on the same day that it was perfectly acceptable for me to teach the people the INS is looking for?

If it is OK for them to live here and go to school here, why don’t we close down the INS and use the tax money to feed and educate these people? We could hire more teachers, have smaller classes and buy more books.

If, on the other hand, we are going to spend our tax money on hiring more INS officers, why are we allowing those who illegally live here to receive free meals and a free education? We could use that money to pay for the INS. But why in the world are we paying for both?

I think it’s time the taxpayers put their collective foot down and force the government to make a stand on this immigration issue and to stop wasting our money on their wishy-washiness.

EVA DICKSTEIN, San Diego