Children of Illegal Immigrant Workers

Re “A New Meaning for ‘Uncle Sam Wants You,’ ” Column Left, March 26:

There is a simple solution to the illegal immigration situation: Let’s provide the money to Mexico and other Latin American countries so that they may raise their minimum wage to $5 an hour, thereby giving those countries’ desperate citizens absolutely no incentive to come to the U.S. and live like dogs and work hard for peanuts in jobs that U.S. workers refuse.

Think of all the illegal immigrants who would gladly go home to be with their families, providing they could make decent wages. Think of all the money that will be saved by no longer providing illegals with social services, thereby freeing much-needed funds for American citizens. How about all the money we now spend for guards, inspectors, cops, fences and prisons trying to keep them out? Paying workers livable wages worked for Henry Ford and the U.S. It can also work for Mexico.

ROBERT EMBICK

Dana Point

* I always thought of myself as a liberal, albeit a moderate one. Robert Scheer has almost converted me to a full-fledged Republican. He uses inflammatory rhetoric because he does not have a leg to stand on.

To lump all Republicans by saying “illegal kids are of no use ... It is only the adults we need,” and that the “Republican goal is to get rid of children but keep their parents to pick crops” is way out of line. There are always groups of people who will find loopholes, but to lump the whole Republican Party in a ruse to exploit people, because the immigration laws are not effective or not enforced, is ridiculous.

I would go along with Scheer and his condemnation of the treatment of illegals--both children and parents--on one condition: That there be no immigration laws at all. Everyone would simply be allowed in this country. But while there are laws, we must abide by them and enforce them.

DION ALDEN HOLT

Beverly Hills