Illegal Immigration and Employer Sanctions

Re “More Border Patrols, Yes, but Labor Issue Remains Key,” editorial, Aug. 27:

At a time that existing immigration laws are not being effectively enforced, an outside audit has found that the INS is not in compliance with federal law, and virtually all of the public sector (voter registration, law enforcement, education, welfare, emergency services, public health, etc.) makes no legal status/citizenship determination (often by statutory exemption), your call for increased sanctions on the private sector is at the very least premature. Apply the current private sector sanctions and penalties to all of the public sector and its employees, before asking employers to solve a problem that is the constitutional responsibility of the federal government.

While no reasonable person wishes harm to illegal immigrants, the responsibility of educating people crossing the Mexican border of the physical and legal risks belongs to the Mexican government, not the U.S. taxpayer.

LEE FERRY

Newport Beach

* On the same editorial page, you decry the Berlin Wall fascism and extol our own border “Berlin Wall.” What hypocrisy! Then you advocate making a cop out of every business owner to ferret out those evil illegals.

They are only illegal because we define them that way. “All men are created equal . . . with certain unalienable rights . . . of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Not Americans, all men. From 1850 to 1920, when we had our massive immigration, 40% returned because our streets were not paved with gold. Life is not easy here. Immigrants are afraid to even visit home because of the difficulties of getting back. A very strong argument can be made that our border is keeping immigrants in, not out, and that we would have far fewer “illegal” immigrants if we opened our borders.

They take our jobs? Balderdash. Our concern should be competition from Portland, Phoenix and Arkan- sas, not nonskilled immigrants.

PHILIP ZOEBISCH

San Diego

* The problem of illegal border crossings will not be solved by various government agencies throwing money at it. My suggestion:

* Eliminate the sales tax.

* Institute a value-added tax of 18% to 20%, on everything.

* Eliminate the state income tax.

* Allow a tax credit to all legal residents who file a claim to get a portion of the VAT back.

Now, all of the illegals are customers, paying their share. In addition, the tax cheats who do not report their income honestly are paying their share.

The income tax system is a failure in a global economy. Eliminate it. Pay as you go with a VAT.

JON R. APPEL

Yorba Linda