U.S. Can No Longer Subsidize Immigration

Re “Families Reach Out Across Border,” May 10: Yet another heart-wrenching article in The Times about the plight of the downtrodden illegal aliens. They weep and moan because they are separated from their families, surely a sad circumstance, but the fact remains that they consciously made the choice to sneak across our borders illegally and leave their families and lives behind.

Perhaps they should have stayed in Mexico and worked to improve their own government. The millions of illegal immigrants who swarm across our borders seem to feel entitled to all the services that our country provides and, in so doing, are eroding the quality of our lives. My heart has hardened to their plight.

Carol Thompson

Anaheim Hills

“Only Universal Insurance Can Save the ERs” (Voices, May 8) left out one very important point: In California, illegal aliens have created a large burden on the healthcare system that is compromising the system for legal residents.

If the healthcare crisis in California were caused by Smith & Wesson or Colt Firearms, The Times would demand that the gun companies pay the healthcare costs. Since Mexico is responsible for running a Third World country that people flee every day, and the Mexican government does nothing to provide for the healthcare of its citizens here, why not sue the Mexican government for the healthcare costs of its citizens? If the same treatment is suitable for American companies, why not Mexico?

Michael R. Smith

Riverside