Defy immigration laws, face consequences

Re “The Great Divide of Citizenship,” May 7

Your article profiled four illegal immigrant families who have 15 children among them. Guadalupe Aguilera earns $425 a week and has had five children since she came to this country. These adults have, through their own actions and inactions -- not the U.S.’ or Central America’s -- made their desperate situations far worse.

They claim and expect Americans to believe that they want desperately to be Americans and to assimilate. Therefore, perhaps your reporting should also address the fact that most successful persons “living the American dream” in the 21st century practice some form of family planning. These are the responsible people picking up the slack for the reckless behavior of millions who continue to have numerous children they know they can’t afford.

If it’s a matter of ignorance, then we need to be doing some serious educating. I’m a liberal Democrat, and the pro-immigration movement is losing my support, in large part because of articles such as this one.

LAURA KLINE

Valley Village, Calif.

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The article states: “Maria Flores trekked with her four children across mountains into the United States, planning to earn some quick money and go back home to Mexico City.”

So, when are you going to write a sob story about a bank robber?

After all, bank robbers break the law because they want a better life for themselves. Flores made the conscious decision to defy our laws, and now she must face the consequences -- end of story.

I’m Latino; I came to the U.S. as a legal immigrant; I’m a naturalized U.S. citizen, and I think illegal immigration is a slap in the face to legal immigrants.

HAYDEE PAVIA

Laguna Woods