Say no to amnesty, yes to national ID

Re “Revisiting reform,” editorial, Jan. 29

The Times brands as extremist the views of an overwhelming majority of voters who oppose legalizing the status of any person who entered the country in violation of immigration laws. This bias is irresponsible. The immigration system is broken, but not because the laws are wrong. Rather, more than 40 years of mismanagement by elected federal officials from both sides of the aisle created today’s immigration crisis.

The U.S. abandoned a merit-based immigration paradigm in favor of a policy focusing on family unification. A series of Band-Aid immigration bills were touted as cures for the skyrocketing numbers of undocumented immigrants that were the natural consequence of that failed policy. The Times’ proffered reforms are just more of the same. If an amnesty does pass, it will herald a new wave of illegal immigration that will dwarf the numbers of illegals we have now and give the lie to the fairy-tale reformist promises.

DEBRA SOSHOUX

Sherman Oaks

*

Re “Fresh potential on immigration,” Jan. 29

Any compromise regarding illegal immigrants must begin with a national identification system. We will not gain control of our borders with fences and amnesty for illegal immigrants. Whatever compromise results, we will not be able to implement it without knowing who is here and when they arrived.

Although this may seem like Big Brother is watching, it adds nothing to what is available for the honest. Let’s make life tough for the dishonest.

JACK GORDON

Newhall

*

Re “Crackdown confirms fears,” Jan. 30

Instead of presenting another sob story about the tribulations of an illegal immigrant, why doesn’t The Times describe a would-be legal immigrant patiently waiting his turn? It’s maddening to see the media idealize lawbreakers and ignore legal immigrants, whose long wait would be further lengthened by one more amnesty program creating an avalanche of additional government paperwork.

Genuine immigration reform would require that legal immigrants waiting for visas be treated better than millions of illegal immigrants. That means lawbreakers get deported and law-abiders get rewarded.

BRENDA WALKER

Berkeley