Close the borders

Dear Mr. President.

As a Mexican-American woman who grew up in the Midwest, I would like it if you do close the borders and here is why.

My mother is from Mexico. As a young lady, she legally did the right paperwork to come and clean house for people in Texas. She met my dad that way who was born in LA but lived in Mexico. He was able to come here legally because his mother was pure Yaki Indian and from Los Angeles. Anyway, they married in Texas, had 3 american kids then due to work in Nebraska, they were able to move there and then had me and 2 others brothers and sisters. We were a family of 6. My dad came to Nebraska to work at Wilsons Packing House and Swifts. Work was wonderful. They bought their own home for $11,000 back in 1961, put all of us kids through Highland School in Omaha and then South High. We all graduated and some of us even joined the military. I finally retired from the Navy in 2001.

I remember a time growing up in Nebraska when lots of illegals started moving into the neighborhood. They didn't speak english and they were always afraid of everyone. We were nice to them but for some reason, they never trusted anyone. Now I know why. As a young lady at the age of 12, I remember the men from mexico would pursue me for sex. They would say all the right things and they were nice but they had an agenda. All of the sudden, I saw lots of my friends at the age of 12-16 getting pregnant, having abortions or marrying at 16 or 18 to these guys. They did it to get their greencards. My sister was one of them. Shortly thereafter, he left her and then brought his own own from Mexico here. It was wierd and it happened so fast!

I also remember a time when my dad got laid off of work because they were paying him to much when the illegals would work for pennies. We started using welfare which my parents said we should never have to do if you work hard. My father and my mother suffered because of their own people! They were here legally, they worked very hard to find the american dream and only to get laid off by greedy business owners. No one did anything to change that. So my father had to take a less paying job for the city picking up trash and starting all over again. Thankfully, he was legal, had good credit and was able to pick himself up again to take care of us.
As pure mexicans/indians, none of us liked seeing this happen. Now, if you go back to Omaha which use to be full of hardworking legal aliens from Germany, Italy, Poland, Mexico, Latvia, etc., it is now like a mini LA barrio. It's disgusting! No one speaks english, just about every store in South Omaha is a mexican store and I'm angered! Young kids are doing drugs and joing gangs Mr. President. We NEVER HAD GANGS WHEN I GREW UP! It shouldn't of happened that way. Now, my brother who is a counselor for gangs and who also works for Boys Town speaks of rogue gangs from Guatemala, San Salvador and Columbia! They shot at his house. It's getting worse!

If we don't control how we let people in America, America will disappear forever. At least do background checks first. Perhaps we can do a Ellis Island thing again. Make the these illegal aliens work for their freedom. We do.

Gloria
Age 43
Omaha, Nebraska

Immigration and Naturalization Service

Dear Mr. President:

I just read several letters on this site regarding the frustrations of seemingly honest, hard-working and decent people who are simply trying to immigrate to our great country and become citizens. Their stories are heart rending and, frankly, make me mad. The performance of our Immigration and Naturalization Service in these cases, if accurate as described in these letters, is embarrassing at best.

One hard working student writes that her family has waited 20 years to earn their citizenship. Another wife, mother, and US citizen writes that her husband and the father of her two children is unable to immigrate, citing several examples of simply appalling poor performance by the INS.

Mr. President, the people I read about in these letters are the kind of people this country was built on, and they are what we need here now. I simply cannot understand why they are treated this way by our government. I am embarrased and ashamed by the performance of the government I am responsible for as a voter. Why does your administration seemingly do so little to enforce our immigration laws and to ensure the INS performs its job efficiently, correctly, and in a manner that would make any US citizen proud?

Don
Age 48
Las Vegas, NV

I know why

Dear George:

I will be brief to get my point across. I know why you will not close the borders. I know that it comes from Mr Rove. I also know that while you are playing politics, people flood the border every day, breaking our laws and who know what else, while YOUR government turns a blind eye. You have insulted true patriots by calling them "vigilantes", and you are not doing the will of the people. Remember the principles of what this country were built upon and what a true repulican government is. I know you will never see the consequences of your actions, but people like me and the people around me do. I implore you to do something about the borders. I fear that by the time you decide it will be too late. I cannot imagine being president, but I do know that you are accountable to us. Please do not forget that.

Sincerely

Gentry
Age 24
Lehi, UT