Enforce N.J. Law on Immigration

Are President Bush and the law-enforcement community serious about immigration controls? No. In New Jersey, not one police department has ever enforced the state law that says it is illegal for a travel agency to fill out, hand out or give out any immigration forms and advice. I contacted the Atlantic City Police Department, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office and the state's anti-terrorism office for more than two years to no avail. They are just not interested in investigating the large number of travel agencies run and operated by individuals who charge exorbitant fees for immigration forms.Bush is not “securing our borders,” as he stated in his recent speech. He has lost credibility. The guest-worker program would be a solution, in that the worker would be able to work in America but not be eligible for a “green card” (it's no longer actually green) due to his or her illegal entry. The problem is that many immigrants don't care about getting a green card, just simply getting the “green” (bucks, that is ... dinero). Many immigrants want the money, not the card. You can buy a pretty good house in Latin America for $10,000 saved here.

DAVID ALCANTARA

Atlantic City

Letter published in Press of Atlantic City, December 11, 2005

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/opsed/story/5759562p-5776733c.html