January 15, 2009

Santa Maria, Times
P.O. Box 400
Santa Maria, CA 93456

Subject: Pay to play

To the Editor:

The Maria Salinas commentary in the January 12 Santa Maria Times shows that Illinois is not the only political system that is corrupt. It is nationwide and at all levels. Salinas”s words were “We marched, we voted and now we want Obama to keep his promise and give us an immigration reform”. In other words, “we paid, we play”.

Immigration reform to Salinas and groups like the ACLU means legalization of about 20 million illegal aliens. Legalization would then open up the VISA process and those granted amnesty could bring their families to the U.S.

In 2007, Immigration Services (USCIS) approved 6,134 petitions for legal temporary workers under the H=2A guest worker program. The Department Of State (DOS) then issued 50,791 visas. That is more than 8 visas for each legal guest worker. If you do the math and 20 million illegals become legal, we soon have over a 100 million more people hear on visas.. 100 million who will need jobs, medical care, housing and education at the expense of our citizens and those here legally.

The January 10 Santa Maria Times said we have 11 million Americans out of work and the January 14 edition mentions that two farm worker advocacy groups are suing the federal government over the foreign worker program. Don’t tell an out of work farm worker that there are “jobs Americans won’t do”.

The same groups who want amnesty for the illegals also fight efforts to insure that only citizens of the U.S. vote in our elections so we potentially have quite a voting block for the “pay to play” policy.

Salinas wants to legalize the illegals so they can reunify with their families (part of the 100 million). They can do that right now by going home to their families.

Al Hesson
Orcutt