An Open Letter to Senator Mel Martinez

Dear Senator Martinez:

I wish to voice my opposition to SB 1348, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007. This bill is flawed in so many ways it concerns me for several reasons.

The first is that far from enacting any meaningful reform, it actually grants amnesty to perhaps 20,000,000 existing illegal aliens, along with their extended families. This country was established as a nation of laws, but it seems that some, like yourself as co-sponsor of this bill, are willing to subvert that basic tenet, and allow lawbreakers to not only skate free, but to enjoy the benefits of citizenship. What do I tell my grandkids about the rule of law, when half their class contains illegal Mexicans? How did my great grandparents become citizens? How did you become a citizen, Senator Martinez? Is obeying the law no longer a requisite for citizenship? Is that your message?

Secondly, with threats of annihilation being made against the county and its citizens almost daily, the last thing the government should do is to throw open the borders and let these aliens roam free among us. Which one is a simple peasant looking for work, and which is a terrorist with a weapon? Is this a risk worth taking in exchange for the dubious benefit of cheap short term labor, or for 20 million future Democrats?

Lastly, this bill doesn't pass the light-of-day test. Where are the committee hearings? Where's the debate? Americans are generous by nature, and despite the spin by the media, they are not xenophobic. Americans welcome immigrants who come here legally, learn the language, work hard and pay taxes, and assimilate into the culture. They are, however, suspicious of back room deals that try to ram bad legislation like this bill down their throats, in the dark of night.

Shame, Senator Martinez, shame. I could expect socialist bills like this from Ted Kennedy or Harry Reid. I supported and voted for you, but I did not give you license to subvert the nation's rule of law, or its border security. Amnesty didn't work under President Reagan, and it won't work now. I urge you to withdraw your sponsorship of this bill, and to vigorously oppose it.