Immigration had started out as a good opportunity for the United States. Every group who came had made a contribution to the nation's achievements. Over the years, they built cities, railroads, and factories until the United States reached from coast to coast and became the wealthiest and the most powerful nation in the world, but the immigrants didn't stop migrating. The numbers kept

The United States also provides its citizens with a number of public services that are paid from public funds. In a study conducted by Donald L. Huddle from Rice University, he found that the public costs for immigrants in the United States amounted to 42.5 billion dollars more in services and assistance than the 20.2 billion dollars that immigrants paid in taxes. For example, the cost to California taxpayers for AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent Children), SSI (Supplemental Security Income), medical care, and general assistance to immigrants was 1 billion dollars. Added to this is the cost of jailing illegals of 400 million dollars, and 1.7 billion dollars to educate the children of illegal immigrants. Moreover, a third of all public assistance goes to immigrant-headed households. Illegal immigrants are not cheap at all. Illegal aliens with citizen children qualify for food stamps, housing assistance, unemployment compensation, job training, Medicaid, the earned income tax credit and general assistance. With the immigrants not contributing much to the economy, most of this money comes from the taxes of the natives.

The educational system is also affected greatly by immigration. Immigrants, even if they are un-documented, benefit from a free education. In some states, they can pay the same tuition for college and university as in-state citizens. Special programs, such as ESL (English as a Second Language), cost as much as fifty percent more than regular schooling. The estimated cost to the American taxpayer for the education of immigrants' children is over $30 billion a year. Florida, for example, has over 140,000 students who need ESL, and in 1994 paid $517 million on education for alien students. The money spent on these special programs means less money for educating today's American youth.

Illegal immigration is hurting the economy, the society, and the educational system. We cannot just ignore what is happening. The government needs to start taking action. First, the government must secure the borders. They must use the manpower and the technology necessary to prevent people from crossing the border; but the problem is not primarily at the border. The Border Patrol has its problems, but they are manageable. Second, the federal government must stop rewarding the illegals that happen to slip past the border patrol. Finally, the people in Washington must act and take full responsibility for illegal immigration. The government also needs to improve the legal documents, the INS deportation and detention procedures,

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Approximate Word count = 1742
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)