To the editor:

Once more Elizabeth Black gets it wrong, this time trying to equate support for law enforcement on illegal immigration with scapegoating Latinos, particularly Mexicans (Journal-World, Feb. 4). Frankly, I wish candidates I otherwise can accept would support more such law enforcement.

She seems to miss the fact that we have a lot of population pressure on our southern border. While the world population increased a bit over four times since 1900, that of Mexico increased about eight times. Right now, there are more illegal immigrants each year into the United States than there are legal immigrants. Fifty-seven percent of our illegal immigrants come from Mexico, and 24 percent more from other countries to our south. If we had Russia on our southern border, most of the illegal immigrants would come from there.

She tries to divert the issue by bringing up the Mexican War, subprime mortgage lenders and many other things. The fact is that many organizations profit from the membership or cheap labor of illegal immigrants, and jobs attract people here. We have to be willing to enforce the law but also pay jobs picking fruit or cleaning motel rooms enough that legitimate citizens will want the jobs, and be willing to pay higher prices that result. I am.

And, please, stop trying to equate immigration control with racism. I am being kept awake at night by the sound of knees jerking.

Adrian Melott,
Lawrence