Rebate screening a sop to hot phobia?

I found it interesting that the article regarding the passage of the rebate package to bolster the economy referred to language to make sure illegal aliens did not get the checks.

We have 12 million illegal immigrants in this country. Probably some pay income taxes, but probably most do not, at least not outside of what is taken out of their checks if they get checks instead of cash.

In order to pay income taxes, one must have a Social Security number. If an illegal has a Social Security number, it must be a fake one. If the government is going to make sure that illegal immigrants do not get rebate checks, that infers they know who is here illegally. If they know who they are to the point that they can prevent them from getting rebate checks, it means they are allowing them to work and have taxes taken from their wages.

It is ludicrous to think that the government is going to be looking at rebate checks and saying: "This one is an illegal, no check." So, why was it necessary to include that language? I think the only reason could be to acknowledge the illegal immigrant phobia currently so popular.

Doris Aussin

Lake in the Hills