Harrop column full of contradictions

Froma Harrop's Sept. 29 column regarding poor immigrants was interesting to read. She writes well but she was often contradictory and illogical.

For example, she states that illegal immigrants should "not be portrayed as criminals." Then in a later statement she states that, "immigration laws should be enforced." The fact of the matter is that the dictionary definition of a criminal is "one who has committed a crime." Any illegal alien is committing a crime because they are breaking our immigration laws. Even she admits that with her later statement that our "immigration laws should be enforced."

But how do we enforce these laws? We are not allowed to stop them at the borders, and we are not allowed to arrest them or deport them once they are here. Instead, we want to grant them amnesty and provide them with free education, free medical care, free housing, and many other social benefits, all at U.S. taxpayer expense. How does this enforce our immigration laws or even teach them respect for our laws and our country?

In fact, these kinds of policies do just the opposite by encouraging them to come, stay and proliferate as reflected in the population trends cited in her column.

Lastly, she cites the former deputy foreign minister of Mexico as stating that "Mexico suffers most out of immigration because the best people are leaving." This contradicts Froma's statement that "much of the demand for labor is ... for cheaper labor that undercuts the most economically vulnerable Americans." This is particularly true at a time in our history where we are in a severe recession.

John Noll

Naperville