I am very troubled about illegal immigration in our country. As a native of Mexico--and now a full-fledged American citizen--let me tell you why I feel that way.

This great, wonderful United States of ours (yes, I call it ours, and am immensely proud to be a legal citizen with you) is being overrun with illegal immigrants. It is wrong. It is hurting our economy. In the long run, it is hurting the illegal immigrants, and their families.

Illegal immigrants often resort to identity theft to get a job. For every identity that is stolen and used illegally, some legal citizen has to spend many dollars and years repairing their credit--at no fault of theirs. They were a victim of theft. That is wrong.

Since illegal immigrants usually don't qualify for health insurance (and often can't afford private health care), many go to hospital emergency rooms for simple medical problems. Did you know that hospital emergency rooms are forced by law to provide care to them whether or not they can pay? That is driving up the cost of health care (someone has to pay for that "free" care). It's wrong.

Utah's schools are forced to provide classrooms, teachers, tutors, books, sometimes meals, etc. for free to children whose parents don't pay property taxes to support the schools.

I was born in Mexico City, and came to the US as an adult in 1992 on a student visa. I never broke the law! I went through the long, difficult process of becoming a legal citizen. I will never forget the day in 1997, when I stood in a courtroom and took the oath of an American citizen. The judge said, "Today, the US is a better country, because we have each one of you. Welcome to this country. Make your contribution."

I had chills run down my back when he spoke those words. I vowed right then to contribute to this country, not take away from it.

I get offended when people say, "But we need to have illegal immigrants here because others won't take the low-paying jobs." Bunk! (I think that's the correct word.) When I came to the US, I began a small lawn care service (legal in every way) which I grew into a full landscaping business. I was happy to have work, and was able to attract customers even though my prices were high enough to enable me to pay taxes and all the other legitimate expenses of operating a business.

I eventually had to shut down my landscaping business because I was being undercut by illegals (many of whom, I'm sure, paid no taxes). If there were no illegals "forced" by economic conditions (along with free health care at the emergency room, free schooling, etc.), to work for less, the free market economy would rise to support the legitimate businesses being operated legally.

Some say that thanks to illegal immigrants, we have cheap tomatoes and apples. Well, I would rather pay more for those tomatoes than pay more for health insurance.

By the way, I am now a Realtor, and am grateful that this nation and community have provided me an equal playing field on which I've built my own very successful real estate business. Most of my clients are legal immigrants who share my views.

I love my native Mexico, and my countrymen. Right now I am helping a friend of mine build a house for a poor family 90 minutes north of Mexico City.

If anybody wants to come to the United States, I say welcome! To every one of them. But they need to get in line, do the work, learn the language, pay the price, and be here legally. To do otherwise is wrong.

I know Margaret Dayton well. She understands illegal immigration issues, and is doing something about them. Even though this is a national issue, she is working very hard in our state legislature to deal with the problem. And it is very definitely a problem.

Those who ignore the problem don't represent my views. I favor legal migration, for that is the way I came here. What I don't favor is people coming here illegally.

Thanks for letting me be here with you. I am proud to be an American. VIVA THE USA!

Sincerely,

Arturo Morales
Orem, Utah