Guests from the South

Sneaking across the southern border into the United States are poor, desperate Mexicans hoping for a better life. On the surface, they are no different than the rest of us who have come to America for a better life. However, a huge difference is that several million Mexicans are here illegaly, with no valid green cards.

Those of us who have taken the legal route can't ignore the double standard: we go through a long and tedious process, with numerous hurdles to get our American visas, yet illegal aliens simply enter this country on their own.

Many American employers have no problem hiring illegal immigrants for low wages, no benefits, and horrible working conditions. And, employers often add fear to the mix, since they can threaten to report illegal Mexicans to the authorities.

Mexican immigrants deserve better--they need adequate pay and a safe work environment. But, these changes will only take place if the estimated 20 million illegals become legal through a fair process.

To stop further illegal immigration, the United States needs to enforce border patrols, and it needs to go further. The U.S. government must streamline and speed up the process of giving visas to law-abiding people from all countries, including Mexico. The time has come for a real solution.