Editor,

Illegal immigration has affected our country in many ways. Jobs, housing, health care, security, education, law enforcement (jail, sanctuary cities, murder, police, courts, rape) insurance, traffic accidents, pollution, translators, the federal budget, those living on borders with Mexico, food banks, unemployment benefits, food stamps, welfare, alien smugglers, fire, trash, drugs, kidnapping, wages, anchor babies, HUD properties, U.S. money sent back to the illegal’s country and earned income tax credit. These are probably but a few expenses that are picked up by the taxpayers. Not every occurrence listed affects everyone because each state is different and, therefore, the costs vary from state to state.

I am talking about illegals, the word defining these aliens and/or immigrants and not those who have entered our country the legal way.
Focusing on Georgia, the facts are as follows. An estimated 624,400 illegal aliens and their U.S.-born children live in Georgia. They cost the taxpayers $2.4 billion. They pay an estimated $142 million in taxes collected by the state. This leaves a burden of nearly $2.26 billion and results in $768 per household headed by a U.S. citizen in additional taxes.

1. Education costs $1.67 billion, and American teachers can’t get raises.
2. Health care costs $318 million, and American people can’t afford their medical bills.
3. Law and justice cost $195 million, and American families have trouble paying their lawyers.
4. Public assistance costs $77 million, and Americans are having trouble finding jobs.
5. General government services cost $138 million, and Americans are having trouble getting adequate services.

This information is documented by the Federation for American Immigration (FAIR), which can be found on the Internet.

Liz Bartlett
Richmond Hill