presidential paradigms
Common Sense Missing from Immigration Reform
Charles Wilfong, President, West Virginia Farm Bureau
The
ongoing
battle over
immigration
reform
should have
the attention
of all
Americans.
Included in the Senate-approved
version of the bill is basic amnesty
for people who have come to this
country illegally.
I believe our rule of law is being
destroyed through this process.
If this bill passes the House, we
would be rewarding those who
have no respect for our laws and
regulations. All illegals would
be given immediate legal status
with a pathway to citizenship.
This immediate status is referred
to as “Registered Provisional
Immigration Status”, or RPI
status. Even the illegals who have
criminal records would receive
RPI status. All illegal immigrants
would then be immediately eligible
for welfare and other governmentfunded benefits.
Approximately 50% of the
illegal immigrants in our country
today have children who were born
in the U.S. and thus are eligible
for welfare programs including
food stamps, medicaid, children’s
health insurance, Temporary
Assistance for Needy Families
(TANF), and more. It is estimated
that each illegal household today
consumes over $14,000 more in
benefits than they pay in taxes,
because we provide them with
4 West Virginia Farm Bureau News
public education, police and
fire protection, water and sewer
service, road maintenance and
other services on top of the welfare
programs. And the extension of
these benefits will not be limited
to the 11 million current illegals,
because there will be many more
family members of current illegals
who will be allowed to come to
this country with their families.
The total cost to taxpayers will