Dear Editor:
Gary Endelman's article hit the nail on the head!
I work in the nursery/landscape industry in South Florida, and I have worked with many illegals during the 12 years that I have been in this business. The reality is, at least in South Florida, that the large majority of jobs in this business are performed by illegal aliens. These people, for the most part, are not interested in living in this country as permanent residents. Because it's impossible for them to work here legally, and dangerous and expensive to cross the border via 'coyotes', once they are here, they have very little option but to stay and continue working.
The scope of this problem is so enormous (8 million illegals here now, and guess what - they aren't leaving any time soon...), and border control is so ineffective, that it seems like the only solution is to develop some sort of amnesty program to allow people that are here now to obtain work permits and allow them to work on some sort of temporary basis. Those that desire permanent residency would need to qualify like any other applicant.
If we had a reasonable policy regarding work permits for these lower paying jobs, it would result in fewer illegal border crossings, and perhaps even reduce the number of married illegal women who are working here now, knowing that their husbands could obtain work legally and safely and return home more frequently. (and as an added benefit this would result in a lower birth rate of babies born to illegals in this country). I hope that others read his article and take note.
Lynne Barrows
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