State News: John Andrews Testifies on Immigration

Bumped from last week - in case you missed it, please read it all at Backbone America. On May 17, in Congress, former State Senate President John Andrews testified on the illegal immigration issues and the utter failure of the Federal Government to secure the border - and their severe and continuing impact on Colorado's citizens. Remarkably, his testimony calls for the same solution that Fred Thompson calls for: secure the border first and foremost. Only after that is accomplished is it proper to talk about amnesty.

Mme. Chairman and committee, Colorado is close to the front line of America’s unsecured southern border. We are a conduit for massive illegal traffic into this country. I dealt with the consequences as Senate President, 2003-2005. I bring you an appeal from our state to build the fence and secure the border first and foremost. I urge you not to reward lawbreakers with green cards and citizenship.

People in my state are self-reliant in their way of life, optimistic in their outlook, and welcoming to newcomers from anywhere in the world. We are not complainers, and we are not alarmists.

But we know a problem when we see one, and we expect a bargain to be kept. Right now millions of Coloradans see the invasion of illegal aliens as an urgent problem for our state, and we attribute that problem to the federal government’s failure to keep its bargain with Americans everywhere for secure borders and the rule of law.

[The Rest of the Story]

Amnesty for illegal aliens was supposed to fix this problem 20 years ago. It did not. Estimates today put the illegal alien population of Colorado at somewhere between 250,000 to 750,000 people – as much as 15 percent of the entire population.

Our schools, our health care system, and our criminal justice system are groaning under this burden. Our common culture and common language are fraying. We feel that Washington has let us down. It seems Congress and the White House just don’t care.

...

One of my son’s fellow officers, Donald Young, was brutally murdered by an illegal alien two years ago this month. My son has a T-shirt that says “Never Forget.” Coloradans have not forgotten, but we can’t solve this problem without your help in Congress.

The help we need is for you to build the fence and secure the border, period. No amnesty for lawbreakers. No so-called comprehensive solution for cheap votes and cheap labor. Just stop the invasion.

Courtesy of John Andrews at his blog Backbone America (.net)

Go and read it all - some very revealing statistics and issues there, ones that likely apply to all our states with illegals. Bravo John, Well said!