I'm writing in response to the "Immigration larger problem for U.S." editorial, (SN 5/18). I take issue with the notion that "much of the economy depends upon the work of immigrants," as if they are an intractable part of our societal fabric.

These jobs were done before illegal immigrants arrived en masse, depressed wages and forced Americans out.

Does anyone really believe that prior to the 1986 amnesty and subsequent explosion of illegal aliens entering our country, that there were no hotel rooms cleaned, no lawns mowed or no dishes washed?

Also, the failure to embrace the Central American Free Trade Agreement, or CAFTA, and the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, by Latin American governments is irrelevant to this argument, as the massive waves of illegal aliens preceded these agreements.

Nothing these governments do can create a better life for their people in those countries than they would otherwise have in the United States, and that is why they continue to come and why we should bolster our efforts to keep them out.

Geoff Woliner
2002 graduate