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Those of us born in the United States will never understand how blessed we really are. I cannot imagine wanting to be somewhere so badly that I would pay to be smuggled, tolerate inhumane treatment and risk my life along the way. However, that is exactly what others who are not so fortunate are doing daily.

I believe in allowing legal immigrants into the United States, but I also believe just as strongly in blocking illegal immigrants.

The new measures in controlled immigration ensure that we know who is in our country and that we help detour those who would wish to harm us from making it into our homeland. We know who should be paying taxes, the identities of people who commit crimes, or those who are victims.

Shootouts between organized smuggling groups, including the one that recently received national media coverage have become commonplace here in Arizona.

The modern-day immigrant smuggling mobs have cruelty and intimidation down to an art. Once they are contracted to smuggle someone across the border, the people become their property. The $1,500 smuggling fee, if unpaid, can cost life and limb.

I grant that some illegal aliens who make it into the United States do not disrupt society or the economy and make a fine life for themselves and their children. But this does not excuse their decision. Whatever their motive for crossing, they should have followed the appropriate channels.

When illegal aliens come into the United States, they have no insurance and usually very little money. Crossing the southern Arizona desert is where the first problems begin.

Assuming they make it past border patrol unharmed, they do not have good odds of reaching their destination in good health, since the desert climate is so inhospitable. At that point, if they are lucky enough to be found, they will be transported - often by helicopter, one of the most expensive forms of transportation - to a hospital where they will be treated, as required by law. Since the illegal alien probably lacks health insurance, the taxpaying public foots the bill.

In 2001, the family of an man attempting to enter the United States sued the U.S. government because it refused to put a watering point in the desert to hydrate illegals during their trip. How anyone could have the audacity to sue the government over this death is absurd; the United States does not owe something to illegal immigrants.

While there is no clear-cut answer to who should be allowed into the United States and how long the immigration process should take, the importance of following the legitimate process is clear. The costs illegal immigrants place upon U.S. taxpayers are unacceptable.

Organized smuggling must be halted before further bloodshed. And most important, next time you talk about how messed up the United States is, consider how many people would give their life to stand in your shoes and be able to say what you say.

Matt Snowden is a finance senior. Reach him at matthew.snowden@asu.edu.


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