<font size=”2″ style=”font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;”><em style=”color: rgb(255, 0, 0);”>Ron Engel is deputy director of the American Legion’s Americanism and Children & Youth Division. His article is reprinted here with the permission of the American Legion Magazine, copyright April 2004. </em><em style=”font-weight: bold;”><br /></em></font><p style=”font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;”><font size=”2″ style=”font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;”><span style=”font-weight: bold;”>They didn’t die for open borders, did they?</span><br /></font></p><p style=”font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;”><font size=”2″ style=”font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;”>The American Legion is unalterably opposed to illegal immigration and
the apparent lack of enforcement of immigration laws by federal
government agencies. Immigration is a critical issue to national
security, as evidenced by the terrorists admitted into this country,
who went on to commit the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
</font></p><p style=”font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;”><font size=”2″>American Legion positions on immigration date back to the
organization’s roots. In 1919, Legionnaires opened their arms to a wave
of immigrants from foreign lands. The organization worked with the
government in providing meaningful naturalization ceremonies and
instructed immigrants on the English language, assisting their
adjustment to the American way of life.
</font></p><p style=”font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;”><font size=”2″>At the same time, the Legion also envisioned a time when this
country would have to withdraw the welcome mat, due to increasing
numbers of new immigrants and the difficulty of assimilating into U.S.
society. The Legion passed resolutions asking Congress for limited
quotas, calling for strict enforcement of immigration and customs laws
and the removal of illegal aliens.
</font></p><p style=”font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;”><font size=”2″>
An estimated 8 million to 11 million illegals live and work among us today, from coast to coast and border to border.(<span style=”color: rgb(255, 0, 0);”>Note: Current estimates are closer to 20 million plus. –Ed.</span>)<br /></font></p>
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<font size=”2″ style=”font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;”>Generally, they perform work where labor shortages exist. So what’s the problem?
</font></p><p style=”font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;”><font size=”2″>
They broke the law to get here.</font></p><p style=”font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;”><font size=”2″>
The American Legion cannot condone the breaking of this country’s
immigration laws when the preamble to its own Constitution says members
"promote law and order." Immigration laws were established to regulate
the admission of non-citizens into this country. Violation of
immigration laws is a violation of the Legion’s rules of conduct.
</font></p><p style=”font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;”><font size=”2″>Acceptance of these undocumented aliens is an invitation for
others to illegally enter the country. Previous amnesty programs
[immigration have proved ineffective at curtailing the invasion and,
according to some immigration-reform groups, only served to fuel a
greater influx of illegals. <br /></font></p><p><font size=”2″ style=”font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;”><a href=”http://www.veteransforsecureborders.us/articles/art2005apr01.html”>Continue…</a></font><br /></p>