Gary Larson: Give illegal immigrants a chance

Having read many Forum letters regarding illegal immigration, I would like to give a different slant on this issue.

The illegal immigrant situation has existed for decades, and they have provided needed labor in many areas of our country. They are for the most part industrious, hardworking, friendly and religious people.

Stopping the flow of illegal immigrants could have happened decades ago by making it a crime punishable by fine or jail for anyone to hire an undocumented, illegal immigrant. For decades despite all of the talk, our government has given a nod and a wink for them to come here. They have raised their families here, attended churches and schools and have been a net positive to our society.

What should be illegal is our government using and abusing these people, then beating them over the head saying they should all be deported. A recent vote in the U.S. Senate passed a fair bipartisan bill regarding illegal immigration, however the Republican House wouldn’t even discuss the Senate’s bill.

Maybe the pope’s message about applying the golden rule to situations like this will result in a more humane solution to this problem, but I doubt it.

This story was originally published October 8, 2015 at 4:20 PM with the headline "Gary Larson: Give illegal immigrants a chance."