Letters: The border fence and immigration realities

Re “Is the border secure?,” March 10

Supporters of building a nearly impenetrable fence along the U.S.-Mexico border say such a barrier would go a long way toward stopping illegal immigration.

However, an estimated 40% of the illegal immigrants already in the United States (more than 4 million of the total) are visa abusers. These are people who came to the United States with a valid visa (tourist, student or others) and stayed past the expiration. Many of them don’t look like Mexicans, and they blend into our society. They work as physical therapists, accountants and other middle-class professionals.

So how will the United States stop the flow of illegal immigrants to this country? Or is it just Mexicans whom people want to stop?

Odille Hansen

Culver City

When it’s illegal to declare a city a sanctuary for illegal immigrants, when all employers of such immigrants are cited and fined, and when deportations are increased to far higher than the current number, just maybe that border will become more secure. Until then, all the noise over illegal immigration is just that.

Ron Romanosky

Tustin

Sunday’s front-page photograph by Don Bartletti is brilliant. It shows the stark barrier that crosses the Sonora Desert between the United States and Mexico.

There is no difference between the dry sands of the two sides, demonstrating that the boundaries drawn by governments and by nature can, and often do, conflict.

The result is an enormously high defensive price paid by our government.

Ralph Knowles

Los Angeles

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