The Jackson Clarion-Ledger: on Immigration

Albert N. Gore: Get undocumented workers paying taxes: an untapped resource

A: We need to find additional resources that can fund these programs. For example, we have more than 13 million workers in this country who are illegally here. These workers are willing to work long hours at jobs that many Americans will not take. If these workers are earning a wage --and that is why they are here--why not work to make them become U. S. citizens and have them pay Social Security and other taxes going to Medicare and Medicaid. This is an untapped resource. In pursuing this, we need to make sure we don't pass immigration legislation that is anti-labor. Anti-labor laws have already impacted the ability of the nation's farmers to hire workers who are reliable and steady on the job.

Bill Bowlin: Enforce existing immigration laws for safety and security

A. While prohibiting unauthorized persons’ entry into the country, the immigration laws were created to provide safety and security for all Americans. However, after years of non-enforcement, the United States has allowed unlawful entry by many immigrants, causing much confusion with regard to safety, health and public service questions. As your senator, we believe it’s the best route for immigration laws to take and we will enforce these laws.