"Undocumented" Workers Want Perks

Our immigration system--and every facet of the way our government and pro-immigration lobbyists perceive it--has become a colossal joke.

WAUCHULA, Fla. - Fear of deportation is one of the many obstacles preventing illegal immigrants who lost their homes or jobs during Hurricane Charley from seeking disaster relief. The language barrier is also a problem, and undocumented workers can't apply for cash assistance, although they are eligible for food and temporary shelter.

Thousands of illegal immigrants, most originally from Mexico and Guatemala, work in southwest Florida's agricultural heartland, which was devastated by Charley's 145-mph winds.

Boo-hoo. This is ridiculous. I don't want to sound cold, here, but these folks aren't even supposed to be in our country. Their very presence violates the law. Now the government is supposed to give them wads of money confiscated from U.S. citizens? Keep in mind that this is in only one little corner of one of fifty states.

Gov. Jeb Bush, who has been in regular contact with FEMA director Michael Brown, said illegal immigrants shouldn't fear being deported if they apply for disaster aid.

"There's no penalty," Bush said.

Ol' Jebby's doin' a knockout job as governor, no? His patriotism makes me all misty-eyed.

But Jorge Lomonaco, the Mexican consul general in Miami, said he would like FEMA to be more flexible when it comes to providing undocumented workers with cash assistance. He has brought his concerns to the governor.

"The key issue now is discrimination taking place relating to emergency assistance because of immigration status," Lomonaco said. "You don't want so many people left behind in this state."

"Discrimination" based on immigration status?! NO! Horror of horrors! We wouldn't want that. Why not just station our former INS agents on the Rio Grande, and have them hand out welfare checks, drivers' licenses, Social Security cards, etc. as the "Undocumented" workers wade out of the river on the American side. This is asinine, and it will be our downfall, if we don't act soon.