[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6935]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 THE INVASION OF AMERICA--TEXAS SPEAKS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Gohmert). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I have received numerous correspondence in the 
last 24 hours regarding the unlawful invasion into the United States. 
Here is what some Texans are saying.
  Heather Pritchett in Humble, Texas, says: ``Illegal immigrants should 
be sent home and required to follow the same immigration laws as legal 
immigrants have faced. It is wrong to give illegal immigrants legal 
status, even with several requirements such as learning English, 
essentially it says it is okay to ignore the law. An open door 
immigration policy is one of the wonderful things about this country 
and it should continue, but please close the windows.''
  Jeffrey Kendrick of Spring, Texas, writes: ``Why do we allow illegals 
to choose what laws are okay to disregard? As an American citizen who 
served our country for over 10 years in active military duty, this 
makes my blood boil. Why aren't we enforcing the laws that are already 
on the laws? Are there other laws that are okay to break? Why should 
our representatives in Washington allow our country to be overrun with 
people who have no regard for the law? Stand up for our country. I have 
always respected your record and valued your opinion. Don't let the 
country be sold out to whining liberals who are afraid of what illegal 
aliens may think of them. Who cares what they think? Go after companies 
that employ them illegally, enforce the law, preserve the American way 
of life.''
  Robert Arnold in Atascocita, Texas, writes: ``It is amazing to see so 
many people mock our government while breaking the American law. As a 
citizen, as a veteran, I would like to know what plan is on the drawing 
board to stop the inflow of illegal activities at the borders. At the 
very least, make those people pay taxes. I don't even care about the $3 
a gallon gasoline, but work to get this immigration issue under 
control.''
  Zine Strong of Humble, Texas, writes: ``I am appalled at what is 
happening in our country where it appears that illegal immigrants have 
more rights than American citizens. I see daily on television the 
plight of those who live at the border. Their properties are 
vandalized, their lives are threatened by those crossing the border 
illegally. Our school and health systems are stretched to the limit and 
the jails are filled with people who have no right to be here in the 
first place.
  ``I am an immigrant myself who was blessed to have the privilege of 
becoming an American citizen. I came to this country legally many years 
ago with my two small daughters. As soon as we arrived, my daughters 
were enrolled in a school so they could learn English and we spoke only 
English at home. My sister, who had sponsored us, took us to McDonald's 
and told my daughters they could not be Americans unless they ate 
hamburgers and drank Coca-Cola. Five years later we became American 
citizens.
  ``We are Brazilian by birth and Americans by choice, but we did it 
legally. We never demanded any rights because we didn't have any until 
we became U.S. citizens. We pay our taxes. We obey the law. We love 
America with its traditions and all it stands for, and we do not wish 
to see it destroyed or changed.
  ``It is with horror that I see thousands of illegals take to the 
streets and shout for their rights. Their sense of entitlement is 
offensive, and politicians in Washington who write legislation 
protecting them are saying to American young people that laws are to be 
broken and you will be rewarded if you do break the law.
  ``The American people have had enough. For me, the last insult was to 
see our National anthem being not only translated into Spanish, but 
having our words changed to serve someone else's interests. The anthem 
is sacred. Can you imagine if immigrants in France did the same thing 
with the French anthem? They probably would be shot.
  ``I urge you to protect our borders. Do whatever is needed to stop 
the invasion. Yes, we are a nation of immigrants, but the immigrants 
who built our Nation came here legally. Furthermore, they came to give 
to this country. They learned the language, followed the laws and were 
assimilated into the United States. The people who are coming now want 
to change the country. To begin with, they don't even learn the 
language.
  ``In 2004, I had to go to the emergency room at a local hospital. I 
was there 7\1/2\ hours because the waiting room was full of illegals 
who, according to the law, have to be taken care of. I pay taxes, they 
don't. Where are my rights? The civil rights of American people are 
being violated to protect illegals.
  ``To the politicians who say we are a generous people who should help 
those who come here looking for a better way of life, I say, well, 
where does that end? The Mexicans are no more deserving than other 
people. What about the Africans, the Haitians and all other 
nationalities? Should we open our borders to accommodate the whole 
world? If those folks want a let better life, let them demonstrate 
against the Mexican government and fight for their rights in their own 
country. Otherwise, if we make an exception for them, then in the name 
of fairness we will have to do it for all nations. What I see now on 
the borders is anarchy.''
  Lastly, Milton Chance of Nederland, Texas, briefly states: ``I am 
against illegal immigration. We need to secure the boarders. My son-in-
law is Mexican and I have two wonderful grandchildren so I am not 
prejudiced at all. This statement by a former President of the United 
States sums up the way I feel. `In the first place, we should insist 
that an immigrant who comes here in good faith and becomes an American 
and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated with the exact 
equality as everyone else. It is an outrage to discriminate against any 
person because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is 
predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American and 
nothing but an American. There can be no divided allegiance here. Any 
man who says he is an American but does something else isn't an 
American at all. We have room but for one flag, the American flag. We 
have room but for one language, and that is the English language. We 
have room for but one sole loyalty, and that is the loyalty to the 
American people.'' Signed Teddy Roosevelt, 1907.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope Congress is listening to the people of this 
country. And that's just the way it is.

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