It's about time one of the states acted to bring attention to the complete failure of the federal government to secure our borders. I just wish that Maryland and a dozen other states would pass similar laws to convince the Washington politicians that the folks are serious.

Instead we get a dose of indignant cries for "respect," even though the foreign nationals who cross over our virtually unprotected borders show no respect for the citizens of our country. In Arizona there are about a half-million foreign nationals and 5 million U.S. citizens and legal immigrants. The chances of meeting an illegal foreign national are one in 10 in that state, perhaps three in 10 in some of the cities. These invaders show no respect for Arizona, costing about $270 million dollars in welfare fraud and theft of services each year.

During World War II, the U.S. government feared that legal citizens of Japanese ancestry might favor their national heritage before their U.S. citizenship. They were stripped of their possessions and forced into concentration camps even though there was never any evidence that they favored Japan over the United States. Now we see Hispanic-American citizens protesting strict border security laws while waving Mexican flags. We see the Puerto Rican Legal Defense Fund suing Hazelton, Pa. for strict enforcement of laws limiting foreign nationals, even though all Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens. We see Congressman Luis Gutierrez of Illinois arrested for civil disobedience at a pro-illegal Hispanics rally in Washington.

We see politicians and the media calling for "respect" for the foreign nationals in Arizona illegally who show no respect for the citizens of that state, and who bring along the violence, kidnappings and killings across the border with them. The drug gangs along the Mexican border are in a vicious war with the Mexican police and military. Are our politicians going to wait for open warfare in our country before they act?

And, we do not need an immigration reform bill. Our immigration laws are just fine the way they are. What we need is border security and some congressmen who will put their country and their oath of office before their greed for Hispanic votes!

As to the 12 million or 24 million illegal foreign nations here now, if we cut off employment and cut off welfare and other services, they will find their way home again. Many millions have already done so as our economy has faltered.

Dick Tatlow, Marriottsville