I am writing in response to the article "O'Malley, Ehrlich differ on illegal immigrants" (Sept. 28). I realize that we are all immigrants or descendants of such. However, we came here legally. We pay taxes and contribute to society. In the article, former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. raises concerns, and Gov. Martin O'Malley claims to be against it as well. However, Mr. O'Malley says that illegal immigrants are not to blame for our economic woes.

He says, "New Americans didn't manipulate investment vehicles on Wall Street and wreck our economy and decimate our savings. New Americans didn't manipulate intelligence data about threats that didn't exist that caused us to expand our effort in Iraq."

What New Americans is Mr. O'Malley referring to? These people are not New Americans, they are people from other countries who sneak in to America and break our laws. They work "under the table" to avoid paying taxes. They steal identities in order to get Social Security numbers. They fail to learn our language to be able to communicate.

Mr. O'Malley: You are out of touch with reality and the concerns of your state residents! Perhaps Marylanders will show you how we feel in November. (Unless you can rally the illegals and get them to the polls to vote.)

David Getz, Baltimore