Saturday, October 15, 2005
October 14, 2005
Bill Owens, Governor
136 State Capitol
Denver, CO 80203-1792
Dear Governor Owens:
It has come to my attention that the State of Colorado does not have any data on the number of illegal immigrants in the state and the impact of illegal immigration on the costs of government services to taxpayers.
As Colorado voters prepare to cast their ballots on a statewide tax initiative, it is incumbent upon government, as servants of the public who fund it, to disclose the monetary impact of illegal immigration.State governments in our region are declaring states of emergency due to the overwhelming debt created by porous borders and lax policies regarding this critical issue to our economy and security.
I realize this is a federal issue. However, it is imperative that we provide a full accounting of costs so that the federal government can be made aware, and act upon, the potentially devastating effect of this problem in all areas within our purview.Governor, in Jefferson County alone, our District Attorney, Scott Storey is indicting a ring of mortgage brokers falsifying documents in order to secure mortgages to illegal immigrants. Two-thirds of those houses are in foreclosure. Those involved in the fraud are using our judicial system and correctional facilities at taxpayer expense. The Jeffco R-1 School District budget is rapidly increasing, yet administrators are prohibited from tracking the number of illegal immigrants in the classroom. Data estimates range from de minimus budgetary health and social impacts to crisis levels. Herein lies the problem * they are merely estimates and not auditable.
I am urging you to mandate that your cabinet members and staff create a policy or, if needed, legislation, in order to track and report the impacts of illegal immigration to our state. We are at the point where a state of emergency designation is required and your relationship with the President could help us mitigate these impacts once a state of emergency is declared.
I am sure you are aware that Texas Governor Rick Perry, is now actively working to stop this problem. He said, "In the first seven months of this year, there were 119,000 illegal immigrants from countries other than Mexico who were apprehended and then released into Texas streets." According to Perry, thousands of those released, and who never appeared in court, were from countries "where terrorists and al-Qaida are active," including Iraq, Iran and Bangladesh. He is tired of waiting for the federal government to do its job and is taking action on behalf of his state.
For our economy, for our security, I am asking that you do the same.
Sincerely,
Mark S. Paschall
Bill Owens, Governor
136 State Capitol
Denver, CO 80203-1792
Dear Governor Owens:
It has come to my attention that the State of Colorado does not have any data on the number of illegal immigrants in the state and the impact of illegal immigration on the costs of government services to taxpayers.
As Colorado voters prepare to cast their ballots on a statewide tax initiative, it is incumbent upon government, as servants of the public who fund it, to disclose the monetary impact of illegal immigration.State governments in our region are declaring states of emergency due to the overwhelming debt created by porous borders and lax policies regarding this critical issue to our economy and security.
I realize this is a federal issue. However, it is imperative that we provide a full accounting of costs so that the federal government can be made aware, and act upon, the potentially devastating effect of this problem in all areas within our purview.Governor, in Jefferson County alone, our District Attorney, Scott Storey is indicting a ring of mortgage brokers falsifying documents in order to secure mortgages to illegal immigrants. Two-thirds of those houses are in foreclosure. Those involved in the fraud are using our judicial system and correctional facilities at taxpayer expense. The Jeffco R-1 School District budget is rapidly increasing, yet administrators are prohibited from tracking the number of illegal immigrants in the classroom. Data estimates range from de minimus budgetary health and social impacts to crisis levels. Herein lies the problem * they are merely estimates and not auditable.
I am urging you to mandate that your cabinet members and staff create a policy or, if needed, legislation, in order to track and report the impacts of illegal immigration to our state. We are at the point where a state of emergency designation is required and your relationship with the President could help us mitigate these impacts once a state of emergency is declared.
I am sure you are aware that Texas Governor Rick Perry, is now actively working to stop this problem. He said, "In the first seven months of this year, there were 119,000 illegal immigrants from countries other than Mexico who were apprehended and then released into Texas streets." According to Perry, thousands of those released, and who never appeared in court, were from countries "where terrorists and al-Qaida are active," including Iraq, Iran and Bangladesh. He is tired of waiting for the federal government to do its job and is taking action on behalf of his state.
For our economy, for our security, I am asking that you do the same.
Sincerely,
Mark S. Paschall
