From USA Today: By Randy Terrill With Congress gridlocked over immigration issues, Oklahoma and a few other states are leading the way on real reform — and rightfully so. After all, the tremendous economic burden created by illegal immigration is felt most at the state and local level — particularly when it comes to education, health care, welfare and corrections. In Oklahoma alone, the direct cost of illegal immigration is more than $200 million a year. The indirect cost is far higher, and this is a relatively small state. But even if you ignore the costs, states still have good reason to act. States are separate sovereigns in our federal system. They have the inherent legal right and a constitutional responsibility to provide internal domestic security, as well as to protect our citizens from waste, fraud and abuse. In Oklahoma, we have taken that responsibility seriously by enacting a carefully calibrated, common-sense, real immigration reform measure that many have called the toughest in the nation. Read more... Related: Enid News & Eagle: "Republican women host rally, speakers"

Labels: Immigration Reform, Rep. Randy Terrill

Posted at 8/15/2007 04:47:00 PM