I read Stephen Smith’s article on immigration with interest. Americans think legal immigration in moderation is OK, but overwhelmingly think it is now (legal and illegal immigration) out of balance.

As Smith noted, illegal immigration is a security concern, and as it turns out, is responsible in North Carolina for most drug trafficking.

North Carolinians neither want to be blown up by a bomb or have drugs sold to their children.

As Director of NC Listen, an immigration reform 501c3 organization, we too are concerned with this issue. I would point out that those who think illegals do the work Americans will not do are affected by hearing this erroneous statement over and over by the media and haven’t talked with the low-skilled Americans who have to compete with the illegals for jobs.

Wonder how North Carolina got along seven years ago before the illegals came in large numbers? I recall grass getting cut, pinestraw spread, hotel rooms cleaned and houses built. Wonder who did that work? The answer is low-skilled Americans. They are the only group of wage earners in America not to have received a wage increase in the last 12 years (adjusted for inflation).

The lack of effective immigration policies up to now is mostly due to cheap labor interests and pandering for votes from an ethnic perspective. Immigration is really a law-and-order issue and a numbers issue.

Ron Woodard

Director, NC Listen