April 25, 2004

Send the bill to Vincente
Posted by Jon Henke

There are arguments in favor of more open immigration. There are arguments in favor of a generous welfare state. Combining the two, however, leads to problems that nobody seems willing to resolve.

Well, almost nobody...

A county commissioner in Idaho has billed the Mexican government more than $2 million for services provided to illegal immigrants. Robert Vasquez mailed the bill to the closest Mexican consulate, in Salt Lake City. He claims Canyon County is owed more than $1.4 million for the costs of jailing illegal immigrants over past two years, and more than $575,000 for providing medical care during that time.

"By federal law, we're required to provide them services," Vasquez said Wednesday. "So I thought ... then perhaps we ought to bill the nation of origin."
Granted, he pissing into the wind. But if you're going to waste paper, that's a pretty good way to waste it.

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