Undocumented immigrants cost America dearly during these economic times; let us be humane, but we must encourage them to return home

I was speaking to my cousin, a fellow American of Mexican descent, and she told me about the horrors of undocumented immigration in California where she lived for 30 years.

And she floored me with her statements.

There is no other conclusion in these economic times that undocumented immigrants have to leave our country.

Our grandparents came to this country in 1910 working hard and asking for nothing. Our parents born in this nation did the same. And my father and nine of my uncles fought in World War II.

The culture today of the undocumented immigrant is entirely different to that our loved ones through hard work and full respect for the law.

My cousin tells me that undocumented immigrants still receive welfare checks in California -- for their children born in this nation. Yes, they are American citizens. But they should not be born to simply take from the taxpayers. We have critical services to citizens in many states being cut due to a lack of revenue.

New money must be found somewhere. And the best place is shifting it from places where it is being wrongly used.

My cousin tells me of the deep shame she felt when undocumented women would take two or three welfare checks to be cashed at a local store specifically set up to take those checks and deliver cash. And these women felt entitled.

I was shocked.

I guess my mind has never been open enough to this other side on the issue of undocumented immigration. I do know of the contributions undocumented immigrants have always provided this nation. And they contributed to this nation's prosperity most recently in the 1990s and through 2007.

But economic fortunes have turned, and it is American citizens who now need the jobs they hold. And if these businesses only have citizens from which to hire, then maybe they'll pay higher wages.

The argument can no longer be offered that undocumented immigrants give more to America than they take. The Obama administration should step up raids of workplaces to free up jobs for citizens. They come first.

And if times ever do get better, then a jobs program based on the law can be established to return these human beings to our land.

My cousin agrees.