I received an email the other day, from reader Sammy, regarding the entry "Illegal Aliens Cost Texas Taxpayers $4.7 Billion a Year" (you can always contact me on my contact page). I responded that the entry was nearly 2-years-old and that the cost is probably much higher today.

I received a follow up from Sammy today asking if Texas Governor Rick Perry would be able to do anything to change that.

In responding, I covered the state of our border state governors and their attention to illegal immigration. Below is my semi-modified response.

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Hi Sammy,

I appreciate your question. ...

Almost all of the border state governors have taken no action to truly curb illegal immigration.

You have Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano who has vetoed legislation time and time again - vetoing English as official language and denying in-state tuition for illegal aliens

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson has made some clearly racist statements in the past that he plans to put Hispanics first and has stood up for the likes of Elvira Arellano who is a fugitive illegal alien hiding out in a church to avoid deportation.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed a statewide health care system that included care for illegal aliens. You can't get more friendly than offering health care for illegal aliens on the backs of taxpayers. Not to mention the magnet that will cause for increased illegal immigration into that state.

As for Texas Governor Rick Perry, he is in favor of in-state tuition for illegal aliens (He actually signed the bill 6 years ago!) and is in favor of the Trans-Texas corridor which basically opens the US to a flood of drugs and illegal aliens into this country. In addition he is in favor of allowing the practice of "anchor babies" to continue, thus an illegal alien can cross the border and have a baby the next day and that baby is considered a US citizen.

Houston Chronicle

[Governor Rick Perry] said he opposes legislation to remove citizenship rights from the Texas-born children of immigrants.

I'm not sure of your stance on illegal immigration, but with those 4 border governors being weak on actually stopping illegal immigration, our country as a whole becomes weak on the issue.

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Thanks for the question Sammy, it was a good one. I'm sure others don't realize that the leaders of our border states are not in favor of truly cracking down on illegal aliens and I'm glad to help point it out.