I’m writing to ask you to support H.R. 1196, the “Loophole Elimination and Verification Enforcement Act,” or “LEAVE Act.”

Each year, American households pay thousands of dollars each to provide health care, education, and incarceration to illegal immigrants. There is no reason that hard-working families in any state should be forced to bear the costs associated with people who shouldn’t even be in the country. We need to stem the inflow of people who come to the country illegally by securing U.S. borders, denying access to jobs, and closing loopholes in government programs that provide access to benefits — plus a whole lot more. That’s why we need to pass the “LEAVE Act.”

We need to take an enforcement-first approach to solve the problems caused by illegal immigration, by removing the incentives and loopholes in our current laws that encourage illegal aliens to come to the United States to live and work, and if they entered legally, to overstay their visas. We must give law enforcement the tools they need to protect our nation and communities.

Please, do the right thing: support H.R. 1196, the “Loophole Elimination and Verification Enforcement Act,” or “LEAVE Act” — now! Thank you.

Greg Raven, Apple Valley, CA