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I am a [Prince George's] County citizen and employee, a relative and descendant of immigrants, and also an [English as a Second Language] teacher to immigrants. I am absolutely appalled by the March 4 Gazette article ["Groups push for immigration focus in elections"] about an anti-immigrant public forum held in Glenarden. Groups like this are the reason why there is still a racism epidemic in the U.S. today, although now not only against each other as blacks and whites, but also against the "foreign intruders," as immigrants are labeled by hate groups.

The article mentions some attending groups claiming that undocumented immigrants usurp government resources and do not pay taxes — among other falsehoods — when on the contrary, there are no government benefits that can be obtained without a Social Security number, and not only do undocumented immigrants pay taxes, but the majority (i.e. millions) will never see their payroll deductions at retirement like we do, due to the usage of an invalid Social Security numbers or because they have re turned to their country. Still many fear filing taxes because of their status and lose out on thousands over the years that they are owed in refunds.

Where does one think all this money goes? It doesn't take a genius to know it stays with its source, therefore how are they "bringing down the Prince George's County economy" or any for that matter?

Panelists at the forum also accused hardworking immigrants of contributing to "poverty by working jobs for less than minimum wage," when that is foremost a generalization and, secondly, that indicates not only a problem with the economy of the employee's home country (which is not their fault), but a crime being committed by our own U.S. employers by not paying them at least minimum wage. I have witnessed immigrants taken advantage of on a daily basis in this county by employers overworking while underpaying them and sometimes not paying them at all, among other employee abuses because employers know their victims have no recourse without any legal employee rights.

What was more insulting was the "divide and conquer the minorities" method being used in this forum (especially Help Save Maryland) pitting African Americans against immigrants (particularly Hispanics) when anyone with recent knowledge of U.S. history remembers it was not too long ago that African Americans were legally treated as foreign intruders as well, and if anything should unite with their oppressed brothers to avoid a repeated history.

Above all, these "illegal aliens," as hate groups call them, are not much different than we Americans, considering we all immigrated in one way or another to this country (unless one is Native American),

The current immigration system has been backlogged for decades causing inhumane separation of families, including children, for years. There is room enough for all of us in this country. Ostracizing newcomers and accusing them of theft of what is "rightfully ours" echoes the sentiments of the Nazi era, and that is not what we want [Prince George's] County to represent.

Immigration reform will come very soon as promised, and then I wonder who the hate groups will have to hate then.

Angela Reyes, Upper Marlboro