Illegal Immigration's Impact on Los Angeles County

The subject of illegal immigration is finally getting some long overdue play in this election year.  Rook suggested we start a thread where we can explore the pros and cons of it.  People in many of the more rural parts of the country simply cannot figure out why illegal immigration is such a big deal in that it has had little impact on their lives. However, major cities closer to our southern border have been severely impacted.  The information, below, has been gathered from a number of sources, including from the testimony of Heather Mac Donald, a Senior Fellow from a Manhattan based research institute, who testified before the congressional hearings on Border Security. 

1.   40% of all workers in L. A. County ( L.    A. County   has 10.2 million people) are working for cash and not paying taxes. This is   because they are predominantly illegal immigrants working without a green   card.

2.  95% of warrants   for murder in Los Angeles   are for illegal aliens.

3.  75% of people on   the most wanted list in Los Angeles   are illegal aliens.

4.  About 65% of all   births in Los Angeles    County are to those of Hispanic origin. 

5.  Nearly 35% of   all inmates in California   detention centers are foreign nationals here illegally.

6.  The  Office of General  Accounting (GAO) reported in 1997 that  over  $700  million dollars in welfare  was given to the children of illegal  immigrants;  this is coupled with another  $350 million in food stamps .  Grand total  over $1 billion spent  on the families of illegal immigrants in the  year 1997 ,  alone!

7.  The LAPD estimates   half of all gang members in Los     Angeles are most likely illegal aliens from south-of-the-border.    

8.  An estimated 60% of   all occupants of HUD properties are illegal  aliens.

9.  20 radio   stations in L. A. are Spanish speaking.

10. In L. A. County 5.1 million people speak English, 3.9   million speak Spanish.

The candidates have only reluctantly touched on the subject for fear of alienating a future voting block.  The building of the "fence" on our southern border has come to a halt.  There doesn't appear to be any serious resolve by any of the candidates to put a stop to it, so exactly where do we start in order to get a handle on it?  What impact will this have on health care?  On education?  On criminal justice?  On the traditional American culture?