U.S. cannot be home for 8 million illegal immigrants

As America's enemies around the world condemn our way of life, how can they explain the tens of millions of U.S. residents who were not born in this country, but came here to take advantage of what the United States has to offer? And as we have learned to our chagrin, some of those foreign visitors have been biting off the hands that feed them.
While most immigrants have been contributing members of American society, some 8 million are here illegally, according to early estimates from the 2000 census. They should not be allowed to stay.
By now, all the voices who called for a large-scale amnesty for those who had entered the U.S. illegally or who had overstayed the welcome of a tourist, student or other temporary visa should have been silenced.
Even beyond those immigrants who have dealt death and destruction to the American people are millions more who have flooded U.S. cities, stretching social and educational services beyond the breaking point.
Budget cutbacks: When Ohio must cut more than $1 billion from the state budget over the next two years, it is clear there will not be enough to provide services for those who are entitled to live in the state, let alone the thousands who have no right to be here.
It is unfortunate that the economies of Mexico, Central America and other nations are not adequate to sustain their populations. But their problems cannot be dumped onto American streets.
As the new office of Homeland Security expands its resources and oversight, we would suggest that providing the Immigration and Naturalization Service with better means to find and deport those who do not belong here be high on the list of priorities.