Dear Editor,

Recently a letter was printed in the Vail Daily in which the writer stated that undocumented 15-year-old girls are eligible for WIC (tax-paid grocery checks) if they have a baby, and (if legal) food stamps. The writer said that this was backed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

I went to the following Web sites, USDA/WIC and from there to: //www.ins.usdoj.gov/graphics/publicaffairs/factsheets/public_cfs.htm for confirmation.

I then e-mailed Robert Eden, director of Colorado’s WIC, and asked if that was the case. To quote his response: “Citizenship is not considered.” The letter writer was correct.

All a person needs is proof of residency (a mailing address) and low income status.

Unless you are Native American, we are all immigrants from some time past. The difference being, our ancestors came here with great pride (they didn’t refuse to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance or pose in front of an American flag, like I observe in the classrooms) and they also knew that they could not receive welfare or any other government paid benefits, or risk deportation.

This has been the case for 100 years, until May of 1999, when a new federal immigration law was put into effect. As I was completely unaware of the new law, I feel that other citizens may be as well.

At some point, the request for instate college tuition for undocumented students may be put up for a vote.

I personally feel that we give a lot already, and also I have a question. If our country goes bankrupt, or at the very least, Medicaid does, who can the United States help then, both within our country and out?

If you are interested in further information, I suggest you contact our Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo at Tom.Tancredo@mail.house. gov, or go to his Web site at http://www. house.gov/tancredo/

Sincerely,

Marty Lich

Gypsum