Mediaboss Marketing

Photo: David McNew, Getty Images

Counter-demonstrators to protesters opposing arrivals of buses carrying largely women and children undocumented migrants for processing at the Murrieta Border Patrol Station are detained on July 4, 2014 in Murrieta, Calif.

Counter-demonstrators to protesters opposing arrivals of buses...

While it is popular with many Californians that Gov. Jerry Brown opposes President Trumps anti-immigrant policies, Brown should be honest and avoid fake news and alternative facts. Here are a few of the consequences of sheltering approximately 2.3 million illegal immigrants in California:

Competition for affordable housing: 1.5 million Californians pay more than half their income for housing, a result of overcrowding.

More than 20 million tons of greenhouse gases are added each year by undocumented residents. Californias annual per-capita carbon dioxide production is 10 metric tons/per person.

Competition for low-wage jobs is increased. Middle-income employers can pay lower wages.

Allowing illegal immigrants to live and drive contributes to wasted time in traffic and greenhouse gas production.

English language learners in the classroom lower academic performance by diverting limited educational resources. California has almost 1.4 million English language learners, and has the highest student/teacher ratio of all the large states. California scores lower than average for the nation in reading, mathematics and science.

Pointing these out does not mean someone is against continued nonenforcement of the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.

When we decide we have a big heart and a liberal mind in welcoming mostly economic migrants, we should do this with our eyes wide open as to the long-term consequences for the poor, our schools and our environment.

David Benefiel lives in Sebastopol.

Read the original:

California bears the costs of illegal immigration - San Francisco Chronicle