I came to America nearly 14 years ago and, as an immigrant, I feel that I owe America and have never forgotten that I am a guest in this country. America was built on the idea of freedom and fair play and the idea that if you put in a hard day’s work you can do anything.

That is why I am so shocked that the Democrats are putting illegal immigrants above American taxpayers and above immigrants like me who came here legally and played by the rules.

This latest government shutdown isn’t about Social Security checks or national parks. It’s about illegal immigration and whether hardworking American taxpayers should be forced to fund it.

Medi-Cal is a federal program. In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democratic legislators expanded it to cover illegal immigrants, ballooning costs by more than $6 billion this year alone.

When Republicans refused to write another blank check, Democrats turned to Washington, demanding more federal dollars.

This wasn’t a surprise. Newsom once called it a “small price to pay” at $3 billion. Then it was $3.4 billion more. Then $2.8 billion more. It never ends. New York, California and Oregon have all announced health care programs for undocumented immigrants, and they rely heavily on federal money to make it work.

How? Simple. Federal dollars go in, states move their own dollars to fund illegal programs, and the federal money........

© Santa Clarita Valley Signal