Legalization Of Abortion Contributing Factor In Undocumented Immigration To U.S., Report Says

Abortion procedures have caused a decrease in the number of U.S. residents, leading to a shortage of workers in the country and an increase in immigration of undocumented immigrants, according to report drafted by the Missouri Special Committee on Immigration Reform and submitted last week to state House Majority Leader Rod Jetton (R), the AP/MyFox St. Louis reports. The report was dated Oct. 24 and signed by all 10 Republicans on the committee, but it was not signed by any of the six Democrats on the panel. It says that the "lack of traditional work ethic, combined with the effects of 30 years of abortion and expanding liberal social welfare policies have produced a shortage of workers and a lack of incentive for those who can work." The report estimates there are 80,000 fewer Missouri residents because of abortion and that many of those residents now would be in a "highly productive age group for workers." Democrats on the committee said text regarding abortion was neither discussed nor agreed to be included in the report. Committee chair state Rep. Ed Emery (R), who opposes abortion, said the committee heard some testimony about abortion during one of its hearings, adding, "I felt like [it] was significant enough and fundamental enough that it warranted addressing it in the report." Emery on Monday also said, "We heard a lot of arguments today that the reason that we can't get serious about our borders is that we are desperate for all these workers," adding, "You don't have to think too long. If you kill 44 million of your potential workers, it's not too surprising we would be desperate for workers." State Rep. Trent Skaggs (D) said the abortion assertions discredit the entire report, adding, "There's a lot of editorial comment there that I couldn't really stomach." According to the AP/MyFox St. Louis, there was no transcript of oral testimony given at the committee's hearings, and the abortion issue did not appear to be included in a written summary of the meetings attached to the committee's report. Jetton, who appointed the committee, was on vacation and could not comment on the report, the AP/MyFox St. Louis reports (Lieb, AP/MyFox St. Louis, 11/13).

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