SUNDSTROM041106

Published: April 11, 2006

Birgitta Sundstrom:
See what immigrants have done here

Birgitta Sundstrom

As a letter carrier for five years in south Minneapolis I have seen what illegal immigrants can do. I watched neighborhood after neighborhood clean up because of illegal immigrants. Bloomington Avenue, 15th, 17th, Pleasant, Pillsbury all went from brown and sad-looking to green and blooming.

I watched mothers and fathers working four jobs and paying taxes teach their kids the real value of a dollar. I have seen the "American Dream" really happen, time and time again.

Which illegal immigrants is Gov. Tim Pawlenty actually after? What is he trying to stop here? Has he even walked around Powderhorn in his life?

When I was a kid our family lived on 33rd and Portland. In 1979 my parents moved my brother and me to Bloomington after our house was broken into for like the third time. The neighborhood was bad. It was dangerous. Fourth Avenue was infested with crack and violent crime. My parents loved the city, but they had kids and needed to do what was best.

Then in 1994 I moved back. I bought my first house in Powderhorn for $54,000. Over the years that I lived there I watched the neighborhood change. Every year it became a little bit safer. In seven years' time my duplex tripled in value.

I thank all those dangerous immigrants who moved into my neighborhood. I thank them all. Not for the revenue or taxes, but for bringing back the beauty of south Minneapolis. For cleaning up a neighborhood that no one seemed to care about. For growing grass, for planting flowers, for opening new businesses, for coming to America and making it better, I thank them all.

So the next time you're in an immigrant neighborhood, stop and really look around. See what immigrants have done for Minnesota.

I say Minnesota should create its own immigration policy and welcome more people who care where their kids are raised and dream of a better life -- a better America.

Birgitta Sundstrom, Bloomington, is a student at Metro State University.

Birgitta