And then there were eight

By Jo Ann Emerson

Pundits and analysts already predict that Missouri will lose a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2010 redistricting.

The projected loss of a seat not only means our districts will get substantially larger, but also that representation for rural areas will be substantially reduced. On top of the change in demographics, our bellwether state would lose a vote in the Electoral College and become less significant in the presidential politics we take so seriously.

Our nation's demographics are always evolving, and I can accept the plan our Founders had to define congressional representation in the Congress.

I do not believe, however, that they envisioned a curious fact of how congressional districts are apportioned to the states today: We count illegal immigrants in them.

Because the U.S. Census counts illegal residents of states, they are also included in the numbers used to determine how many seats each state is allowed in the U.S. House of Representatives. Of course, we count Americans younger than age 18 and Americans who are not registered to vote in congressional apportionment. But these are citizens, and the rights of U.S. citizens should be reflected in all the facets and workings of our federal government.

Even though illegal aliens cannot vote, should not be eligible for federal benefits and certainly are not citizens, they have a distinct effect on the electoral process and congressional representation.

By most estimates, illegal immigrants account for 12 million of America's 300 million residents. Some say the actual number is much higher, closer to 20 million. But even if the accepted estimate is used, it is still easy to see that this is a significant problem. In our nation, 12 million illegal residents means 4 percent of our population is illegal. In terms of congressional districts, 12 million illegal aliens would account for about 18 congressional seats all by themselves without casting a single legal vote. As it is, they heavily shift congressional representation to the American Southwest, concentrating the power of the votes of citizens in congressional and presidential elections.

Some of my colleagues in Congress and I are trying to change that. We agree that the right of representation should be reserved for U.S. citizens and that the redistricting process should be based on citizen population alone. We have offered a constitutional amendment to that effect. Even though its prospects of passing the required tests for such legislation are slim, it sends the strong message that the system is out of balance and needs correction.

As with all the problems caused by unfettered illegal access to our nation, the solution begins with enforcement. In addition, we must change the mindset that illegal immigration to America entitles individuals who disrespect our laws with the rights, privileges and benefits of citizenship. If we do not define the line between legal and illegal immigration to our great country, noncitizens will be glad to define it for us.

Jo Ann Emerson of Cape Girardeau represents Missouri's 8th District in the U.S. House of Representatives.