(09/28/06) WOODBURY - A News 12/Hofstra University poll showed Thursday nearly three quarters of Long Island residents believe the federal government is not doing enough to enforce immigration laws.

Approximately 71 percent of respondents believe immigration laws are not enforced enough on Long Island, while only 17 percent are satisfied with the federal government?s performance.

Suffolk County spokesman Ed Dumas says the county foots a $25 million bill annually for costs related to undocumented immigrants. He says legal processes and health care in county clinics are responsible for the majority of that. County Executive Steve Levy pushed Congress to pass legislation that would reimburse local governments for these expenses, but the bill has not yet been passed. Levy says Congress should pay because it is their failure that creates such costs.

Of the approximately 100,000 illegal workers on Long Island, 40,000 reside in Suffolk, while 60,000 live in Nassau.