Trending
DEAR EDITOR:
America has an immigration problem obvious even to Congress. We can fix it by recognizing Congress must refuse to shoot itself in the foot while aiming to inflict political wounds on opposing colleagues.
Problem solving starts by recognizing that immigration law serves the entire country. Other than offering useful input, it is not the province of state governors tough-talking their way to local political applause. Neither is it the business of individual cities or states to declare themselves sanctuaries as anyone within their borders is necessarily within the borders of our country. All federal residency, employment and social security rights within our borders are subject to the laws made by the legislative branch, Congress.
Alas, Congress does nothing, or whatever is next to nothing, so long as it helps members to keep elective office. The GOP side runs afoul of its self imposed need to support the "Big Lie," and, heaven forbid, the return to office of the "Big Liar." Therefore, they see every immigrant as a violent criminal, as did the first of the Big Liars' lies.
Democrats, meanwhile, with fond memories of their college days of protesting the war in Vietnam, short hair and the requirement of shoes in public spaces, are enthralled by notions of forgetting legitimate debts and imagining that every empathetic soul agrees giving away the rights of citizenship is a good thing. I admit to a preference for one with leanings toward the other and believe that independence is preferable to either when voting, albeit banned in party centric primaries.
Another step, eliminate the conflation of very different issues. Preschoolers can generally spot "which item does not belong." Too often Congress cannot. Thus, financial support of people actually at war with America's enemies is held hostage to votes on immigration and even to agreement to pay our national debts. This is the most irresponsible form of party bullying. You may identify the greater harm by asking yourself the odds your child may go to war with Mexico or points south, versus in defense of Poland as it fends off the Russian bear occupying Ukraine.
So, write your elected member of Congress. Tell them you want enough asylum case judges to assure adjudication of emigrants' cases in reasonable time and enough border patrol to eject the pretenders. Tell them you admire the resolve and courage of Ukraine's resistance to Russia's bullying. Expect that they show at least enough courage to do the right thing when making law and not the most expedient re-election kowtowing to totally extremist viewpoints on either side.
JIM CARTWRIGHT
Canfield