To the editor:
Everyone knows the United States needs secure borders. But, as a nation comprised mostly of citizens with ancestors who immigrated, we need pathways for immigrants to follow to be legally in our country.
I read with much dismay of Sheriff Borkovich’s willingness to raid schools with I.C.E. to round up children to hold as hostages in order to arrest adults who may be here illegally. Hostages is a strong word but it fits in this potential situation. I would hope that we would agree that parents/caregivers should have a reasonable expectation to have their children returned at the end of the day. Having worked in schools I can say, without a doubt, that any raid would traumatize students and school staff. The blowback from such a raid would last for weeks, not just one day, and the impact on staff and students could last for years.
I’m also dismayed by the Sheriff’s frequent use of “red herrings” he seems to be dropping at will to bolster his slanted views. He did this when pressed to defend his photo with candidate Trump, and he is doing it now when he suggests that immigrants bring crime and disease.
Immigration does need to be controlled in an organized and prudent fashion. Raiding schools does not meet either of these standards.
Finally, executive orders are not laws. Congress enacts laws that apply to us all. Presidents sign executive orders that apply to the employees of the executive branch. Mike Hartigan Leland
