Letters: Debate over immigration devolving fast

Sheriff's forum missed the mark

Re “Forum rally backs immigrants” (Page 1A, March 29): We attended Tuesday night’s forum in support of our immigrant and refugee community. We also hoped to gain knowledge about how ICE and the Sheriff’s Department plans to proceed given President Donald Trump’s clear anti-immigrant statements. Sheriff Scott Jones and ICE Director Thomas Homan did nothing to increase our understanding or trust.

Homan said: “Do I feel sorry about the plight of some of these people? Yes, but I have a job to do.” His words reek of statements made by those trying to explain their participation in Hitler’s regime.

Emotional rants aren’t sound policy

Those who so vocally support illegal (undocumented) immigrants seem to want everyone who comes to this country to be allowed to stay, and that this country should have open borders with no restrictions on who enters. But they do not openly say that. Why not?

If that is what they believe, then just come out and say it. If not, then what do they support? Their emotional actions are only disrupting, discouraging, and instilling anger and fear. We would all be far better served if they advocated for an actual rational policy that would benefit everyone.

ICE forum not what community needs

The fact that Sheriff Scott Jones's forum was moved from a church to a juvenile detention facility at the last minute should have been a warning. Neither Jones nor Homan was there to listen. Homan’s responses demonstrated no warmth or compassion.

Jones continues to insist that he wants a bright line between local police and ICE, but he invited Homan to stand next to him to lecture our community. The community needs to see the separation. Tyranny takes root when leaders no longer respond to the needs of the people.

Sanctuary cities are wrong message

Re “Sanctuary cities have sizable opposition” (Page 1A, March 29): This article talks about a lack of sympathy for illegal immigrants who “break the law,” but suggests that jumping borders or overstaying a visa is a harmless act that doesn’t deserve deportation. It does.

I have no ill-will towards a desire for improving one’s economic status, but the government has failed to secure the borders. Until this happens, talk of benevolence is not warranted. An exploding world population means the solution is not mass migration. Rather it is a focus on stopping warfare and civil unrest, promoting economic development, preventing climate change and mitigating famines that prompt people to cross borders.

Brown trumps border wall idea

Re “Jerry Brown blasts Trump’s border wall” (Page 5A, March 27): I commend any fight against the idea of a wall. The history of walls and their costs favor only contractors for government debt. Responsibility for the expectations of enforcement further trump a complex system.

The only way to discuss is calmly

Re “There is no calm way to discuss seizure by feds and deportation” (Erika D. Smith, March 30): There’s a calm way to discuss any issue. Lacking calmness means lacking discussion. Rants and signs are not discussion. I am in favor of sanctuary cities and opposed to Trump’s immigration orders, and so I came to the Sacramento County Youth Gym to express my opposition. I left soon after the meeting began, realizing that people who shared my views were not there to listen and persuade. When democracy devolves into this sort of behavior, I despair, perhaps more than I do at the election of Donald Trump.

 

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This story was originally published March 31, 2017 at 3:05 PM with the headline "Letters: Debate over immigration devolving fast."