U.S. immigration laws: Unjust or just ignored?

Denver Post
November 12, 2009

Re: "Illegal immigrant teeters on INS 'discretion,"' Nov. 7 Tina

Griego column.

Tina Griego gave us an example of the maddening injustice of our immigration laws. David Meza is only one of many victims of incomprehensible and ineffectual laws instituted after 9/11.

In the aftermath of this seminal event of U.S. history, the public's fear and xenophobia provided fertile ground for nativists, bigots and hate promoters to stir up anger and animosity against a group of people with little political power.

We've seen this before - the Nazis scapegoating the Jews for Germany's economic problems. Sadly, like the Germans of the past century, we have a segment of our population with a conscience anesthetized by mendacious propaganda.

Although not yet on the same scale as the horrific events of the Nazi era, it has already evidenced some of the same inhumane consequences for victims - loss of sustenance, medical care and property, deportation, families torn apart, leaving children without caregivers - all done with the hypocrisy of "the law."

Walter Heidenfelder, Denver


What part of "illegal" doesn't Tina Griego understand? Are there no unemployed, upstanding legal American welders with a special-needs child who could capture her heart?

How fortunate for David Meza that he has an advocate with a thrice-weekly column in the major newspaper of the state to champion his illegal status and cause.

Lucky for him, he's not Russian, or Swedish, or … he would have no champion at all in those circumstances.

Americans have to take care of our own citizens and the legals first; we cannot be the solution for every illegal immigrant nor their family members.

J.B. Stephenson, Aurora

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