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Dallas Morning News
Letters: Illegal immigration debate

09:38 AM CST on Sunday, February 18, 2007

Bad choices, bad effects

Re: "Ghost town – Immigration raid leaves a large void," Feb. 11 news story.

The real tragedy is that parents, through their decisions, have put their children in horrific circumstances. No one else is responsible for the fallout, other than the people who chose to come here illegally and then break another law with identity theft.

As an American, if I were to break the law, I would be in jail. Most of these people are just being deported. Are their families torn apart? Absolutely, but it was their decision to break a law that caused this.

If you need help in your own country, go see the Catholic Church. From what I understand, it will help anyone who is starving or destitute.

Come to America legally, and you will be welcomed.

Lib Grimmet, Carrollton
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I'm tired of these stories

We are getting sick and tired of front-page stories about the plight of the poor families in Cactus, Texas. We don't feel sorry for these individuals; they are illegal immigrants.

The Mexican government should be stopped from urging the wholesale exodus from its country.

Instead, why don't you feature the plight of those two border patrol agents who were railroaded to 10- and 12-year prison sentences? Feature stories about the miserable conditions citizens face on the border.

We want this illegal invasion stopped, or we need to get a new government that will stop it.

Bernard DeRoo, Mesquite
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Article left out key points

Isabel Morales did a wonderful job in her article concerning the effects of the ICE raid in Cactus last December. She let us know of the large void in the town and broken families after that raid. Statistics detailing numbers arrested, deported and charged with crimes gave some balance.

But Ms. Morales made no attempt to tell us how many U.S. dollars these workers were sending to Mexico. Mexico's second largest source of income, its crutch, is remittances from Mexicans in the U.S. Remove it, and Mexico would have even worse social and economic despair.

Her article also did not define the costs, aggravation and troubles for those whose identities were stolen – or just "borrowed," as some have called it.

She recounts the hardship of local businesses that lost income but doesn't mention that those businesses knew they were being supported, in large part, by criminals. Would a business that lost income from the breaking up of a criminal gang that headquartered there receive the same compassion?

In my view, what happened at Cactus and Swift was the federal government finally making a half-hearted, long-overdue attempt at doing its job.

Rod McCoy, Wylie
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We're placating Mexico

It is unbelievable that our government is more interested in putting our border patrol agents in jail than in apprehending and punishing the drug smuggler bringing drugs into our country.

He is free to continue bringing in drugs while they are in prison for up to 12 years. It seems our government is more interested in appeasing Mexico than protecting Americans.

Catherine Strain, Royse City
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Insult to legal migrants

Your continued articles decrying the plight of the illegal immigrants who cringe in fear and refuse to come out of their houses for fear they will be deported are the most outrageous attacks on the law-abiding immigrants who go through the process to come to this country.

Shame on Isabel Morales and shame on editors of The Dallas Morning News for allowing this to go on. If these folks are here illegally, I am ecstatic that they fear getting sent back. And I hope they do.

Eric Shelander, Balch Springs
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Money before patriotism

Re: "Bank tests credit cards for the undocumented," Wednesday Business.

Bank of America recently announced that it would start giving credit cards to Spanish-speaking customers who may not have Social Security numbers – i.e., illegal immigrants. Wells Fargo and Citibank have been doing this for years.

Who will pay for these cards when the illegal immigrants don't pay their debts? Customers like me will pay in higher rates, a perfect example of the banking industry putting the almighty dollar in front of patriotism.

I wonder how the soldiers fighting in Iraq feel about this. They're dying to pay for our freedom, and Bank of America is giving it away.


Keith Jacobs, Plano

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http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...1.1fe5870.html

Dallas Morning News
Letters for Wednesday

06:19 AM CST on Wednesday, February 21, 2007


A compassion-free zone

Re: "Illegal Immigration Debate," Sunday Letters.

The vitriol in these letters astonished me.

Those fortunate enough to be born in the U.S, sitting in self-satisfied judgment and condemning those who desperately seek a way out of poverty must lack more than just compassion.

Have these people met any illegal immigrants? Would they be in favor of working for legislation permitting more legal immigrants from Mexico? Or do they simply want to keep their neighborhoods from the changing demographics as they relax in their comfortable homes, criticizing those with nothing for striving to have a mere fraction of what we assume is ours by right?

Having worked with high school immigrants, who entered our country legally and illegally, it's easy to understand they are people, too – just like us.

Everyone does not have to be pro-illegal immigration to work to improve the system.

Shirley Duke, Garland

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Responses to Shirley Duke's above letter:

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...1.1fe5870.html

Letters: Debating immigration

09:38 AM CST on Sunday, February 25, 2007


Assimilation is the point

Re: "A compassion-free zone," by Shirley Duke, Wednesday Letters.

Ms. Duke misses the point. Her pro-illegal immigration letter says immigrants strive for what we were naturally given. Some of my new neighbors don't strive to learn English, mow their lawn or clean up around their homes. Frankly, I'm embarrassed the way my neighborhood is beginning to look. At least I have the right to put my house up for sale, move to a better neighborhood and live with people who share the same values and qualities of life.

Our point, Ms. Duke, is that these immigrants don't care to share our values or assimilate to our standards.

Thomas Sullivan, Bedford
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Encounters with aliens

Shirley Duke seems to believe that the only possible reason U.S. citizens cannot embrace illegal immigration is that they have not met any illegal immigrants. I have met several, but one encounter stands out in particular.

One Saturday afternoon, the car that my wife and I were in was plowed into from the rear, totaling my automobile. The driver had no driver's license, no liability insurance and no green card. He spoke no English. He was unable to explain why he hit two cars stopped at a traffic signal.

I have met some illegal immigrants, and the experience left me bruised, and $25,000 poorer.

Sherman Ratliff, Grand Prairie
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We've all met them

I don't understand why the vitriol of letters would astonish Shirley Duke. And of course, we have all met illegal immigrants.

Every time you walk into a Wal-Mart or McDonald's and hear all the Spanish being spoken, you are in the presence of illegal immigrants. Go by the day labor sites and you will see hundreds of illegal immigrants. Call up a local landscape company and try to tell the workers what you want done – you are in the company of illegal immigrants.

Immigrate legally, have some interest in our standards, and you will make out like gangbusters here.

James Attaway, Sanger
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Not all are good people

Those of us who write letters regarding illegal immigration are not hateful. We are law-abiding citizens who want our laws respected. This country cannot absorb the numbers of illegal immigrants that want to come here without a negative effect. Compassion can only go so far.

Many illegal immigrants come from Mexico, a country with no compassion for illegal immigrants in their country.

And not all of those whom come here are good people. Some are criminals escaping justice and committing crimes here.

This is not hatred; it's being practical and just.

Warren Patterson, Plano

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It warms my heart to see responses like these actually being published in the pro-illegal alien Dallas Morning News -- Jaded