The following Letter to the Editor was published in The Daily Sun on Dec 22, 2022.
America considers itself to a kind and compassionate country, but our treatment of asylum-seeking immigrants is inconsistent with this image. Instead of welcoming those seeking refuge from countries with high crime rates and economic dysfunction, some of which is unintentionally caused by our actions, we turn them away and deprive them of an opportunity to make their case.
The suffering in Latin America is due to a combination of reasons, including human-caused climate change, guns smuggled out of the USA and a violent drug trade that is based upon America’s appetite for illegal stimulants. Poor governance is also part of the problem as talented individuals leave their country of origin to find opportunities in the USA and other wealthy countries.
We need to reform and invest in an immigration system that processes asylum claims more quickly and fairly. In the meantime, we should not force them to remain in Mexico. We should also allow more immigrants into this country, which will make America stronger by providing badly needed manpower. Immigrants are younger and more likely to be working than native Americans and numerous studies have shown that they commit fewer crimes. They are coming here to work, not to commit crimes. This should be obvious to anyone dealing with repairs related to Hurricane Ian.
Both Canada and Australia have about 50% more immigrants per capita than the USA. We have the room and the need for more workers. Let’s open our hearts to the plight of such immigrants.
Frank Vorlicek, Rotonda West
Image Credits: Paola Albarran, right, of Venezuela is reunited with her cousin, Houston resident Anali Fernandez at the Migrant Resource Center on Monday in San Antonio. (Jordan Vonderhaar/Getty Images)
