Immigration policy has divided the United States for several decades. Much has been written on how our polarized politics prevents us from moving forward in reforming our immigration laws and fixing what most characterize as a broken immigration system.
Having studied immigration policy for approximately 30 years now, I have seen many ideas come and go. The idea of “comprehensive immigration reform” has been floated most of the 21st century. These ideas usually combine increased border security with legalization for undocumented immigrants, added guest worker programs and the like. However, not all elements of our political society are willing to make the compromises necessary to see immigration reform pass into law.
The most needed element to fix our immigration policy, however, is rarely, if ever, discussed. Our legal immigration law currently is based off of providing visas for two broad categories: family reunification and needed skills for our economy. Those two categories take up a lion’s share of visas that allow people to immigrate legally.
What are not taken into consideration in our current system are visas for those who are most likely to migrate. If there is no legal way for those people most likely to migrate to immigrate to the U.S. legally, they will do so without documents or try to apply for asylum, etc.
A badly needed reform to our legal immigration policy is to include a significant number of visas for those who are most likely to migrate to the U.S., but currently cannot do so legally. Without such a policy, we will continue to spin our wheels on immigration as we have been doing for the past 30 years.
Frederic Cady
Edinburg
No compassion
seen from chief
I was appalled to see the lack of compassion and respect from Brownsville Police Chief Felix Saucedo during the news conference to announce the arrest of the man who killed eight people after he plowed his vehicle into them.
The chief opened his news conference by announcing the arrest of the driver who killed eight men and injured many others, reportedly from Venezuela. The police chief never offered one word of condolence to the victims, their families or the citizens of Brownsville.
I also found it disrespectful that he did not acknowledge the presence of Cameron County District Attorney Luis V. Saenz, who not only went to the horrific scene but who was standing right next to him during the news conference.
As a former Brownsville Herald police reporter and communications professional who lives in the Los Angeles area, I offer my help to assist your department in organizing a news conference, one with compassion and respect. Today, there are eight families without sons, fathers, brothers and husbands.
We have all seen the horrific videos of those mangled bodies. The blood of these innocent people is still smeared on Minnesota Avenue and instilled in the memory of Brownsville residents’ lives forever.
Chief Saucedo, our city is mourning.
The Rio Grande Valley is mourning
Texas is mourning.
Our nation is mourning.
You should mourn too.
Patricia A. Gonzalez-Portillo
Long Beach, Calif.
LETTERS — Limit letters to 300 words; all letters are subject to editing. Mail: P.O. Box 3267, McAllen, TX78502-3267; Email: [email protected]
