Immigrants (criminals!, rapists!, pet-eating Haitians!) are just the latest in shiny objects meant to distract us from the real business afoot: reducing taxes for the wealthy.
We are to believe that any problems can be solved by eliminating a scapegoat from our society. (Martin Niemoller: “First they came for the socialists...”) And, when that isn’t effective, we can go on to the next scapegoat (“Then they came for the trade-unionists...”).
The U.S. has always been a nation of immigrants. It is part of our ethos and a key to our success. Other countries send some of their best and brightest with visas to study and to work. And others — among them also the best and the brightest — come without official sanction, in the hope that their children and grandchildren will have a better life. They involve themselves in our criminal justice system at a lower rate than our native-born population.
In my opinion, we demonize and deport them at our peril.
Paul H. Brown, Salt Lake City
