By Benjamin M. Haber
Phil Orenstein, president of the Queens Village Republican Club, is misguided in claiming Trump’s immigration policy is limited to the deportation of the undocumented with serious criminal records, and accuses Democratic politicians of undermining Trump’s every move. (Letters to the Editor – Feb. 24-March 2).
There can be no objection to the deportation of illegal immigrants who have committed violent crimes. There can be and should be objections to deporting persons who do not represent a threat to society.
Trump’s claim he will deal with those brought here illegally as children “with heart” and that their situation is a very “difficult” issue for him is in typical Trump fashion empty language.
A case in point is Guadalupe de Rayos, who has lived in the United States undocumented since she was 14 years old.
While she did commit a non-violent crime many years ago ( using a fake Social Security number in order to work), she has been allowed to stay here on condition she check-in annually with immigration officials.
She assiduously complied with that requirement, became a model resident, married and had two children born in this country.
A few weeks ago, at the age of 36, she went to her annual check-in. ICE agents in Phoenix took her into custody instead, separating her from her husband and children who were waiting for her outside. She was thereafter deported to Mexico.
The crime she committed was not violent, was no threat to public safety and committed solely so she could work.
Where was the “heart” and the “difficulty” Trump claims to possess? It does not exist on this subject and indeed on any other subject and is worthless.
To separate two young children from their mother under these circumstances is cruel and inhuman, for which Trump should be ashamed, an emotion I suspect he does not possess.
To use a word Trump himself with no justification uses, his treatment of Mrs. De Rayos and her family is indeed “sad.”
With acknowledgment to the words of Joseph Welch in his confrontation with Sen, Joseph McCarthy during the McCarthy debacle, at long last, President Trump, have you no sense of decency?
Benjamin M. Haber
Flushing
