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Oct. 16, 2024 Editor, The News-Gazette: Both sides continue to attack each other over immigration. My position as one who went through the legal process to become a U.S. citizen is: I arrived in San Diego in 1983 – legally.
After the requisite waiting period – under the threat of deportation for any wrongdoing --I received my Green card, and then U.S. citizenship. This whole process was at times embarrassing, intrusive and even racist.
During that time, living 17 miles from the border, my wife and I made numerous trips to communities on both sides of the border. We saw the effects of illegal immigration – livestock and family pets killed, property destruction, property theft – and most alarmingly the financial toll providing medical care to illegal immigrants with no medical insurance or other means to pay. A leading hospital had to close, school districts ran out of money providing more school places, more social care, English language classes, extra School Resource officers, etc.
My point is neither Democrats or Republicans can claim the high ground, moral or otherwise. Absolutely nothing has been done by either party in the 41 years I have been here – nothing. The only conclusion that can be reached is that, for their own reasons, neither party sees any reason -- moral, legal or constitutional -- to change anything. Has the problem worsened? Of course! But a trickle always becomes a flood if it isn’t fixed. JOHN MORMAN Lexington
