WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES DECEMBER 27, 2018 13
Immigration policy is
creating tragedy
BY STATE SENATOR JAMES SANDERS, JR.
We must once again question President
Trump’s immigration policies and
the way we treat migrants seeking
asylum who enter our country illegally.
Earlier this month a 7-year-old child died
while in the custody of U.S. Customs and Border
Protection. She had been traveling from
Mexico with her father when they, and about
160 others, were arrested in a remote part of
the desert near New Mexico for trying to enter
the United States illegally.
About 8 hours later, the child became very
ill and started having seizures. CBP said it appeared
she hadn’t had anything to eat or drink
in several days. She died less than 24 hours
aft er being airlift ed to a hospital for treatment.
A White House spokesman called the death a
“tragic situation,” but he added that the Trump administration
is not to blame. He said: “Does the administration
take responsibility for a parent taking
a child on a trek through Mexico to get to this
country? No.” He further called upon Congress
to “disincentivize” migrants from crossing the
border illegally and encourage people to come
into the country “the right way, the legal way.”
However, that is somewhat of a contradiction
since the Trump administration has made the
path to citizenship harder than ever before by
denying visas and green cards and implementing
measures aimed at keeping people out rather
than letting them in. Let’s not forget that Trump
is still trying to build a wall at the Southern border
of the United States and Mexico.
The Trump administration even uses threats
and fear as a deterrent. We have all seen the
news reports of families being torn apart at
the border and heard stories of the prison-like
conditions at migrant detention centers. The
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Border
Rights Center blamed the girl’s death on “inhumane
conditions,” a “lack of accountability, and
a culture of cruelty,” which have “exacerbated
policies that lead to migrant deaths.”
The CBP said it took all of the steps possible
to save the little girl’s life.
However, just a week before this girl’s death,
CBP Commissioner Kevin McAleenan testifi ed
before Congress that the areas where illegal immigrants
are taken into federal custody “were
meant to handle mostly male single adults, not
families or children.
We need to repair our immigration system -
that goes without question - but we also need to
conduct our fair share of global humanitarian
eff orts, so that the conditions in other countries
do not become so dire that one would risk their
own life or the life of their child in order to seek
asylum.
Here in Southeast Queens, we must be concerned
because it could be one of our friends,
loved ones or neighbors, making that journey
towards a better life with fatal results. I agree
with those who have called for an investigation
into this toddler’s death.
We must do all we can to ensure that this
never happens again.
Sanders represents the 10th Senatorial District.
BLAME IT ON THE
REPUBLICANS
Regarding gun control, John Amato
generalizes freely when he says “our
country” seems to have lost all decency,
“our politicians” seem unable to move
ahead with any legislation. He asks
when are “these politicians” going
to wake up and face reality, and that
something needs to be done by “Congress.”
(“What have we done about
guns?,” Dec. 20)
Here’s something he should know-
According to data from the nonpartisan
Center for Responsive Politics, 99% of
the $1 million in NRA contributions to
congressional candidates in 2016 went
to Republicans. The NRA used to contribute
to both parties relatively equally.
What changed? Simple, in the fall of
1994, the Democratic-controlled Congress
(with opposition from the NRA)
passed a 10-year federal ban on assault
weapons (recently allowed to expire by,
you guessed it, Republicans). In the twoyear
period leading up to the vote on the
issue, the NRA increased its contributions
to Republicans by about $675,000
while reducing contributions to Democrats
by nearly $200,000. It was the
group’s largest single-cycle — or twoyear
— dip in donations to Democrats.
So there you have it, Mr. Amato. It’s
the Republican part of “our country”.
It’s the Republican part of “these politicians”.
And it’s the Republican part
of “Congress.”
Robert LaRosa, Whitestone
SENIORS STILL HAVE
PLENTY OF DO
I was reading a few weeks ago about
a survey that pointed out that one out
of fi ve senior citizens aft er the age of 65
are still working. There are many reasons
why some seniors are still working.
Some are working because of fi nancial
issues make it necessary. Than
there are those who feel the need and
belief there is more they can accomplish.
We have those in entertainment
business, doctors, lawyers, professionals.
There are those who believe they
can still make a diff erence.
Then there are those like myself
who feel we are not ready to fully
retire and that we still have more to
off er. I work for Northeast Plumbing
in Mineola. I have been employed
there for over 38 years and I will be
70 years old next summer. I have been
quite lucky to have great bosses who
have been supported, kind and understanding
over the years. They are
Laura Weimer and Jim Simpson who
run the company and I thank them for
all that they have done for me.
The reason I say this is because I
had an aggressive cancer three years
ago and had a total of four operations
during this period. They kept me with
the company and I have been working
part-time. I don’t know if many employers
would have done the same.
Our senior citizens have much to
off er in the workplace and deserve a
chance to prove it. So please employers
give a job to a senior citizen; you will
be glad that you did.
Frederick R. Bedell Jr.,
Glen Oaks Village
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