LETTER: Bad policy: field workers can stay, gifted students deported

To Ozaukee Press:

In an op-ed opinion piece by John Torinus published in last week’s Ozaukee Press (“Let foreign workers stay; with U.S. labor shortage our businesses need them”) advocated for practical solutions and intelligent immigration policy. 

Under Trump’s administration and a Republican Congress, this is difficult to accomplish. 

Foreign students in the U.S. for advanced degrees and research do not come to work on farms, in the hospitality industry, at nursing homes, or in jobs pounding nails or cutting grass. Trump’s Tom Homan, acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, does not care. His xenophobic policy pursuit is to arrest and deport the best of foreign students while criminals remain at large. It is easier to arrest students than criminals.

Now it seems Trump has changed his position, realizing immigrants’ importance to the U.S. economy. He is talking about giving waivers to some undocumented workers. Why? Not only because the economy needs them, but immigrants also contribute to the IRS and Social Security treasury. 

    But they do not receive a right to vote or a pathway to citizenship. Thus, Torinus’ statement that allowing undocumented workers to stay “would mean Democrats would lose their strategy of turning new citizens into party-line Democratic voters” is moot. 

American agriculture relies on this form of mock servitude. President Lincoln abolished slavery with the 13th Amendment. 

Torinus is correct in saying the U.S. needs to groom gifted students, especially those pursuing the STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) educational design in school curriculums. But Trump’s education secretary, wrestling entrepreneur Linda McMahon, has no clue or experience. She and Trump recommend cutting 75% of STEM  funding. Not a real solution or intelligent policy.

No American wants immigrant criminals to remain here. Students are not criminals. Torinus is correct. Those arrested should be given due process described in constitutional amendments. On Jan. 6, criminal insurrectionists received due process. But then Trump pardoned those convicted. 

Real solutions in an intelligent national policy are not happening. Why? Trump is in charge.

Ken Bretl

Fredonia