In one of Donald Trump’s first acts in office, he stripped away protections for schools, hospitals, and places of worship from immigration en¬forcement. These were once safe spaces where people could learn, receive health care, and pray without fear. Now they have been turned into targets for ICE raids.
This is unconscionable. As the world’s largest historical climate polluter, the United States has a responsibility to immigrants. Our pollution is causing the climate chaos — droughts, floods, hurricanes, rising waters — that is forcing people in Latin America, Asia, Africa and elsewhere to leave their homes. Others are fleeing violence, poverty, and hunger — all of which are caused or made worse by the climate crisis. It is not a hoax.
As municipal leaders, mayors have the power to fight this. They can protect immigrant families by ordering police NOT to participate in ICE raids and even to block ICE agents’ entry to schools, hospitals, and places of worship. Crops are rotting in the fields.
The future of so many families in our communities is on the line. We must call on local leaders to do the right thing, even as the federal government does not. I’m writing to urge mayors to hear this call and take action to protect im¬migrants.
The excellent bipartisan border and immigration bill was killed when Trump, before he was inaugurated, called the House speaker and told them not to vote on it, so he could use it to divide us. Divide and conquer is their M.O.
EPLURIBUS UNUM.
The Bible says that humanity has “dominion” over the Earth and its creatures. Sadly, some have not learned the difference between dominion (protection) and “domination”.
Dana Stewart
Lakeside
