Seek solutions for 'Mixed immigration status' families

Regarding the nationwide outrage toward the President Donald Trump administration’s heinous actions along the border and misrepresentation of Christianity as a justification, we need to take this moment and extend it beyond reuniting a few thousand children with their parents. Just as urgently, we need to take the frustration over Trump’s cancellation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and expand it beyond hundreds of thousands of Dreamers. We need to redirect the current righteous anger toward fixing the entire immigration system in ways that validate our humanity and the humanity of all who seek to join the American dream.

How did we get here? The Reagan Amnesty of 1986 and subsequent policies implemented by both Republicans and Democrats have created millions of "mixed immigration status" families.

Families where dad came on his own, worked and stayed out of trouble for years, and was therefore eligible for amnesty and now has a green card.

Imagine that his wife and children came after he got his papers. Mom and the eldest son were ineligible for amnesty because they arrived too late. They have no legal way of getting papers and could be deported at any time.

The daughter has a college degree and an employer willing to sponsor a work visa. She does not have to worry about being deported.

A third child, another son, was younger when he came across. He is Dreamer eligible. He has temporary papers, but due to Trump’s cancellation of DACA, he may never be able to renew them.

The family’s youngest child, a daughter, was born in the U.S. and a citizen.

Six family members, five very different immigration statuses.

After nearly three decades of working with immigrants. I can assure you that this example family is not uncommon. The system is an inconsistent mess built on contradictory goals.

And yes, the government has long broken up families like my example by deporting the mom or the eldest son – but usually only if they got in substantial trouble with the law. However, there are a number of ways in which the Trump administration has escalated this.

They have stopped primarily targeting serious offenders for deportation and moved toward deporting anyone they catch. Moreover, the current administration is splitting up families immediately as they cross the border. This is clearly cruelty on a larger scale than in the past – and it must end.

While our easily distracted eyes are on this problem, let’s address the entire immigration system. We all depend upon millions of low-wage immigrant laborers to provide us with cheap food, clean hotels and new houses and offices – and an exceptionally high standard of living. But we do not have any systematic legal pathway to allow those workers to do this work while their children learn, grow, and fulfill the American dream, as our own immigrant ancestors did. This must change.

Scott Beck, Statesboro


Georgia takes wrong approach on education

As an education advocate, I am appalled that Georgia gives charter schools a higher rate of funding than public schools and allows its citizens tax credits for private schools.

Does the state government not know that Georgia is ranked educationally 38 out of 50 states? Compare that to Massachusetts, the top-ranked state. Why the disparity? First of all, the government does not give tax credits to citizens who enroll their children in private schools. And charter schools are given equal funding to government-operated schools.

Education is the main priority of our government and its citizens. This leads to higher education, better jobs and less people on assistance. The southern states boast higher rates of their citizens needing government assistance than anywhere else in this country because of the lack of funding for their schools and the importance of educating their children.

Education is my passion and I believe that all children in this country should have the same standard of academics. We shouldn’t need rankings. Georgia’s government and parents should make education a priority. If you raise the bar and become more educationally competitive, you will increase the amount of people becoming self-sustaining and more job opportunities will be available for their graduates.

Victoria Lia, Hilton Head Island


Teach youth respect for the law

In the world in which we live, it has become apparent that some people are like rocks, in that you can't teach them anything. I keep reading these headlines that a police officer shot so and so, and now the family and friends are all in an outrage because the man shot was the savior of all that is good in the world.

I'm sick of hearing the media jump on the bandwagon and lambaste the police for doing their jobs. All lives matter. There is a procedure to train police officers before they are able to actually serve. There is also ample opportunity for those individuals who have problems with law enforcement to go to that training and serve as well. Instead of whining about others, actually do something by getting involved and go through what they do. Then you may come to an understanding as to why a cop has their hand on their gun when they get out of the police car.

Why did the police officer have a reason to turn on the flashing lights? Why did the person who was pulled over take off down the road? If I'm in the position of the police officer, what reason at all would I have to think otherwise that the subject might be guilty of something? There are too many individuals these days who have no respect for the law, other people or themselves. Let's teach our children to respect others, obey the law, expect from others what you would dish out, and actually make all lives matter.

Jeff Cantaline, Eden