Letter: Immigration a polarizing issue

Immigration is a “hot button” issue which polarizes voters across the nation and in Kane County. Clearly both political parties need to compromise on immigration reform and pass it in Congress.

Blaming [President Joe] Biden for years of inaction in Congress is disingenuous. And sending busloads of immigrants to Illinois is simply grandstanding. Until Congress acts, we should avoid listening to toxic statements that all immigrants are “killers,” “rapists” “criminals” and are “poisoning the blood of America.”

Instead, we should elect open-minded politicians who really want to reform our immigration system through bipartisan compromise instead of attacking the other party and fundraising. If [Texas] Gov. [Greg] Abbott wants to score political points, he should try sending immigrants to states that may need them [basically for agriculture]. This won’t be as dramatic as sending them to Democratic cities, but might help farmers and reduce the economic burden on states such as Illinois (Kane County) when they arrive unannounced. We also should be treating immigrants as fellow human beings. Feeding and housing people who have traveled thousands of miles to avoid extreme poverty and persecution is a much better alternative than demonizing them for political advantage.

It’s maddening to wait while Congress fails to act on immigration reform [since George Bush was president]. But remember, they have to initiate changes and fund them.

Tom Minnerick

Elgin