As most know, the governors of Texas and Florida have been “shipping” poor migrants out of their state and into urban areas such as Chicago. This inhumane and un-American atrocity against people who’ve done no wrong must end.
Here in the Chicago area, several organizations are attempting to help these people by providing shelter, food and clothing. It may be surprising, but these suffering families need to wait up to six months or longer to get a work permit. This is outrageous and unacceptable. They want to work. They need to be able to get on their own feet and support their families through jobs. It’s a critical part of the American Dream.
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It may surprise some people, especially the far-right extremists who want to make so much noise and convince the rest of us of their cherished myths, that the migrants forced to flee their countries really do WANT TO WORK. No, they’re not here to live off of welfare and our good intentions. (Look into it, and you’ll see how difficult it is to live off of government benefits nowadays.)
There is one partial solution. The Assisting Seekers in Pursuit of Integration and Rapid Employment — ASPIRE — Act in Congress shortens significantly the amount of time to obtain a work permit. Please, please contact your members of Congress to urge them to work for passage of this bill. It’ll help asylum seekers and help larger society by speeding up the time it takes for them to become valuable, taxpaying workers in our society.
Anthony Buttitta, Des Plaines
No justification for killing innocent Palestinians in Gaza
Like so many other good people who have spoken out, I am horrified at the potential devastation of the millions of innocent men, women and children who are locked out of evacuation options due to both borders in Israel and Egypt being closed to Palestinian refugees. How can we as a nation ignore these conditions?
Israel is justified in working to root out the Hamas terrorists who have levied a heavy toll of destruction in Israel. However, Israel is not justified in its actions to bomb and destroy the innocent people who have been forced to call Gaza home. We are the world. And we need to recognize the value of all life, especially the innocent.
Patricia Van Pelt, former state senator, 5th District
