To the Editor:
Re “Applications for Asylum Are Paused by Trump” (news article, Nov. 30):
Within hours of the shooting of two members of the National Guard in Washington last week, President Trump ordered the immediate cessation of all processing of immigration requests by Afghan nationals.
This mandate affects Afghans whose work for the U.S. armed forces in Afghanistan saved countless American lives while putting their own lives in grave danger. It affects Afghans whose work for women’s empowerment in Afghanistan emancipated women from the tyranny of the Taliban while making them enemies of the state. And it affects Afghans whose work for the pre-Taliban regime contributed to civil order while marking them as targets to be hunted, imprisoned, tortured and killed.
The attack on two members of the National Guard was an act of senseless and despicable violence. The indefinite suspension of asylum applications and special immigrant visas for Afghans will compound that harm exponentially.
In a season of giving thanks, I feel nothing but anguish — at the pain and suffering of the National Guard members and their families, and at the fear and terror that Afghan families are again enduring.
Eileen Kaufman Hartsdale, N.Y. The writer is an emerita professor at Touro Law Center.
To the Editor:
I could not but feel great sadness and anger over the death of a young female National Guard member in Washington.
The Guard should have never been deployed there — an action that caused unrest and stress to the residents. It had little to do with safety in D.C., but was part of President Trump’s autocratic actions to intimidate and harass blue areas.
These rash, unjustified political actions have real consequences, as reflected in the tragic death of a young woman in the prime of her life.
Richard Goetz Mission Viejo, Calif.
To the Editor:
When there is a mass shooting, it’s only one bad person with a gun, so no action is deemed necessary. But when one migrant acts in a criminal and reprehensible manner, suddenly action must be taken against all immigrants that fit a certain profile.
There is something wrong with this picture.
Dorothy Presser Lynnfield, Mass.
Being Latino in the U.S.
To the Editor:
Re “Trump’s Deportation Campaign Is Both Cruel and Ineffective” (editorial, Oct. 28):
Your editorial rightly highlights rising anti-Latino sentiment in the country, much of it stoked by our own government’s rhetoric and policies. To counter the growing hostility, we must confront the false narratives that are feeding it.
Many do not realize that the overwhelming majority of Latinos in the United States were born here and therefore are U.S. citizens. Far from being a burden, the Latino community is an economic powerhouse, contributing more than $4 trillion to the U.S. gross domestic product each year.
Latinos make up the second-largest voting bloc in the country and are gaining influence in shaping local and national elections. Additionally, Latinos are overrepresented in the work force, driving the American economy and providing the essential products and services that keep our nation running.
Being Latino in the U.S. should not be treated as a crime. More than that, American society must recognize and value Latinos as an essential part of the nation’s prosperity and future. Dispelling false narratives about Latinos is not just about fairness; it’s about fully understanding what it means to be a citizen of this country.
Vincent Guilamo-Ramos Washington The writer is the executive director of the Institute for Policy Solutions at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing.
Wonderful Mentors
To the Editor:
“How Learning a Dying Craft Helped One Man Fix His Life” (front page, Nov. 23), about a man who learned to fix typewriters, touched on many important themes: the beauty of human kindness, the wonderful relationship that can occur between a mentor and a student, and the satisfaction people have when working with their hands and minds.
Many of these things get lost in today’s corporate work environment, where so many people feel emptiness in their jobs.
I was very fortunate to have had a wonderful mentor in my life — an expert in our field, dentistry, who wanted to teach and share his knowledge and experience. I have tried to do the same thing for many young people who are interested in my profession.
Your beautiful story resonated with me. It clearly shows many of things that A.I. cannot replace — human compassion, kindness, respect and giving back to others.
Daniel J. Bley Boston
The post The Aftermath of the D.C. Shooting appeared first on New York Times.
