Immigrant workers bring value to Georgia
Let’s consider the economic and cultural benefits of immigrants to American society. Our administration wants to deport Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) immigrants and limit legal immigrants.
Start with Georgia. Approximately 60% of agricultural employees are immigrants. They are needed for our blueberries, Vidalia onions, peaches, pecans, and other crops. Immigrants constitute a massive, often majority portion of Georgia’s poultry processing workforce.
A recent article by journalist George Will gives alarming statistics about what immigrant loss might mean to our country (“America needs immigrants as much as they need liberty’s blessings,” The Washington Post, March 13)
First of all, Will writes, the U.S. birth rate is below replacement levels and our population is aging. Foreign-born workers account for 15.9% of nurses, 28.45% of health aides, and 23.6% of STEM jobs. Immigrant workers, including those without legal status, pay taxes that help fund Social Security and Medicare.
I want my grandchildren to benefit culturally from interacting in school with children from other countries. They bring rich traditions honoring family, especially older family members, sharing, and community. These are values our country is in danger of losing.
Our government should re-evaluate our whole cruel and economically harmful deportation program.
MARY SCOTT GOULD, DECATUR
Disarming Iran is only option
It stuns me when people say, “Let Iran develop nuclear weapons. Israel already has them and mutually assured destruction would deter both sides.” How naive.
If the current regime in Iran gets pushed far enough (in their minds), they won’t care if their nation is destroyed in a nuclear weapons attack if they can take Israel out with them.
Regarding non-proliferation agreements, it’s absurd to believe that the current regime will act in good faith. They never have and they never will. Disarming them is the only viable option.
FRANK MANFRE, SMYRNA
Nation is losing its honor and integrity
Both of Friday’s letters to the editor pulled no punches and righteously so. Although much of the GOP agenda is reasonable to me, both parties are to blame for putting Trump, a dangerous juvenile delinquent, in the White House, along with his garbage-filled vocabulary.
I’ve written my Republican representative about the need to remove this person from office, but to no avail, obviously. Our great nation that I serve and love is bleeding honor and integrity fast, and all of Congress needs to buck up and stop the hemorrhage.
EDWARD MARTIN, PEACHTREE CITY
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