To the editor:
This past week Rep. Erik Paulsen has talked a big game with no action. He “hoped” Trump would change his policy on family separation, but wasn’t brave enough to tell Trump directly. He avoided trump’s visit by hiding in Washington D.C., claiming he was there to work on immigration policy.
Despite all of Paulsen’s “hard work” we have no immigration bill yet. The dreamers still aren’t protected and to add to that, there are now over 1,000 immigrant children who have been separated from their families. Many of these children are to young to identify their parents by name, making reunification extremely complicated.
If Paulsen really wants to help, he should work with Congress to find ways to make reunification easier and more expedient. He should try to pass legislation barring families from being separated again. Crossing the border illegally is a federal misdemeanor.
To put that in context, misusing the image of Smokey the Bear without government permission is also a federal misdemeanor. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t hard of anyone’s family being detained and separated for that.
Paulsen needs to push harder for humane treatment of immigrants and asylum seekers. He needs to push harder to protect Dreamers, and he needs to actually fight for these immigrants like he promised he would.
Patty Feeney, Shorewood
Eden Prairie Sun Current, July 5, 2018