June 23, 2025 Editor, The News-Gazette: What if guys in face masks came to your son’s school and took him away without telling him why they were taking him? When found, they told you he was going to be deported. How would that feel?
Or say you were home fixing dinner. You had a birthday cake for your daughter. You would sing “Happy Birthday” to her in English, because you are American citizens. Your neighbor runs over to tell you that your husband has been picked up at his construction job. Same thing — no reason given, headed to deportation. How would that feel?
We Americans have a system for processing suspected criminals. They are charged, presented to a jury or a judge to defend themselves, and convicted or set free. It may not be perfect, but we Americans have decided through history to go with it. No matter how horrendous your crime is, you get to go through this system. It’s called due process.
Right now immigrants are being denied this system. If you have an immigrant name or skin color, or work in a job that only poor immigrants will take, such as cleaners, farm workers, or construction laborers you can be Disappeared. Only 10% of immigrants abducted by ICE have been convicted of serious crimes. And many people that they are taking away work and pay taxes. Don’t they deserve due process?
We should be questioning our elected politicians about these abductions. But Republicans have been told to avoid their home towns and the people who elected them, because they may face uncomfortable questions. We should replace them at the next election with Congressmen who believe in “due process.” We can disagree on things that our government does, but I’d hope we can agree and insist on due process for everyone. CHRISTINA LEGO Brownsburg
