Jan. 19, 2026 Editor, The News-Gazette: One of the letters in your Jan. 14 edition of The News-Gazette reported extreme disappointment at observing several (of the 200 or so) people demonstrating in Lexington on the 11th of this month.
After noting that these same people had earlier participated in gatherings to object to administration policy, she suggested that “… they are showing support for violent criminals here illegally who have murdered, raped, committed sex and drug trafficking, ignored deportation orders and other violated laws.”
I was on the street that day and, although I did not speak with all of the others present, I am confident that not one of them support murderers, rapists, sex and drug traffickers or those who commit other violent crimes, whether they be citizens or noncitizens.
What the overwhelming majority cannot support is an administration that fosters the use of masked government agents, with machine guns, using far more force than needed in performing their perceived duties. This is not the America we know. It happens in other countries - not ours.
Most of the millions of these targeted human beings simply came here to get away from tyranny and to be able to support their families, and have, in many cases, filled jobs that no one else wanted.
There is probably a wide range of opinion among the demonstrators on how best to address immigration issues as they relate to human rights, labor practices and other economic issues.
Were we to talk to each other at all levels of power, rather than assuming that anyone with another view point is ignorant or worse, ideas might be exchanged that solve societal problems amicably. JOHN BURKE Lexington
