The Statue of Liberty stands as a beacon of hope and welcome to those who seek refuge and safety. Unfortunately, many have forgotten what Lady Liberty and our nation stand for today.
Some leaders look only to create divisions across the country and in our communities by subjecting immigrant families and children to inappropriate and undeserved barriers. All of these measures hurt our communities, our economy, and our country.
Parents know how important our immigrant community members are in keeping our families and kids healthy. Immigrants make up 17% of the nation’s healthcare workers, 18% of childcare workers, 38% of home health aides and 12% of the education workforce – caregivers in every sense of the word!
Instead our elected officials should look to the example of Lady Liberty to protect immigrants with legislation like H.R. 1511 Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929 (Registry Bill), H.R. 4170 & S. 2038 Lifting Immigrant Families Through Benefits Access Restoration Act (LIFT the BAR Act), H.R. 1325 Asylum Seeker Worker Authorization Act of 2023 that could help boost immigrant families and create a better future for our children.
The Lifting Immigrant Families Through Benefits Access Restoration Act of 2021 (LIFT the BAR Act) will remove barriers and a five-year-ban to families and children who are lawfully in the country like victims of crime, DACA recipients, and green card holders. Years of policies that target people because of their immigration status have deterred immigrant families, which include millions of U.S. citizen children, from health care and other basics.
This is an opportunity for bipartisanship in Congress to support immigrant parents and children! It is long overdue and critical to our community.
Bart Ryan
Waltham
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is visiting China with no agreements on major disputes or plans for future activity. But Yellen did say her department and Chinese officials would have “more frequent and regular” communication. Wow, what a waste of time. Again, the Biden team kowtows to the Chinese communists. Yellen stated the Biden administration wants to “avoid unnecessary repercussions” with China involving technology trade. At the same time, China is initiating unspecified controls on exports of gallium and germanium; two rare earth minerals needed for semi-conductors and solar panels. Xi Jinping turns a blind eye to China exporting fentanyl ingredients to the Mexican cartels. And Janet Yellen is listening to Chinese complaints about unfair technology, trading practices? When China says jump, the United States asks how high.
Donald Houghton
Quincy
After reading about Boston City Councilor Kendra Lara crashing into a Jamaica Plain home in an unregistered, uninsured vehicle after her license was revoked, I’m once again wearing my T-shirt that reads, “I used to be a people person … but people ruined that for me.”
Mike Rice
Wellfleet