Letters to the Editor
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‘Bloomberg: America Needs Illegal Immigrants’
The Staten island Advance reports that “a 29-year-old ‘citizen’ of New Dorp was quick to point to ‘cuts and scrapes’ he said he sustained when eight police officers stormed into his backyard, threw him to the ground, cuffed, and arrested him for illegal possession of fireworks.” The Advance said: “Under former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, police and fire officials began blanketing the city and particularly Staten Island with an enforcement offensive aimed at both sellers and buyers of fireworks.”
But when it comes to federal laws, Mayor Bloomberg, testifying on immigration policies before a Senate panel, said “Although they broke the law by illegally crossing our borders … our city’s economy would be a shell of itself had they not, and it would collapse if they were deported,” he said. “The same holds true for the nation.” Mr. Bloomberg forgot that those who employ them are as guilty of a crime, as those who are the “illegals.” But that’s O. K. with the mayor. [“Bloomberg: America Needs Illegal Immigrants,” New York, July 6, 2006].
Mr. Bloomberg should really feel sorry for those “legal immigrants” to America (from Mexico the wait is 16 years) who go by the book. Instead he seems to sanction the “illegals” who jump the fence and the line and who the Bush administration would legalize in 6 years (if not sooner) and during their “illegal” wait are permitted to work.
ROBERT BRAISTED
Staten Island, N.Y.
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