Cole’s column on Pascual Pedro was inflammatory

This is in response to Althea Cole's opinion piece in the Sunday Gazette (July 13, “Deportation of West Liberty man is sad, but not wrong.“) Pascual Pedro was deported after being in the United States for 7 years, was employed and had complied with all terms of his release upon arrival in the country. I don't understand why someone like that isn't fast-tracked for citizenship instead of being deported.

The article segues from calling Pedro a good kid to stating that he arrived in the US "via a sinister machine that enables traffickers to rake in billions." The truth is that his father and he crossed the border themselves. She states "If we do not secure the border, cartels will continue to grow... and unleash further hell." The actual truth about immigrants, legal and illegal, is that U.S. born citizens commit two times more serious crimes, 2.5 times more drug offenses, and four times more property crimes than immigrants, legal and illegal.

The author's inclusion of two shocking examples of immigrants committing horrific crimes is inflammatory. The incidence of crime by immigrants is lower than the incidence of crime in the U.S. born population. Why not allow many more immigrants a legal path to citizenship?

Trump lowered the number allowed into the country in both administrations. Why? The aggressive seizing of non-white immigrants for mass deportation is xenophobia at its worst.

Ann Marshbanks

West Des Moines