Immigration Law

I am writing to express my strongest disapproval of the effect of our new immigration policies. In an attempt to “protect the American way,” the new laws have introduced completely un-American control into our daily lives. I wish to describe what awakened me to this realization:

A few days ago I received an Employment Eligibility Verification (I-9) form and presented it to a new employee working for me. She was shocked. Born and raised in the United States, she found it entirely offensive that she had to present a passport to work. It has long been a tenet of our society that we do not have to carry such identification in order to work or live in our own country. Such identification requirements characterize nations we do not wish to emulate.

We must all consider that if protection of our society from overflow of immigrants entails such measures, we are not actually protecting ourselves. I do hope that the millions of people that are affected by this policy begin to make themselves heard. Also, I hope that all of us in positions of government or other authority stop and think. In the long run, laws such as our new immigration law hardly affect immigrants as much as they affect ourselves. Personal freedom is the cornerstone of our nation and must be maintained at all cost.

JONATHAN D. MELVIN

Pasadena