Achieve Balance of Justice, Compassion

* We need to use both our heads and our hearts when confronting the issue of disaster relief to illegal residents.

Unfortunately, many of those who have spoken publicly on this issue have failed to achieve a proper balance between justice and compassion.

The United States as a sovereign nation not only has the right but the duty to control our borders. It is nonsense to call for housing and housing assistance, as distinguished from temporary shelter, for those who are here illegally.

However, it is appropriate in a time of disaster to provide in addition to temporary shelter the following: emergency medical care, water, food and stopgap clothing.

Those who are here illegally should be treated humanely, but they should still be subject to deportation hearings. There is nothing stopping any charity, person or religious group from providing permanent housing for such persons in the countries to which they should be returned.

GARY E. FORSCH

Sun Valley