Immigration Law

For three months I’ve been desperately trying to help a 24-year-old girl, raised here from childhood, daughter and mother of citizens. She is being deported to a country she doesn’t remember, a culture and language she doesn’t know, penniless and without friends or relatives there. Why? Because a hard life (raped at 14, mother at 15, poor and without guidance all her life in this country) led her to possess a small amount of drugs for personal use. She committed no other crime.

Everyone I have contacted is washing their hands of this. Restrictions put upon the INS by the Republican Congress’ Immigration Act of 1996 have created cowards of them all--not willing to fight for what is just, hiding behind a demagogic law. Now Congress is setting its sights on a flag-burning amendment. Pass it and I will organize the largest bonfire of American flags history has ever seen. You perfect fools! Go back and learn the purpose for which this nation was formed.

WILLIAM P. DIX

Los Angeles