Deportation or Education?

Re “Punishing the Innocent,” editorial, Oct. 1: Thank you for recommending immediate approval of the Dream Act. As it relates to the plight of the millions of children of undocumented Latino immigrants residing in the U.S., these infants, children and teens never had the capacity to consent or dissent to the actions taken by their parents. Yet we hold them responsible and oppress them, based upon the immoral treatment afforded them under current U.S. immigration policy. Some of the brightest and most hard-working teens are not legal residents, brought here by their parents when they were young. They have grown up pledging their allegiance to our flag their whole lives, only to find rejection. They are unable to obtain a Social Security card and all of the privileges that go with it: the privilege to drive, work, get a loan, have a bank account and attend college.

Bill and Jacki Dahl

Irvine

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For every illegal immigrant admitted to a state university, an American citizen will be rejected. Likely most illegal immigrants seeking in-state tuition at public universities aren’t responsible for violating our laws, having been brought into this country illegally by their parents. But it also is true that in-state American citizens who will be rejected when illegal aliens join the queue are being punished for the actions of illegal alien parents.

Michael Scott

Glendora

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I support the Dream Act. Our bright young undocumented students should live with dignity and hope, rather than fear deportation and face barriers to higher education. These young students are our future, and their positive efforts deserve to become a part of this society.

Dae Yoon

Los Angeles

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Punishing the innocent? It’s American taxpayers who are getting punished. The Times obviously feels that free K-12 education and other social services aren’t enough. Now we’re expected to give illegal immigrants a subsidized college education.

If these kids want to go to college, they should return to their own countries and do so. And the proponents of this bill have the audacity to call it the Dream Act. A nightmare is more like it. Anyone who is in this country illegally should be deported, not rewarded.

Randle C. Sink

Brea