Strong feelings about reform

Re “Immigration plan doesn’t add up, critics say,” May 24

The article states: “High-tech companies, which currently recruit immigrants with specialized skills and then sponsor them for either temporary visas or a separate pool of 140,000 annual employment-based green cards, argue that they need workers like Ray.” Is this what is considered a “job that an American won’t do”? I think not.

Immigration reform should not be passed until all Americans are employed. If unskilled, Americans should be educated and trained before we look to other countries for employees. No immigration reform should be passed until our government starts listening to the will of the people -- which I can tell you, by keeping up on this issue, it is not.

ANN DOTY-MITCHELL

Marina del Rey

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Two simple questions about the very complex immigration reform bill: If illegal aliens don’t obey our current immigration laws, what makes anyone think they will obey the new ones? If our government lacks the willpower and the ability to enforce our current immigration laws, what makes anyone think it will enforce new, tougher laws?

MICHAEL COONEY

Glendale

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Emma Lazarus’ famous poem, “The New Colossus,” expressed America’s feelings about immigration in the late 1800s. It was engraved on the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal and remains there today. The last paragraph reads, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

To reflect the feelings of America in 2007, it should read, “Do not give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breath free. Keep your wretched refuse on your own teeming shores. Do not send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my sword in warning beside our golden closed door!”

Are we a better nation today?

OWEN KEAVNEY

Claremont