Readers React: Why did it take a week to find out about the death of a 7-year-old in Border Patrol custody?

To the editor: It’s too early and too hard to know if anyone is to blame for the recent death of the 7-year-old Guatemalan girl while in the custody of the U.S. Border Patrol. It’s equally hard to believe this is the first such death.

Regardless, until all the facts are in, the media, the White House and members of Congress should stay neutral regarding who’s to blame for this death. Instead, lawmakers and citizens should be asking why Homeland Security didn’t report this within the legally required period of 24 hours after the death.

Voters are so tired of our lawmakers blaming each other for today’s immigrant situation. Why can’t we just be civil and treat everyone with equal rights, and why can’t we just follow the laws that are set in place?

Using this little girl’s death as a means to “catch” the other side is downright un-American and shameful.

Conrad Angel Corral, Cathedral City

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To the editor: The Trump administration claims to value the sanctity of life, which is why it wants to defund Planned Parenthood and limit women’s access to abortion.

But steps taken by Trump and his GOP supporters make it necessary for asylum seekers to cross the border illegally, because they can’t apply for asylum at regular border crossings due to limits on the number of applicants processed at those places.

I guess the sanctity of life doesn’t apply to asylum seekers or to the starving children of Yemen.

Daniel Fink, Beverly Hills

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To the editor: We may not want migrants to enter this great country illegally, but however they cross the border, the first thing provided should be a water containing some necessary minerals, the kind you can buy at the grocery store. Certainly our government could do that while processing these people.

What has happened to us? It appears as though we are not a very kind nation.

Suzanne Brugman, La Habra Heights

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