Letter to the Editor

Let law-abiding immigrants stay

Local police need to use discretion when sending illegal immigrants to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. If they have lived here working to take care of their families and aren't doing anything wrong, they should be left alone. Unless they have a criminal record, I strongly agree they should be allowed to remain here in this country. Immigrants are human beings no different from Americans. It's wrong locking them up when a majority of them haven't committed any crimes.

I'm happy to say I married a woman from Mexico. I was raised in Lincoln, Calif., among a Hispanic community. My high school was 60 percent Hispanic. I speak Spanish. I'm also involved with the Hispanic community and proud of it.

We have bigger problems in Cape Girardeau and Jackson than illegal immigrants. Local police authorities' main agenda should be getting hardened criminals off the streets.

DARIN L. LEFLER, Sikeston, Mo.