To the editor:
I am writing this letter to take issue with a letter that appeared in Thursday's Sentinel.
Mr. Molek's letter deals with President Obama's recent decision to not deport innocent young people. The new rules apply to innocent young people that have been in the United States for much of their lives and consider the United States their home. This is a temporary two year change to the rules for deportation. It is not an amnesty program. The new rules are explicit. The young person must have entered the United States prior to being 16 years of age. The person can be no more than 30 years old. They must have resided in the United States for at least five years. They must either be in school, or have graduated from one of our schools and be working. In addition, those that are currently members of the United States military or have been honorably discharged from the military will not be deported.
Mr. Molek is our district attorney. He should have a deep and abiding respect for the law. However, the law is not always right. Our federal laws supported the institution of slavery until 1864. Federal and state law generally did not support a woman's right to vote until 1919. In addition, laws in many of our states kept blacks from voting until 1964. President Obama hasn't changed the law. This is a two year temporary ban designed to protect innocent young people. Hopefully Congress will catch up with President Obama and pass a comprehensive immigration law before the temporary change expires.
Mr. Molek asserts that President Obama is "not doing his job" and sent a message "to the American people that it knows best which laws should be enforced and which ones should be ignored." A recent Bloomberg poll indicated that about two thirds of Americans do not support the deportation of innocent young people. President Obama's message to the American people is that he agrees with them.
When compassion for innocent people conflicts with the law, Americans should be compelled to evaluate the law. Laws that punish innocent people should be changed. When congress doesn't do its job by changing the law, changing the way the law is enforced is a legitimate alternative.
Harry Geedey
Lewistown
