Editor,
The recent letter on immigration by Mrs. Randi Condon was well thought out and written. I only have some small corrections and comments to make.
First, the word “vetted” is probably too strong a word of what happened at Ellis Island.They were asked several questions and, unless the immigrant told the inspectors something concerning, there would have been no time to check for anything other than the ship’s manifest. The process took about three to five hours, and only a small percentage were turned away. The primary concern was the immigrant’s health. Reason: If they were not healthy, they likely could not work to support themselves.
Second, the total 11.7 million “undocumented” in the U.S. was slightly high. My research showed 10.9 million. Either way, it should also be noted that these are both estimates. A more significant fact is that 40% of this number did not travel across the Southern border but are individuals who overstayed their visas. I do not know what the “vetting” process for visa applicants would be, but it is likely greater than what happened at Ellis Island.
Lastly, the immigration laws that Mrs. Condon mentioned are old (1980) and need changing. Example: A person who enters the country illegally is still allowed by law to apply for asylum, which makes no sense to me. One new fact I would share: Over a two-year period, the previous Trump administration released a higher percentage of migrants, 52.2%, into the country than a similar two-year period of the Biden administration, 48.6%.
Darrell Anderson
Battle Ground
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