To the Editor:

In the November 7 issue of The Smoky Mountain News, Guest Columnist Autumn Woodward related a harrowing story of detainment by Irish immigration officials who actually were performing the duties expected of immigration officials throughout the world. No doubt, however, such an experience is frightening. Woodward admits that their U.S passports held some strength and privilege, which she alludes to as a condition others entering the U.S may not have.

In Woodward’s launch into the history of U.S. immigration, she recounts the vilifying of Irish immigrants who entered the U.S in the 1850s. What she has omitted is that as the Irish assimilated they and other Americans proceeded to vilify and hate the Italians, Greeks and middle Europeans who came to the USA in the early 1900s. Next were the Puerto Ricans and now immigrants from Mexico and the Middle East are in the unfortunate position once held by the Irish, Italians, Greeks and Puerto Ricans. We are even seeing maligning of white people, especially white males. Is all this a good thing? No! Is it a repeat of history? Regrettably, yes.

However, there is a serious difference between many of today’s immigrants and those in the 1850s and early 1900s. Today we have people who seek to enter and do enter the U.S. illegally, which was not the case with earlier legal immigrants. Of course we should stop the thousands who are marching towards and now have reached the United States seeking asylum. True asylum seekers would apply for asylum in the first country encountered. In the case of the present caravan that would be Mexico.

The U.S. conditions of asylum are to be under fear of persecution on the grounds of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or a particular social group. The conditions for asylum are not lack of a job, seeking a better quality of life and desire to uplift the lives of children. 

Perhaps the answer is that couples like the Woodwards and members of charity, church and private funding organizations join the marchers on their way back to their own country and then work with them to improve their lives and well-being there. The marching immigrants are of an age and ability to develop their own country. In the USA, President Trump rightly is improving the lot of our citizens. Unemployment level has tumbled to numbers unknown for decades, the economy is moving again, workers have seen pay raises and taxes are lower. These improvements benefit U.S citizens who should be the number one focus of our federal, state and county governments.

Carol Adams

Glenville