Day after day, news media including the Chicago Tribune denigrate Immigration and Customs Enforcement and its agents as they enforce immigration law throughout the country.
They gloss over the reality that immigrants who have entered the country without legal permission have no right to be here and that the law directs ICE to detain and deport such individuals. If you detest immigration law, work with the system to change those laws, but opposing federal officials from executing what is the law of the land is neither virtuous nor patriotic in the least.
Instead of trying to portray this entire problem as if it were caused by President Donald Trump, remember that the real fault lies with President Joe Biden and others whose actions encouraged the massive volume of illegal entries into the U.S.
— David Howard, Rockford
Warrants and ICE action
Please help expand the reach of the story about Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents entering homes without judicial warrants. We’re out of alarm bells, and there will be no more warning signs. Our time to refuse consent and to fight back against the great fascist unraveling is now, now, now. We need every person and civic institution that fears abuse of power to stand up and refuse.
The Constitution was conceived to limit precisely this overreach — those who would break down our literal doors and stomp into our homes, all in the name of law and order.
What wholly avoidable nightmare this country has stumbled into.
— Nick Christensen, Chicago
Shaped by political urgency
It appears the Donald Trump administration may have boxed itself in by issuing strong, definitive public statements about the Minneapolis shooting death of protester Renee Good before a full evaluation of the evidence was possible. Conclusions were advanced early, effectively foreclosing careful analysis at a moment when the facts were still emerging. As video footage from multiple angles has circulated, the incident has become increasingly complex and less amenable to a single, tidy narrative.
Having reviewed the available videos, I did not see clear evidence supporting the claim that Good was a terrorist attempting to kill ICE agent Jonathan Ross. Nor do the recordings clearly show Ross being struck by Good’s vehicle or suffering injury at the moment he used lethal force. While the footage does not definitively resolve the question of justification, it plainly complicates the account initially offered by federal officials.
I am generally supportive of the president, but party loyalty does not require accepting a disputed narrative as settled fact. If anything, this incident suggests that premature certainty may have extended beyond the officer involved to those who rushed to defend his actions.
At this point, credibility would be better served by calling for a thorough, impartial and transparent investigation. Without such scrutiny, the public is unlikely to accept an account that appears shaped more by political urgency than by a careful weighing of the evidence. The sooner that process begins, the better.
— Scott Thompson, Bloomington, Indiana
Sane-washing his words
The Jan. 22 front-page article “On Greenland, Trump’s messages weave in, out,” written by The Associated Press, sane-washes the petty, vindictive, shameful ravings of President Donald Trump. He insulted our allies as a group and singled out specific leaders for personal insults. The content of the speech was a litany of lies, fantasy and exaggerated claims.
Trump’s words and actions are alienating us from our close allies. I searched the Tribune but did not find coverage of the eloquent speech by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney detailing the rupture of U.S. relations with our allies and America becoming a bully and adversary instead of a leader and friend.
The words and actions of our president no doubt have Champagne corks popping in Beijing and Moscow. The only chance this country has for survival is massive voter turnout and rejection of Trump’s destructive authoritarian regime.
— Douglas Nyhus, Frankfort
Let’s protect world’s family
We have been part of a global brotherhood. The goal is to enhance our lives by sharing safety measures, shielding each other from outside dangers; advancements in intelligence; and natural resources. It is what a functioning family does to protect each other.
President Donald Trump has turned us into a warring family; he wants all the power and none of the responsibilities. He pouts, saying he will leave if this mama’s boy does not get the biggest piece of the pie. He has evolved from a caricature to an enemy within. He is dragging our country into his personal fight with his fragile ego.
We need to act together to protect our family of humankind.
— Joanne Hoffman, Highland Park
Republicans, stand up
For months, we’ve watched our country sink into decline. We’ve watched President Donald Trump’s agenda ruin the democratic values that my father and uncles fought for in World War II. Our NATO allies no longer trust the U.S.
We’ve watched American citizens get shot or dragged out of their homes so Immigration and Customs Enforcement can meet some artificial quota.
Where are the Republicans in Congress willing to stand up to this disastrous agenda? In keeping silent, they’ve created a monster. Is their job security worth more than saving American democracy?
Where are the heroes of today? Stand up! We need you.
— Linda Morton, Harvard
Coverage of testimony
I want to thank the Tribune for its Jan. 23 publication of nonpartisan coverage of the testimony of Jack Smith. The front-page coverage, which the subject deserved, simply stated the facts.
We need more of that kind of coverage.
— Christine Mazzone, Arlington Heights
Change primaries’ process
A recent editorial (“The number of Americans who feel politically homeless is rising. Understandably so,” Jan. 20) states an increasing number of Americans are becoming politically homeless, although many still lean toward one of the major parties. Voters in primary elections may nominate extremists to run in the general election, leaving independents no choice but to vote for the lesser of two evils or to abstain from voting for either.
The solution to voters being limited to a choice between two extremists is to change the primary system. Both parties have qualified candidates in the primaries who do not win because of their moderate views. In a reformed primary system, everyone would get the same ballot that would have a list of candidates for each party. The voter would check a box to indicate they are voting as a Republican, Democrat or independent. Two tallies for each candidate would indicate how many votes were from party regulars and how many from independents. The parties could then choose to nominate either the candidate who got the most votes from party members or the most total votes from both party members and independents.
— Robert Hernquist, Chicago
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