Migrant workers have been a part of our American communities for decades

Anyone who has any familiarity with immigration in America knows that there are thousands of undocumented immigrants providing invaluable service to the meat packing industry, agriculture and other industries.

Not only does everybody know this, most everybody wants this.

From business owners, to political leaders from both parties.

Why? Because it’s very “cost effective.”

I’d say it was one of our country’s biggest secrets, except it’s not a secret. Hardworking migrant workers have been part of their respective communities going back decades.

Now along comes ICE with their secret Rambo raids, pulling migrant workers out of the plants in cuffs. While adults were driven away for “processing,” their children emerged from their first day of school devastated to find their parents were gone.

ICE claimed that many of the adults were returned within a few hours. Like that makes it okay. President Donald Trump crowed on TV that the pain and trauma inflicted upon these children would serve as a “deterrent.”

Really?

In June 2013, the Senate passed a bi-partisan immigration bill with 68 votes. We were so close.

But Republican Speaker John Boehner let the bill die in the House, giving in to Tea Party pressure. It was an unforgivable act of cowardice that has ruined millions of lives. That bill would be a good starting place to get comprehensive immigration reform done.

President Donald Trump likes to one-up President Barack Obama. Well, here’s his chance.

Pass this bill and Trump will have achieved one of the greatest accomplishments of any modern American president. Or he can keep raiding businesses, hurting communitie, and devastating families.

His choice.

Michael F. DeSantiago, Niles

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Trump administration bulldozes Endangered Species Act

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross has decided to weaken the Endangered Species Act, which was signed into law by President Richard Nixon in 1973.

After helping to save the bald eagle, California condor, grizzly bear and numerous other animals and plants from extinction, the Trump administration has decided to allow oil and mining companies to forget about worrying about endangered species.

This is a gift to industry.

The United Nations reports that almost one million animals and plants face extinction. But Trump apparently has no problem with speeding up this process by rewarding his corporate friends and donors. The president denies climate change, so I’m not surprised he’s also unconcerned about endangered animals and plants.

Tom Minnerick, Elgin