1/3 Letters: A wrong view on ICE and Wake Sheriff Baker

Baker and ICE

I believe Monday’s (Dec. 31) Letter to the Editor headlined “Question for the Sheriff” is incorrect. The author asks what would happen if Wake County Sheriff Gerald Baker ever arrested a person who is in this country illegally and is suspected of killing a police officer, as happened recently in California: Would the suspect be turned over to ICE or let back on the street? The answer is “neither,” because the suspected shooter would face a trial for murder and be jailed if convicted. It is only after the completion of a prison term (or acquittal) that law enforcement must decide whether or not to contact ICE prior to a prisoner’s release. Of course, the original question posed by the letter writer would never apply if a person is convicted of murder and sentenced to life without parole (or executed).

Sidney Strauss

Raleigh

Personal interest

Why don’t Democrats want a wall on our southern border?

Democrats say we can use more technology to “secure our border.” I say technology can only help us catch illegal immigrants after they reach our soil.

They know that without a wall, people can slip in. Once their feet touch American soil, it is almost impossible to send them back. With the wall, their feet won’t touch our soil.

They also know that illegal immigrants will, if given the chance, vote in our elections and make our country unfit by voting for “Democrats,” who are primarily Socialists and Communists simply using the “Democrat” title. Democrats have also tried hard to pave the way for illegal immigrants to vote by opposing all voter ID laws.

Charlie Lunsford

Rougemont

Permanent occupiers

President Trump boldly sent forth a directive to withdraw our troops from Syria. For this decisive action, he received faint praise but much criticism. What the establishment political class fails to appreciate is that Trump was elected president just so he could take such action based on his recognition of perceived threats. We are so, so tired of calculated decision-making by the career politicians who mostly want to retire to a comfortable pension. The president goes with his gut, which is what the people want. The others in Washington, D.C., go with the polls. Whatever the polls say, that’s how they will lean. President Trump is not your typical politician, as he does not make a move or take a position based on the next election cycle. He’s not looking for a career in Washington. How refreshing that is! We’re not sending our soldiers out to become a permanent occupying force. Those days are over (hopefully).

Robert Peele

Rocky Mount

Better candidates

Amid investigations into all aspects of President Trump’s public and personal lives, he complains that nobody but he would be subjected to this level of scrutiny.

However, if Hillary had been elected, I believe Trump and the Republicans would do everything possible to discredit a Clinton presidency with myriad investigations into her campaign and her past.

The fact is that both parties put forward deeply flawed candidates in 2016. They need to take heed and do better in 2020.

Paul Staley

Franklinton

Finish it

It’s difficult to comprehend the current state of President Trump and his administration, as one criminal investigation after another unfolds, in addition to the never-ending swinging-door departure of Cabinet members. Add to this debacle the numerous felony convictions of individuals directly related to either Trump’s political campaign and/or businesses.

Trump’s continuous and obvious lies, covering every aspect of his presidency, business and personal life, are painful to hear. The president’s glaring ignorance, or negligence, of our Constitution, our justice system and what America is and what we represent is damaging to all of us and the world.

How, in our glorious country, is this misbegotten presidency allowed to continue to polarize the nation, destroy natural resources, significantly fail to protect our country from overseas threats, discredit the best investigative and intelligence services in the world, dehumanize immigrants (we all are), publicly insult and belittle any opponent and cheapen the presidency?

Once the most respected nation on earth, we have become the mockery of the world.

The 2018 midterms was a start. Let’s finish it, and soon.

Marc Sage

Garner

This story was originally published January 3, 2019 at 12:00 AM.