Immigrants

Baltimore, coming off six decades of population decline, grew by 1,100 residents in 12 months, according to government estimates released Thursday. "It's such amazing news. … It's huge psychologically," said Seema D. Iyer, a former research chief for the city's planning department now with the University of Baltimore's Jacob France Institute. For years, the U.S. Census Bureau's annual calculation delivered to the city disappointing news of a falling population, but now it seems to be turning around.

While the political winds seem to be propelling the first comprehensive immigration reform in more than a quarter-century, every day our broken immigration system takes a cruel and little-noticed toll on countless hardworking, law-abiding individuals and their families. On any given day, approximately 34,000 immigrants are behind bars and more than 1,000 are deported - often for minor, technical violations of laws that are too byzantine for all but the most seasoned immigration lawyers to understand.

Maryland could become one of a handful of states that grant special driver's licenses to illegal immigrants under legislation garnering strong support in Annapolis. The bill, passed by the Senate on Monday, would expand and make permanent an existing two-tiered driver's license system to include more than 100,000 people whose immigration status currently prevents them from applying for a license. Gov. Martin O'Malley backs the plan, which now moves to the House of Delegates. "It's a safety issue," said Del. Jolene Ivey, a Prince George's County Democrat who introduced the House version.

Years ago it was unthinkable that smart, ambitious and college-educated young people would have trouble finding entry level work ("Slow start," May 12). Today, this youthful demographic has been simultaneously dumped on a shrinking employment market and also burdened with horrendous student loans. To me, it's just another example of our country's war on the middle class. Considering this glut of a highly trained, highly motivated generation, why is there a need to add immigration reform to the mix as it will only increase competition?

You illegal aliens that now will be outlawed from attending college in Alabama ("Alabama sets new standard," June 10) should move here. Our governor will entice you to attend Maryland colleges with taxpayer subsidized, reduced tuition. Move soon to avoid increased gas taxes and tolls that are necessary because he spent the highway "trust" fund. Dan Griffin, Perry Hall

Dan Rodricks ' commentary "'Illegals' and the next economy" (May 15) is the epitome of hypocrisy. If his son or daughter, despite being stellar students, were rejected from college because of a lack of openings, as it happened to two of my friends' children, the tone of his commentary would have been different. If it touched Mr. Rodricks directly, he'd have a huge problem explaining his stand to his own children. What could be more biased than appealing to the touching drama of "Dr. Q" and what he has been able to do for himself?

Immigrant advocates are warning people who plan to apply for a work permit under a new federal immigration policy to beware of scammers and hold off on taking any formal action until more details emerge about how the program will work. The policy shift, which President Barack Obama announced June 15, will allow some immigrants who are illegally in the U.S. to apply for work papers. But advocates say the Department of Homeland Security faces difficult questions in implementing the plan and is still months away from doing so. The groups, including Casa de Maryland and the American Immigration Lawyers Association, are also reaching out to Hispanic neighborhoods to warn of con artists who pose as lawyers offering to help immigrants navigate regulations - for a fee. The problem has become pervasive in immigrant communities across the country.

I don't believe The Baltimore Sun should print such prejudicial propaganda on the front page, above the fold, of your Sunday paper ("Maryland becomes a state divided," July 31). Gustavo Torres of Casa de Maryland is quoted as saying, "Now people are very anti- immigrant. " Actually, people are very anti-illegal immigrants, which is quite different. Of course, if Mr. Torres can't differentiate between legal and illegal, I don't why he expects anyone else to! Further, if the citizens of Montgomery want to subsides the education of foreign nations here illegally, they should contribute to a scholarship fund, but don't expect those of us who believe in the rule of law to contribute!

Bright and motivated college-bound immigrants will do Maryland proud ("A flawed compromise," March 8). These young people came here as children, are fully assimilated into American culture and want to be contributing members. We are lucky to have them working for our future. The Central Americans come from countries torn apart by wars paid for by the United States. Paltry aid for rebuilding is nothing in comparison to what we spent to damage Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala. These countries are still recovering from the murder and destruction we rained on them.

There are few issues as contentious in American society today, including here in Maryland, as immigration. While immigration is inherently an economic issue, a cultural issue and a political issue, at Baltimore-based World Relief we view the issue first and foremost from the perspective of our Christian faith. As an organization that empowers churches to serve vulnerable refugees, human-trafficking victims and other immigrants throughout the United States, we believe the Bible has a lot to say thatshould inform our thinking as we confront the challenges and opportunities of immigration.

Katherine L. Vaughns, a University of Maryland School of Law professor and secretary of the Center Stage board who immersed herself in the arts community, died of pancreatic cancer May 4 at a Sinai Hospital hospice unit. The Bolton Hill resident was 68. "She was a great, great citizen of Baltimore," said Jed Dietz, director of the Maryland Film Festival. "We dedicated the opening night of the Maryland Film Festival to her. She was the most perfect board member. She did more than you asked, often before you asked.

I support a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million because it's the right thing to do. Our immigration laws are broken, and 11 million Americans need our help to find a solution. I personally know some of these hard-working immigrants, and I think it's hurting our country to keep them living in the shadows. I am a first-generation American myself, and I remember the struggles of my parents. We need Congress to protect the path to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrants currently living in the United States and to vote in favor of reform this year.

Isn't focusing on foreign students entering the U.S. a form of discrimination ("America is exceptional, and that includes the way we treat immigrants," April 29)? After all, we don't enforce our immigration laws, which has resulted in America being flooded with 11 million to 12 million immigrants who are here illegally. Who is to say how many of those have terrorist inclinations are not just students? We should either enforce all immigration laws or not enforce any, keeping in mind as President Ronald Reagan said: "A nation that cannot control its borders can't control its destiny.

There are millions of immigrants in our country who aspire to become citizens, but under our broken immigration laws, they have no way to earn citizenship. I personally know some of these hard-working immigrants, and I think it's hurting our country to keep them living in the shadows. That's why I'm calling on Congress to protect the path to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrants currently living in the United States and vote in favor of reform this year. We need real solutions, and rounding up 11 million people or asking them to self-deport is not only inhumane but completely unrealistic.

There's the story of a woman with five kids who was asked: If she had to do it all over again, would she have five children? "Yes," she said, "just not these five. " That's the way I feel about the immigration "reform" bill introduced by the Senate's bipartisan "Gang of 8. " I'm all for an immigration bill, just not this immigration bill -- at least in its present form. One of the "gang" members, Sen. Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida, indicated the bill has problems that need fixing when he said in a recent interview: "Let's try to fix it. Let's try to change it, but to just say let's defeat the whole thing; I don't think that's a productive approach either.

Some people have argued that the Boston Marathon bombing should not affect immigration reform because immigrants in the country illegally are not in the habit of planting bombs. But that doesn't doesn't mean they are safe. Many gang members are here illegally, including members of the dreaded MS-13. The gang member who killed the four New Jersey college students was in the country illegally. The 25-year-old man who kidnapped the 13-year-old-boy at a bus stop in Florida was too. And countless others kill people in traffic accidents.

After reading Dan Rodricks' column ( "Why prevent immigrants from being president", Aug. 17) I wondered if he eavesdropped on my family's dinner conversation last weekend. My husband and I have four children - three biological and one adopted. "What do you want to be when you grow up?" is a favorite conversation starter in our house. The answers have ranged from a Broadway star to a priest to NBA player to trash truck driver to writer. Sunday night my youngest son, in all innocence declared, "I'm going to be president!"

I almost threw up when I read that the Carroll County Commissioners touting an English-only bill claimed they were not motivated by a hatred of non-English speakers in their midst but rather were expressing their brotherly concern that non-English speakers should simply hurry up and learn English for the good of everyone ("Commissioners get an earful on 'official English' proposal," Dec. 13). This is utterly inconsistent with the same Carroll County Commissioners who in May 2011 supported the petition against in-state college tuition for illegal immigrants (the Maryland Dream Act, which passed easily last month after being petitioned to referendum)

Dear Scholar, It was wholly a pleasure to get your thoughts about the current debate over illegal immigrants and how to approach the nettlesome challenge they represent to us -- and we to them. It was good of you to rehearse some classical history for me, explaining how other societies, our forerunners as democracies (Athens) and republics that acquired an empire (Rome), dealt with their immigrants. All in the course of challenging my view that some way to citizenship should be left open for our millions of illegal immigrants.

Many people apparently would just as soon cut off an arm than allow illegal immigrants to enjoy the rights of U.S. citizenship, but when was the last time a Hispanic immigrant planted a bomb in this country with the intention of inflicting death or serious injury to innocent Americans? Please, jog my memory on this. Joan Gould, Baltimore Text NEWS to 70701 to get Baltimore Sun local news text alerts