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.

If the current immigration bill proposed by both major parties passes and is signed into law in its present and projected forms, the predictable result will be a split as yet unseen in our history between all blacks and all Latinos of both genders, driving them out of both parties ("Immigration bill clears hurdle," June 12)! Feeling utterly betrayed by the Democrats - with whom they've been since 1936 to now - black voters may well choose to return to their former party of 1865-to-1936, the GOP. The Latinos will find themselves driven into a virtual war with all blacks.

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

A coalition of civil liberties and immigrant-rights advocates led by Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland wants to strengthen a provision in the Senate's sweeping immigration bill that would prohibit law enforcement agencies from racial profiling. The 867-page, bipartisan immigration bill, which is expected to dominate the agenda in Congress this summer , would impose a first-ever federal prohibition on profiling. But advocates are concerned that broad exemptions contained in the proposal — including one for "national security" — would undermine its impact.

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.

Religious Right pundit Cal Thomas wants to limit the right to vote for the first 10 years of newly minted citizens ("Immigration deformed," May 4). This is his way of addressing the electoral imbalance created by the obvious reluctance of new Americans to vote for Mr. Thomas' political party, which is still asking immigrants to "self-deport. " What an appalling ignorance this shows of American history regarding the franchise. There were times past in which blacks, women and even Native Americans were denied the right to vote.

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.

Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. was named for his father ("Multiculturalism is the enemy of democracy," June 2). My dad was named for his father, and his father before him. My dad was named Giovanni. He was born in 1925 in Pennsylvania. When he entered school his name generated scorn and derision. So he became just John. My paternal grandmother and her siblings were born in the same Pennsylvanian town. They were first generation American born children of Italian immigrants. When they entered school, their teachers changed all of their names.

The Senate this week begins debate on the proposed immigration reform bill. If this bill becomes law, there is one likely outcome for low-skilled Maryland workers: disaster. The assurances of the bill's proponents that the bill will somehow help the economy obscure copious evidence that it will wreak enormous damage to the employment prospects of American workers who have already seen their wages and employment rates plummet. Indeed, it is no secret that the employment picture for low-skilled workers is abysmal.

Even as the Senate takes up the issue of immigration reform this week, Republicans are increasingly giving indications that the effort isn't likely to go very far. First, it was Sen. Marco Rubio's dance around the issue - repeatedly speaking out against the very bill he helped craft - and then it was the defection of another key Latino GOP member, Rep. Raul Labrador of Idaho, who removed himself from the bipartisan group that was writing the House's version...

In the wake of the recent death of a British soldier at the hands of extremists, former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s commentary misappropriates the term "multiculturalism" and consequently muddles the discussion ("Multiculturalism is the enemy of democracy," June 2). Mr. Ehrlich argues that multiculturalism, which he sees as promoted by progressives, and which entails the maintenance of separate cultural enclaves that do not partake in American values, has no place in the United States, since it disrupts the image of the melting-pot that remains a powerful metaphor in our quasi-mythological self-conception.

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.

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?

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!"

What comes to mind when Mexican immigrant Elsa Garcia thinks of Baltimore's drawbacks? "Basura. O las drogas," said the East Baltimore resident. "Trash. Or drugs. " Then, quickly, comes her list of Baltimore's pluses: Her husband has been able to find construction work. They have affordable housing. Police are not automatically suspicious of immigrants. By and large, Garcia's perception of Baltimore is positive. It's the kind of opinion Baltimore must foster among immigrants, experts say, if the city is to turn around six decades of population decline.

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.