Immigrants

In the great state of Maryland, the word "illegal" seems to mean "worthy of special treatment" ("Senate approves two-tier licenses," March 27). Otherwise, illegal immigrants would have three choices: Get legal, get out or go to jail. I love Maryland and have never wanted to live anywhere else. But I think everyone should have to play by same set of rules. If we don't, we will be come a society where "illegal" becomes the norm and laws are irrelevant because everyone will know that they only apply to "legal citizens.

Exactly what makes Del. Jolene Ivey believe that issuing a license to illegal immigrants in Maryland will guarantee that "they have car insurance" or that "they know not to flee when they're getting pulled over or in an accident?" ("Senate approves two-tier licenses," March 26). Certainly it won't. They don't even have to be able to read, speak or write English. The state must provide an interpreter to enable them to pass the license test. Is that interpreter going to ride with them forever to interpret signs or a law enforcement officer's direction?

As a life-long Maryland citizen, I completely oppose efforts within our misguided General Assembly to pass the Maryland Highway Safety Act of 2013, which would allow the state to issue a Maryland driver's license to illegal immigrants ("State Senate approves driver's licenses for illegal immigrants" Mar 25). I do not agree that this proposed legislation will make Maryland roads safer; in fact, I believe the exact opposite. Illegal immigrants, just by their status as "illegal," have far less incentive to follow the law than legal citizens which, I believe, will result in long term risks to the legal citizens of Maryland through increased property damage from accidents caused by illegal immigrants, lack of legal accountability from illegal immigrants causing accidents, increased costs to legal citizens to purchase insurance, pursue legal claims, etc. Maryland is quickly becoming a sanctuary for illegal immigrants for a variety of reasons, and being able to obtain a driver's license will only attract more.

There was an interesting article in The Sun indicating that Baltimore City is gaining residents despite its myriad problems while Carroll County is losing them ("Hard times alter area population patterns," March 24). So much so that the county's new public high school Manchester Valley is only 60 percent full of students. It should be pointed out that Carroll County government has been extremely hostile to immigrants. The Carroll County commissioners, whose sense of Christian duty apparently involves treating immigrants brutally, were certainly not the only county government that lined up against the Maryland Dream Act. Nor were they the only county government that has promulgated a useless English-only bill.

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.

The "What part of illegal don't you understand?" crowd is so busy hating they can't think straight. The letter writer who claims to have witnessed "illegals" in accidents seems most concerned that they didn't have insurance ("Licenses for illegal immigrants? That's crazy," March 18). It's a legitimate concern, but the solution is to grant driver's licenses to anyone who can afford the insurance. I'm not sure how she would be privy to insurance information on the scene of the accident.

To the letter writer to claimed that undocumented immigrants should be able to get driver's licenses, I say: Who are you kidding ("Illegal immigrants should have driver's licenses," March 13)? I personally have recently witnessed two incidents where illegal immigrants were involved in accidents. The first driver had a license but no insurance, and the second had neither. I am sure that many illegals with licenses do not have insurance. What part of "illegal" don't the politicians understand?

The Census report this week showing that Baltimore's population grew last year for the first time in decades is an encouraging sign that the long-term hemorrhaging of city residents to the suburbs may finally be turning around. Though the absolute numbers estimated in the survey were small - the bureau found a net increase of just 1,100 residents during the 12 months that ended July 1, bringing the total to 621,342 - even that modest rise after 60 years of continuous losses offers hope that the city need not resign itself to a future of perpetual decline.

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.

Haron "Hal" Dahan, a successful self-made immigrant home builder whose philanthropic interests included educational institutions in Baltimore and Israel, died Monday from heart failure at Sinai Hospital. He was 87. "Haron was a giant. He was not just a philanthropist but he was also a decent man and friend. He was the most decent man I've ever met and the nicest guy in the world. He's major league," said Rabbi Mitchell Wohlberg of Beth Tfiloh Congregation, a longtime friend. "I never heard one bad word about him from either his personal or business life," he said.