To the Editor:

The Jan. 29 opinions in The Enterprise presented a thought-provoking circumstance. After reading Dennis Sullivan’s piece, I wanted to compliment an illuminating, thoughtful, well-researched, and timely article [“Those who don’t read books never gain an overview of the forces that shape their lives”].

It is discouraging that people do not read, do not take the time to inform their opinions, and therefore know little about the outside world, and often know little about their place in life.

Then, reading Betty Filkins’s opinion on the immigration issue made Sullivan’s words even more meaningful [“I welcome the efforts to get dangerous criminals off of our streets”]. Compliments to the Enterprise for countering opinion with fact.

Filkins reflects Sullivan’s portrayal of those who listen to authoritarian figures with little regard to fact, who do not take the time or energy to fully look into all sides of an issue. Rhetoric around the immigration issue does nothing to promulgate an effective, efficient, humane, and compassionate United States immigration policy.

Trump has created an environment of fear of  “others.” Immigrants, legal or illegal, commit crimes at a very low rate. Perpetuating lies that immigrants commit murder, rape, sodomy, and harm to U.S. citizens at such a high rate to warrant the ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] reign of terror, is simply not based on fact.

Challenge Trump and his ICE queen to produce data, facts, statistics: warrants for arrests, arraignments and charges, dates in court, convictions and sentencings of immigrant criminals. Yes, there are some cases, and the administration capitalizes on these. Those perpetrators should be prosecuted within our judicial system.

Instead of buying into hateful and polarizing hyperbole, try reading rather than only listening to the words of an authority figure whose only interest is in what best serves his interests and those of his cronies.

Kelly Martin

Middleburgh