To the Editor:

The thing that most distressed me in Betty Filkins’s letter of Jan. 29, 2026 is this statement:

“If there are people in your neighborhood who are here legally they have nothing to worry about nor do they need you to help them hide from ICE.”

This is simply not true. People who are citizens, who are here legally, or who are actively engaged in pursuing permission to be in this country and become citizens are being assaulted and illegally detained by ICE every day.

The thing that most distinguishes them from the majority of us in this area is the color of their skin and their accent. They are profiled and targeted by ICE on that basis, regardless of their status or alleged criminality. (See editor’s note on Betty Filkins’s letter.)

To answer her question: “Do you really, really know your neighbors?” I do and I would not hesitate to help them.

Georgia Gray

Voorheesville