Bush's immigration plan is welcome and overdue

Bush's immigration planis welcome and overdue
EDITOR:
Recent news events about President Bush's visit to Mexico and his recent announcement regarding immigration policy is certainly very exciting, especially for the many Hispanic newcomers to our country and now to our Valley. Certainly many of us living here today -- Germans, Irish, French, Italian, British, Polish, Greek, to name a few -- benefited from U.S. immigration policies. Today, the need for a more rational and just immigration policy is imperative.
The U.S. Catholic Bishops Conference, and its various educational, health-care and charitable institutions have worked with immigrants for decades. The U.S. Catholic Bishops Committee on Migration noted in a recent public statement (Jan. 8) that & quot;it is significant that the president recognizes that our immigration system is broken and is in need of reform."
However, it is critical that we recognize the importance of immigration reform that is comprehensive and that will truly address our current immigration crisis. & quot;
What is needed as part of the White House proposal is to create a comprehensive immigration reform that will 1) provide opportunities for legalization for the undocumented currently living in the United States; 2) initiate temporary worker programs with full worker protections and a path to permanency; as well as 3) reform of the family immigration system that will allow immigrant families to reunite in a timely fashion.
One current legislative initiative that begins such a comprehensive policy is the Agricultural Job Opportunity, Benefits and Security Act of 2003 (S. 1645, H.R. 3142). Its central component would give more than a half-million undocumented farm workers the opportunity to legalize their status and the opportunity to assert their rights in the workplace more effectively. This delicately balanced compromise proposal is the result of years of negotiations between the nation's major agricultural employers and the United Farm Workers of America.
It is my hope that the White House and our congressional representatives would back such an immediate policy.
BRIAN CORBIN
Youngstown
X The writer is executive director, Catholic Charities Services & amp; Catholic Health Affairs
High school student opposesBush plan for work permits
EDITOR:
As a concerned U.S. citizen and high school student, I disagree with President Bush's proposal for temporary work permits for immigrants. Our doors in the United States have always been open, but I think that it may be time to put a temporary lock on them. The United States needs to take care of the unemployment of thousands of Americans before we begin to worry about the immigrants' job status.
Our open-door policy allowed terrorists in 2001 to work and be educated in our country and then use their knowledge to perform one of the biggest homeland tragedies this country has ever seen. I would hate to see history repeat itself.
The proposal would allow three-year permits. It has taken us nearly three years to try to recover from 9/11. The government needs to prioritize, and the United States should be at the top of the list.
I believe that the U.S. government needs to develop appropriate policies for aliens, no matter what country they are emigrating from. The polices should be stringently monitored and developed with leaders of homeland security to secure our country's safety.
Jobs in our country are scarce. In order to make the economy and job force stronger, we need to make minimum wages more realistic for all. Green card holders who have followed proper procedure for residency in the United States should be given the same opportunity.
Without residency or green cards, no work should be offered. Companies not in compliance with these regulations should be fined and stifled until all conditions are met. I believe that the only manner in which to handle this is to monitor closely and eliminate and deport all who are not in compliance.
MATT SHIELDS
North Jackson
Plan to use part of grantfor Beeghly makes sense
EDITOR:
The plan to redirect part of Youngstown's $25 million federal grant commitment to expand Beeghly Center makes sense. Congratulations to Mayor George McKelvey and Youngstown State President David Sweet for advancing the idea and laying out a solid case for it.
The notion of a new $25 million arena in downtown Youngstown never made any sense. That is far too much risk against little prospect for return. It brought to mind the airship ideas of the late 1970s.
There is much less risk and as much benefit in spending $8 million -- less than a third of the grant -- to elevate a quality arena into a showpiece, as McKelvey and Sweet suggest. A larger Beeghly Center would strengthen our region's greatest asset, Youngstown State, without putting further strain on the university's tight budget. And it will leave $17 million for other downtown improvement projects that are more realistic.
It's time to close the book on pie-in-the-sky projects. Let's be smart, make good use of what we already have and invest in projects that make sense.
DAN J. PECCHIA
Canfield
X The writer is a Youngstown State University alumnus.
McKelvey should stick withoriginal plan for civic center
EDITOR:
Councilman Artis Gillam should be thanked for still trying to get the civic center in downtown Youngstown built. I'm disappointed in Mayor McKelvey, who I believe was never really enthused about this project and gave up too easily.
If YSU could raise over $20 million in its capital fund plan and now also $12 million for its recreation center, why can't the city also raise money? If the civic center does not have at least 10,000 seating capacity, it makes no sense. Beeghly Center currently seats about 6,500 for basketball.
Youngstown needs this civic center to move forward. Don't use this money for a potpourri or mishmash of other projects as the mayor wants. Use the money for what it was intended for - to benefit the entire community.
MIKE CHOLENSKY
Youngstown
He suspects a deal
EDITOR:
Now that Vicki Sherlock has announced that she isn't running for re-election, the question should be: What cushy position has Dave Ditzler promised her? Isn't it obvious that she is basically stepping aside to enable Ditzler his turn at the helm of a sinking ship! Politics in the Mahoning Valley, still full of dirty tricks, corruption, favoritism, paybacks, and nepotism.
BILL JOHNSON
Boardman