To the Editor:
“Remembering child deaths at border,” The Catholic Messenger, May 30, 2019:
It seems incredulous (in the words of Sister Marie Lucey) to contend that “Jesus would…hold accountable those responsible for the deaths of at least five migrant children…” To find the U.S guilty? Of what? Once someone enters the U.S. illegally, and if caught, the following is provided, at the expense of the U.S. taxpayers or charities they support:
a) free roof over your head
b) free meals
c) free healthcare (including hospitalization)
d) free legal advice and guidance (while the government hires extra judges to handle the caseload)
One wonders how much of this was provided to these desperate families and children while living in Guatemala or El Salvador?
Illegal border crossings into the United States are exceeding 100,000 per month. The Border Patrol reports that at least 40,000 have been children, some alone, some with adults.
Looking at a map, the shortest journey from Guatemala to the U.S. is over 1,000 miles through jungles, deserts and over mountains. A journey to El Paso, Texas, exceeds 1,500 miles. This, while all on foot, sleeping out in the open, enduring the elements of nature. One wonders how they find food and water. Who is taking care of the children then?
As for the children referred to: two died from influenza, one from sepsis, one from pneumonia (after one month in a U.S. hospital), and one (with a congenital heart defect) from complications after (U.S.) surgery.
This is a great tragedy, yes. But we must lay the origin at the feet of those responsible: the coyotes and human traffickers, corrupt governments and tyrants. Using the vulnerable as partisan fodder makes the efforts to give any aid less an example of the Good Samaritan and to appear more an example of biting the hand that feeds you.
Randy Bickford
Bettendorf
