This letter is in response to the decision to run the article ‘Border Patrol not defending citizens’ in the Wednesday, March 4 issue. As a NIU student of Mexican descent, I am extremely offended by the portrayal of immigrants as less than human beings who have no protections or rights. Further, as an attorney, the decision to allow this article to run grossly misrepresents not only the real rights anyone in this country has but also paints an inaccurate picture of the justice system.

The issues surrounding immigration are complex and it is irresponsible for a newspaper that rarely mentions the Latino population on campus or in the community to pick up a story that is clearly one-sided and divisive. Articles like this not only perpetuate notions of a ‘Mexican invasion’ that is often used as a scare tactic, leaving out the long history of immigration which has historically been encouraged by not only employers but also the government, but also hurts the community as a whole as many rush to judge a population that is misunderstood and exploited. I strongly encourage you to seek out the many Latino voices on campus to help better represent reality.

Sara Phalen
geography graduate student

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