Dreamers Act would help to fix a broken system

Thank you, Rev. Tom Hagood, for your article “Ga.’s support of ‘Dreamers’ a moral imperative,” Jan. 6.

As a retired high school teacher, I was privileged to teach many wonderful immigrants who came to the United States as young children. Their desire to better themselves was inspiring as they worked diligently to make good grades while holding down jobs after school or caring for younger siblings.

One young woman comes to mind who put herself through our community college, paying out-of-state tuition as an immigrant. She excelled in her classes and passed the nursing boards. Sadly, because of a ridiculous law in Georgia, she was unable to get her license without citizenship.

She tried every way possible to go through the immigration process and paid unscrupulous lawyers thousands of dollars who promised but never delivered. She ended up being hired by a doctor who needed her in his practice but could only hire her as a nanny for his small children.

This is all part of a broken system that needs correcting. Passing the Dreamers Act would be an important step in correcting our failing immigration policy.

LAURA EDENFIELD, ST. SIMONS ISLAND

Venezuelans have earned the right to celebrate

On Monday’s front page, two images reflected very different perspectives on Venezuela.

Above, Venezuelan immigrants gathered to celebrate the possibility of freedom from a brutal regime — people with family, history, and lived experience under President Nicolás Maduro.

Below, a smiling American couple at a rally in Piedmont Park protested U.S. involvement, appearing as carefree as if attending a picnic.

Skepticism of foreign intervention is fair. But when it comes to Venezuela, experience matters. Those who have lived under tyranny speak with standing; those who bear none of its costs do not.

PAUL MILLER, ALPHARETTA

First Venezuelan oil, now Greenland

So, with great planning for snatching Maduro, but no planning for after that, President Donald Trump is going to sell Venezuela’s oil and apparently keep the proceeds.

Guess Venezuela is a hostile country, so this is legit.

However, the president now wants to acquire Greenland, a territory of a NATO ally. He talks about buying it. Is he going to say, “I’m going to make you a deal you can’t refuse because it is a U.S. national security priority?”

Moreover, top Trump aide Stephen Miller says that Greenland “rightfully” belongs to the U.S. Have we got a great president or what?

RICHARD V. FULLER, MARIETTA

Keep Reading

Venezuelans in metro Atlanta hold up signs and flags on the Atlanta Beltline Sunday while attending a rally supporting the recent capture of President Nicolás Maduro. (David Aaro/AJC)

Credit: David Aaro/AJC

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A live action TV series based on the animated series “Scooby-Doo” is coming to Netflix, with production beginning in metro Atlanta in April. (Warner Bros. Discovery)

Credit: WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY