To the Editor:
Re “Schools Brace for ICE Agents at Their Doors” (front page, Jan. 8):
Every day, teachers must create lesson plans, grade assignments, and build trust and community with their students, among numerous other responsibilities that come with being an educator.
The persistent refusal by legislatures nationwide to address the gun violence epidemic has meant that teachers must also worry about and plan for their students’ safety in the classroom.
Now, we’re adding to their plates a worry that ICE agents will march into schools and remove their students in the middle of the day.
The country already faces an alarming teacher shortage. Expecting teachers to face down federal agents is both unrealistic and, sadly, likely to drive more educators from the field.
I applaud New York City public schools’ efforts to prepare for this terrifying possibility, but it shouldn’t be necessary in the first place.
As America’s classrooms continue to be converted into political battlegrounds, we must wonder: How are we helping our children? How do fights over banned books, critical theories, gun rights and immigration help students learn and grow?
Parents, educators and politicians must think less about how these issues affect their agendas and more about how they affect the next generation. Our children deserve better.
Carson Whitesell
Cambridge, Mass.
The writer is a former high school teacher.
To the Editor:
It is bad enough that our children and grandchildren have to wonder if a gunman will gain access to their school buildings and start shooting. Now will they see ICE agents enter their classrooms to remove their classmates?
They may begin to fear: “Will they return and take me away? Where will they take me? Will I ever see my family again?”
Is this really the America MAGA adherents want?
Kathleen Chant
Albany, N.Y.
The writer is a retired educator.
Immigrants Who Fear Seeking Health Care
To the Editor:
“Doctors Should Prepare for Mass Deportations,” by Danielle Ofri (Opinion guest essay, Jan. 20), compassionately conveys the troubling plight of mostly well-meaning and respectful undocumented immigrants. They are here in the U.S. to experience better lives for themselves and their loved ones.
The other side of the coin is that they illegally crossed our borders. The reason the Tom Homans and Donald Trumps of the world are empowered is that they are unafraid to articulate what many ordinary citizens think.
We need many immigrants for a multitude of reasons. But we envision an orderly and welcoming process. When there is a mass invasion (our perception) of uninvited people just overwhelming our borders, understanding goes out the window.
For that reason, Mr. Trump and company will be rounding up immigrants here illegally and booting them out. They will also be working to change our asylum rules and immigration laws to never again allow the illegal immigration disaster that occurred during the Biden administration. It is probably the single biggest reason that many people who voted for President Biden in 2020 switched their vote to Mr. Trump in 2024.
All illegal entrants in our country fully understood the risks when they came here uninvited. They shouldn’t be surprised that they are being forcefully told to leave.
H. Manuel Martinez
New York
To the Editor:
Of course we doctors have an obligation to the health of our patients above all else. If our patient broke the law and came here illegally, or broke the law and beat someone up, we will simply take care of the patient.
If the authorities make patients more fearful of seeking care, such as by requiring disclosure of immigration status, so be it, and we doctors have no obligation to help or hinder those authorities. It’s really that simple.
I have sympathy for undocumented immigrants and wish the government would reform the laws so that even more immigrants can come here legally. But Dr. Danielle Ofri ought not pretend that the status of undocumented immigrants is a special moral case that demands that doctors take a stand.
Let the authorities do their job, and let us doctors do ours.
Ari Weitzner
New York
Frightening Military Shortcomings
To the Editor:
Re “Hegseth Is the Secretary of Defense We Deserve,” by David Brooks (column, Jan. 17):
This is truly a frightening, but eye-opening, column. Not so much because our leaders in Washington are failing to ask the right questions of Pete Hegseth, but rather because they are not focusing on the five doomsday bullet points that lead off the column. Why have they not taken the necessary steps to protect our country from these drastic military shortcomings Mr. Brooks describes?
Copies of this column should be distributed to every member of Congress and to everyone in the Pentagon as quickly as possible. Let’s not wait for another Pearl Harbor.
Ronald Kadin
Delray Beach, Fla.
Women’s Slow Progress
To the Editor:
Re “Hung Up On and Told to Wear Lipstick” (Real Estate, Jan. 12):
The accomplished real estate developers in the article demonstrate women’s slow but sure progress in construction.
I experienced this myself over several decades. Early on, a future boss asked, “What if you get married, have children and quit?” My response — “You can’t be serious” — made him forget the question and offer me the job.
Later, when I was managing hotel renovations, someone created a position between me and my boss and filled it with a man. I documented what I did (a lot) versus the new guy (not much). That position soon vanished.
Then, before a summer job, my future boss invited me to an evening gathering of the summer interns. It turned out to be just one intern — me — alone in his home. Using another version of “You can’t be serious,” I extricated myself from that situation. And proceeded to have a productive, if awkward, summer.
Eventually, my work became managing design and construction for owners. This included determining who gets paid, how much and when. With that, no one noticed whether I had lipstick or not — ever again.
Best wishes to all women in construction in all assignments at all levels, so one day this will all be history.
Amy E. Cohn
White Plains, N.Y.
Betting on Bitcoin
To the Editor:
Re “A Federal Bitcoin Stockpile? Trump Likes the Idea” (Business, Jan. 17):
I read with great interest that Donald Trump is considering directing the Treasury Department to buy a boatload of Bitcoin to create some sort of strategic reserve for the country. But why stop there?
I urge Mr. Trump to consider also having the Treasury stockpile state lottery tickets, Kentucky Derby bets and, while they’re at it, Monopoly money. As a Philadelphian, I might also ask him to consider betting a chunk of Treasury bills on the Eagles to win the Super Bowl, but, on second thought, that would actually be a good investment.
Richie Feder
Philadelphia
