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Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
National
Letters to the Editor

Asylum seekers are needed to fill jobs going begging

An asylum seeker sits atop a riser as he and other migrants wait outside Union Station for a bus to take them to a refugee center on August 31. (Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times)

Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Chicago, along with other sanctuary cities, are missing a golden opportunity.

As Texas and Florida make political pawns out of immigrants legitimately seeking asylum, they could do more to help and turn the situation into a positive for all involved. Sanctuary city leaders should reach out to industries in their given cities about their worker needs. One example would be the hotel industry. A recent news story highlighted the fact that hotels are not cleaning all rooms every day due to staff shortages, and this type of situation is not restricted to that industry. You can see “Help Wanted” signs all over for companies big and small.

Lightfoot and other sanctuary city mayors should reach out to these industries and coordinate the possibility of filling these jobs with immigrants who are being treated as political pawns. Of course, the various industries could take the initiative and reach out to the mayor. Use staffing companies that are well-versed in finding employees to facilitate. In the process, make fast-tracking citizenship for those who fill these jobs a priority.

These immigrants are not the “dregs” the GOP makes them out to be. This idea could be a win-win for all involved. Industries can fill vacant positions, consumers can get better service and products that they need.

If in the process Democratic leaders can shine a positive light on how to help people in need, for the benefit of all, then so be it.

John Farrell, DeKalb

Let’s admire the courage to rebuild after destruction

To this day, I feel bad that when I was a kid, I destroyed many ant hills. Industrious ants had labored day and night carrying tiny bits of dirt from inside to outside, thus forming the very symmetrical but vulnerable hill.

Their only goal was to provide a home for themselves and their hundreds of brothers and sisters. Most of these mounds sprang up on vacant lots or obn property where there was no grass and little foot traffic. Sad to say, whenever I saw an ant hill, I knocked it down. But in no time at all, the frenzied ants were back at it. No matter how many times their homes were pulverized, they rebuilt.

Every summer, when the hurricanes like Ian form out over the Atlantic and make landfall, people’s lives are uprooted along with their homes, garages, yards, trees, shrubbery, boats and other belongings. And yet these brave souls living in hurricane country will regroup. The courage of humans and critters to build and rebuild is something to ponder. We should be in awe.

Kathleen Melia, Niles

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