Tucson Speaks Up: Border Wall and Immigration

My husband and I recently drove down to the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument to view the "big beautiful wall".

Incidentally, Mexico did not pay for it. What we viewed was an evil presence looming over our beautiful desert and its precious creatures. We returned to Tucson disgusted but mostly sad.

Sharon Beaman and David Enns

Sharon Beaman and David Enns

Northwest side

Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.

Part of Trump’s border wall cuts through Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. Said wall bisects habitat for nearly 100 Threatened or Endangered species in 5 biodiversity hotspots.

Now that the Biden administration is in power, there is ample opportunity to undo the negative legacy of the border wall. While some important steps have been taken we call on Arizona’s members of Congress to do the following.

1. Rescind waivers that fund the wall in Congress.

2. Turn off lights that are disruptive for biodiversity.

3. Open the gates to mitigate monsoon flooding and allow wildlife to pass through.

4. Listen to border communities who have been largely ignored and whose livelihoods have been threatened by the previous administration.

This is a time to remove barriers that have kept us divided both metaphorical and physical. We urge readers to call their representatives and voice their concerns about these four action items.

Caitlin Hawley and Olivia Davis PhD students at ASU

East side

Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.

Re: the Feb. 3 article "House Dems: Trump put lives of Congress members in danger."

So now we have a seven foot razor wired fence surrounding the Capital "their HOUSE" house of representatives with heavily guarded gates. Why? The vast vast majority in and around the capital are peaceful not EVIL. So why the fence. The fence prevents evil from entering. Right? Does this strike a cord in your mind? The 30 food fence on our southern border. It's not a wall. It's designed to keep evil out. To protect our home! Do we count, isn't our home as important as their house. I haven't heard a sound of protest against the capital fence. The lack of sound is deafening. Nancy Pelosi proclaimed our border fence immoral. Does that mean us Tucsonians who have a wall, door, gate, fence are immoral. In reality they are not immoral. What this country needs is terrific immigration policy, and to achieve this you can not have a open border. A 30 foot fence.

Valentine Ferraris

Northeast side

Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.

Item: The Old Testament prescribes beating swords into plowshares.

Item: The U.S. Department of Transportation reports that more than 230,000 bridges in the U.S. need major repair work or replacement.

Item: President Biden has halted construction of former President Trump’s wall on our southern border.

Suggestion: The new Secretary of Transportation and new Director of Homeland Security heed the Biblical prescription for purposeful recycling and collaborate by dismantling the wall and using the then-available steel to repair our bridges.

Max McConkey

Foothills

Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.