Undocumented immigrants deserve some humanity

I wrote the following as a comment on Jill’s blog to rebut a comment that undocumented immigrants deserve no quarter here and should be denied entry and removed forcibly if here.

“Regardless of how one feels about undocumented immigrants, there are three key points that concern me as an Independent and former Republican voter:

-people are owed due process within the borders of our country;

-many undocumented immigrants have been hired by managers and owners of all political persuasions to bolster numerous industries – construction, roofing, landscaping, food processing, restaurant, hospitality, healthcare, crop harvesting, etc. (transition planning would have been helpful);

-people deserve a less heavy handed approach than has been used. To me, it seems we have done a disservice by being harmful as we round up folks.

If the mission is to exit undocumented immigrants, I understand that, but the process could have been far better planned and executed, in my view.”

The one point I will add is this. Managers and owners who hired all of these undocumented immigrants were not necessarily altruistic. The reasons were varied and several. They hired them to fill jobs that others did not want; they hired them because they could pay them in cash with not added benefit costs or FICA taxes; they hired them because if they were injured on the job, they did not have to pay workers compensation; and they hired them because they were as close to slave labor as they could get.

If we did not want undocumented immigrants, then why did elected officials turn a blind eye and let these managers hire them for multiple decades. Let me close with a true story – when a major textile company declared full bankruptcy, federal officials spoke to an auditorium of workers to tell them how they could be helped. They said if you don’t have a Social Security number, we can’t help you. 1/3 of the audience stood up and left.

Trump immigration policy rattles hospitality industry

An article in The Guardian by Michael Sainato called “Trump’s immigration siege is rattling hospitality industry, workers say,” is not an unsurprising piece of news. The subheading tells more:
“Unite Here, the US’s largest hospitality workers’ union, says ICE crackdown is harming tourism and costing jobs.” Here are a few paragraphs:

“Donald Trump’s immigration policies are having a chilling effect on the hospitality industry, where nearly a third of workers are immigrants, according to the largest hospitality union in the US.

The number of employed hospitality workers dropped by 98,000 from December 2024 to December 2025, according to a report from Unite Here, which represents 300,000 workers across the hospitality, food and tourism industries in the US and Canada.

Union leaders say the Trump administration’s brutal immigration crackdown has not only scared workers but has also discouraged international tourism. The US saw a decline of $1.2bn, or a 5.5% drop, in tourism revenue from September 2024 to September 2025, according to the report.

‘We need immigrant workers. They’re an important part of our workforce. They’re my members, they’re my neighbors, and the way they’ve been treated in this time is really abhorrent,’ said Wade Lüneburg, political director for Unite Here Local 17 in Minneapolis, which represents 6,000 workers in Minnesota, including workers at the Minneapolis-St Paul international airport.”

A number I read a few years ago said immigration is accretive to the US economy at a rate of $86 billion per annum. I do not remember the source, but the point is more than several industries tap both documented and undocumented immigrants in their businesses. Cutting undocumented without due process, planning or transition and in a heavy handed manner has an echo effect. Tourism is down, for example, so that impacts travel and hospitality industries.

Response from Senator Thom Tillis

I emailed and later called Senators Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska thanking them for speaking about the need for an investigation of the Alex Pretti shooting and calling for the firing of Homeland Security director Kristi Noem. Here is a Response from Senator Tillis as I live in his state:

”Dear Mr. Wilson:

Thank you for taking the time to contact me. I appreciate hearing from you.

The recent death of Alex Pretti after an officer-involved shooting on the sidelines of a U.S. Customs and Border and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation in Minneapolis is tragic. Mr. Pretti was shot by a U.S. Border Patrol agent who was present in a supporting role during the operation. This incident has understandably raised serious questions and concerns.

As a strong supporter of law enforcement, I believe when officers use force in the course of their duties, these situations must be approached with seriousness and restraint. Such incidents carry lasting consequences for everyone involved and warrant full and thorough investigation to ensure accountability and fairness. Too often, judgments are made before all the facts are known, which undermines due process and the integrity of law enforcement.

I have made clear my concerns regarding the current leadership of the Department of Homeland Security, and I am glad that President Donald Trump has decided to place Tom Homan, a career professional, in charge of the ongoing limited operations in Minneapolis. From my understanding, after conversations between President Trump as well as the Mayor of Minneapolis and Governor of Minnesota, the federal presence in Minneapolis will soon be reduced.

As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over these issues, please know that I am actively monitoring this situation and associated investigations closely.

Again, thank you for taking the time to contact me. Please do not hesitate to contact me again about other important issues.”

Note Tillis and Murkowski were singled out afterwards with the usual childish name calling from the incumbent president. It is my belief any time law enforcement actions result in a death, true leaders step up and call for an immediate investigation. They owe it to Americans to get to the bottom of this. And, I would not, top of mind, use leader to describe Trump, Vance, Noem or Miller.