Critique & Commentary - About Andrew's Thoughts on ICE & Immigration

Read the original post by blogger Andrew regarding ICE deportations in Texas and the so-called “border crisis,” as well as my comments and commentary here or here. Or, just see below for my comments about his blog post.

And, never forget the power of the pen!

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Hi Andrew, your points of view about ICE deportations within the state of Texas and your beliefs around the so-called “border crisis” are a relief to me. These POVs were featured in your blogs titled “Border Crisis or Overreacting” and “Blog 5.”

You seem extremely passionate about both subjects, which is a trait that will prove helpful in fighting proponents of these ideas.

What did I like especially about your writing? I like your leads into each subject. You introduced the topic and purpose of each blog very well and grabbed my attention. So, you are pulling the reader into the divisive subject matter with a fervent style of writing, usually backed by a hyperlink to your specific source. All of this gives the reader a full scope of what you are talking about and helps lead to an “a-ha moment.”

Further, your discussion points in both blogs are especially solid: 1) that the President and this administration’s narrative around the “border crisis” is a negligent abuse of power and 2) that ICE has been detaining immigrants at an alarming rate, which often leads to the view of immigrants as “outlaws” “criminals” and “delinquents.”

I believe that both situations create an environment of fear that is xenophobic. Further, both blog posts are especially timely and necessary in today’s political landscape.

My only suggestions are to 1) improve your spacing between letters, words, paragraphs, and ideas to really organize the writing and the way it is laid out on the page and, to 2) perhaps include any statistical data or citations to further back your arguments. Yes, providing sources is especially helpful but often times you need to lay everything out for your reader and a couple of sprinkled statistics can really bring your case full circle.

In closing, the rhetoric and execution of and around anti-immigrant policies need to be updated to reflect that they are dealing with HUMAN BEINGS. There are several phrases that are associated with America, the Great, but one is emblazoned on the commemorative plaque at the Statue of Liberty. It is a poem that captures what our country was founded on, as a mixing and melting pot of peoples. It reads, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

Does the current administration understand this poem was written to shape the idea of America as a welcoming mother and a great nation made of and on the backs of immigrants? I DOUBT IT!