I was pleased to read 1st District U.S. House candidate Jim Bouchard’s Sept. 20 letter regarding his thoughts on immigration. Finally, the political class is beginning to think seriously about the problems of our careless immigration and refugee resettlement policies.  

It’s especially encouraging to hear rational thinking about it from a Libertarian candidate. However, Mr. Bouchard fails to address the two most important questions: “How many?” and “To what purpose?” What is the purpose of our immigration policy, and how many people should be admitted for permanent settlement to achieve that purpose?

I would argue that the purpose of immigration policy should be to serve the interests and needs of the American people.

As such, with wages for the middle class flat or declining; our public finances deeply in the red; chronic unemployment entrenched among our poor, and deep social divisions that need healing, it does not serve the interests of the American people to allow any further settlement from abroad.

We have our own poor and huddled masses struggling for help. Why bring in more people to add to the social friction we already have?

The recent bombings and stabbings by immigrants highlight the problem: We’ve been overly generous and indiscriminate during the last 50 years, and a moratorium to work through the problems we’ve imported is in order.

Christopher Reimer

Arundel