I am responding to Rep. Mike Soboleski’s Jan. 18 op-ed in the Press Herald (“Maine’s leaders must join fight against illegal immigration“). I am not denying that the influx of asylum seekers here has not put a temporary strain on many state and local programs, and I agree that the immigration system needs improvement.

I am puzzled by his use of the words “catastrophic damage” to describe the effects of the immigration system in Maine. To me, catastrophic damage describes the severe coastal storm two years ago, destroying billions of dollars of our coastal infrastructure, or the fires in Los Angeles destroying thousands of homes. This catastrophic damage, clearly caused by climate change, seems to be mostly drowned out by the all-consuming focus on getting rid of these terrible immigrants.

I wonder if Rep. Soboleski has ever even met or spoken to a person who is an immigrant? I have recently made friends with a local family of asylum seekers in my town. They are legal immigrants, work full time, pay taxes, go to church and support their kids, like many other families in town. The father volunteers at our local food bank on his day off, sorting and packing food for Mainers in need. They do not drink, smoke or take drugs. They actively give back to their community that helped them while they were waiting for their work permit.

In the end, these friends are simply open-hearted human beings, grateful for the temporary help they have received, who already are making a positive contribution to our town.

Tina Phillips
Brunswick