Dear editor,
I like reading the editorial pages in the Ogle County LIFE. The differing opinions make for good consideration. People will have opinions, but I struggle when the printed opinions are taken as fact. Reed Harris' recent article on the “Feeling of Fascism” is fraught with errors. Of the four incidents listed, omissions also taint his narrative. Reed Harris' bias is evident.
Born on July 26, 1995 a citizen of El Salvador, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, as a young boy, helped deliver pupusas made by his mother. The story was gang activity threatened young Garcia, possibly the family business, and at some point he left South America and entered the United States illegally in 2012. (and to complicate matters the family moved to Guatemala). In 2019 he was arrested with 3 other self-admitted El Salvadoran illegal migrants. The other 3 were MS-13 Gang members and this led to his MS-13 designation. As far as being peaceful, Jennifer Vasquez, Garcia’s wife, petitioned for an order of protection against him. She claimed “he punched her, scratched her, and ripped off her shirt, and bruised her”. In 2022 he was detained by Tennessee Highway Patrol while driving a van with seven passengers (all from El Salvador) from Texas to Maryland and had no driver's license. Under the Biden Administration ICE told THP to photograph and release them.
The claims by Harris of a mistake in deporting Garcia to El Salvador is false in that there are two issues at hand. One is an order of withholding. The withholding (per court document) was to anywhere else, but – “not to El Salvador.” That could be called a mistake. Garcia, having six years to self deport, was deported as an enemy alien just like the Tren de Aragua Venezuelans now in CECOT (because Venezuela would not take back its own citizens). That is not a mistake. Once Garcia was in El Salvador, his own country, he is subject to its jurisdiction not ours.
I looked online at some information on the two detained German girls also in Harris' article and found Harris’ information incomplete. There is always more to the story and the not asked questions qualify this as poor evidence of the author’s claim of fascism.
A cursory look at the other two incidents was enough for me to dismiss the entire article as a specious buggy ride on a sunny day for haters. This presidential administration will not be perfect, but is not wrong in the entirety as Harris portrays. An argument can be better made the fascists are wearing black robes and overreaching their authority. Article III created a judicial branch with a Supreme Court. All the other inferior courts are created by Article I Congress with specific limits. The limits are the boundaries of jurisdiction that are being overstepped until someone stops them. Well, the day has arrived and we are seeing the results. Judge Boasberg tried to exercise jurisdiction in the Tren de Aragua terrorist case. The violations Boasberg made to facilitate an agenda were enough to have impeachment charges brought by Congress (House Resolution 229). Where is Harris’ indignation against Boasberg?
Discovering the real court charges and how the justice system works has provided an understanding beyond assumptions of how justice works. Entry by non-citizens in any country is a privilege and is revocable. Due process for a citizen is different for non-citizens. The United States has been invaded by the millions across unenforced borders. Alejandro Mayorkas was impeached for his part in this.
The four incidents by Harris giving the “feeling of fascism” are insufficient evidence of his final claim. Justice is in process, each their appropriate due process. Consider this: whatever charge is being made for each of these cases, the penalty is a free trip home to your own country. Hardly fascism.
Another reminder that we are over 120 days of a new Congress and Executive branch and we are still a functioning Republic.
-John Dickson, Oregon
