Mari said both she and her son, who has developmental delays, struggled with their health after Cielo was arrested by immigration agents in February and sent to Florence Correctional Center for seven months. Cielo was not only the household's breadwinner, but also caregiver to Mari and her adult son, she said. As her health declined while Cielo was detained, Mari felt sure she wouldn’t see her husband again. "If my husband had lasted another month in that place, I would have died," she said through tears. "It was a nightmare, and I really thought I would not hold him in my arms again."
Great immigration reporting
As a long-time immigration lawyer (now retired), I would like to thank the Star’s reporters Emily Bregel and Michael Lev for their careful and fact-driven coverage of immigration issues, most recently in the Sunday, Oct. 12 edition. I have found Ms. Bregel’s reporting consistently accurate on complex southern border issues touching on immigration, an accuracy that is missing in many reports from journalists in media markets larger than Tucson’s. And what a joy it was to see the visa issues of the Tucson Baseball Team covered accurately by Mr. Lev, a sports reporter who was likely outside his area of expertise. He took the trouble to research the thorny issue of why a U.S. visa previously issued to a player for the Navojoa team to allow play in the U.S. would not allow that same person to play in Tucson for a Tucson-based team. Thank you to all involved.
People are also reading…
SW McFadden
Foothills
Shutdown
Regarding the government shutdown, air traffic controllers are essential — indispensable — workers not getting paid. Our elected representatives, deliberately ineffectual and totally dispensable, continue to remain on the payroll. What’s wrong with this picture?
Thomas Rothe
Foothills
Make Argentina Great Again
So, the GOP did it. They gave a $20 billion bailout to Trump’s, Vance’s and Bessent’s buddy Javier Milei.
This GOP-led government tanked U.S. soybean farmers as Argentina dumped soybeans, waiving export taxes to China just after the bailout.
This GOP and Ciscomani say the US can’t fund cancer research, can’t fund infrastructure, can’t help the middle-class healthcare, but we can bail out Argentina for $20 billion.
$20 billion of our tax dollars. So Milei can win reelection this month?
Milei is a ‘libertarian’. By definition, libertarians don’t believe in bailouts. I guess they can accept handouts after all.
Argentina’s Treasury, China and wealthy hedge-fund investors (owners of Argentina debt) got rich off our tax money from Trump.
The biggest rich guy winning is Rob Citrone, a billionaire hedge fund manager with significant investments in Argentina. He has also been Secretary Bessent’s bestie for decades.
Argentina First with American tax dollars? Is that right, GOP and Ciscomani?
Carissa Sipp
Midtown
Count your lucky stars
It would not take a professional historian or political scientist to look around the world and find autocracies and dictators, both current and historical, to come up with a list of characteristics that they share. For example:
They stifle popular dissent.
They intimidate the press.
They gradually take control of the legal and judicial systems.
They use the military to make a show of force.
They surround themselves with fawning sycophants.
They publicly identify and go after their perceived enemies.
They seek to manipulate and/or sow doubt in traditional democratic activities, such as elections.
They identify ethnic or religious groups to blame for the country’s ills.
They amass great fortunes for themselves.
They impose restrictions on institutions of higher education.
Thank goodness it could not happen here.
Gerard Ervin
Northeast side
It must hurt
Dictator, Hitler, misogynist, fraudster, racist, emanate endlessly from the mouths of Democrats, all aimed at the Trump Administration. With these vile rantings, one would surmise that the country was in tatters, war was imminent, the general population was starving, and millions of avoidable deaths were occurring. Obviously, none of this is happening. Instead, the border is essentially closed to illegal entry, saving the taxpayers billions of dollars. Criminal illegal aliens, committing horrific crimes on our citizens, are being aggressively removed. The Administration is actually attempting to reduce fraud and waste in the government, meaning certain groups of people will be removed from the gravy train. Several world conflicts have already been resolved, and it appears that the Israel-Hamas conflict is nearing a resolution. When compared to the do-nothing Biden Administration and Democrat Congress, it must be difficult to accept that the vile Trump Administration is amazingly successful in addressing the pressing problems of this nation and will actually enhance the safety and well-being of our citizens.
Loyal M. Johnson Jr.
Oro Valley
The real genius of Musk
The real genius of Elon Musk is as an immigration expert. Born in South Africa, Elon looked around the world and, using his immigration knowledge, determined that given his skill set, there was only one country where he could become the richest man in the world. Using a student visa, he entered our country.
As for his engineering ability, he really is more of an investor. He didn’t start Tesla, Solar City or Space X. He invested in those companies and his 120,000-plus employees are doing the engineering and building.
What disturbs me is, that given his background, why is he not advocating for others who also are looking around the world and realize the one country that could fulfill their dreams is the United States?
I’m all for immigration reform and removing all illegal criminals, I just am perturbed by why successful immigrants are not spearheading a sane immigration policy?
Do you hear me, Melania?
Lawrence Mazin
SaddleBrooke
I am a proud American
I have a bone to pick about Lee Greenwood’s song “God Bless the USA, that is being used as an anthem at MAGA rallies, including those before our troops. It’s not the title, though that’s part of it. It’s also not the most recognized line, “I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free”, though that represents a very low and unworthy bar. It comes in the next line, “I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.”
Our Declaration of Independence defines “those rights” as “Inalienable”. Thus, the rights of Man are assumed to be part of Natural Law. We can protect them, but we cannot give them. We can take them, but not justly. Additionally, to paraphrase Abigail Adams, “Let’s not forget the ladies”.
I’m sure Mr. Greenwood didn’t think this deeply as he asked God to bless what “men” gave, thus created. Given our changing cultural trajectory, perhaps we should. Words matter.
Jim Sinex
Midtown
Plastic health issues
What a great article in the Oct. 13 edition, “Plastic Predicament” by Aminah. Her article brings attention to a serious worldwide health problem. Plastic, specifically microplastics, is ubiquitous to the extent that it is estimated that the average person ingests approximately 5 grams of microplastics a week. That is approximately enough plastic to generate a credit card. Studies involving animal and human cells suggest that microplastics could be linked to cancer and other diseases. It is estimated that only 10% of plastic is recycled. Although recycling plastic is not the ultimate answer, it is a start. Please support recycling, in the hope that someday this significant health problem can be eliminated.
Peter Morales
Midtown
Colonial District 7 (CD7)
Now that I reside in Arizona Colonial District 7 and not Congressional District 7, I have some questions.
Republican candidate Daniel Butierez says he would have signed the discharge petition for the Epstein files. Had he won, would he have reneged on his promise of being the 218th signer?
Because Speaker of the House Mike Johnson refuses to swear in Special Election winner Adelita Grijalva for CD7, does that mean after the 2026 election, he will refuse to swear in all Democrats who win their House seats in order to hold onto power?
There are over 90,000 Republican Party members registered in CD7 and 160,000 voters registered as other. Are these registered voters just collateral damage in the war the Trump Republican Party has against the Democratic Party?
Do Trump and Johnson want to make Democratic congressional districts into resource-rich colonies for a greater Trump Republican Party in 2026?
Matt Somers
Midtown
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