Deport her?

First published in the Brunswick Beacon, 02.26.26

In his last speech as president, Ronald Reagan welcomed “new arrivals to this land of opportunity.” He warned, “If we ever close the door to new Americans, our leadership in the world would soon be lost.”

Reagan cherished “the torch of Lady Liberty,” saying it “symbolizes our freedom and represents our heritage. It is that Lady who gives us our great and special place in the world.”

France gave us the Statue of Liberty to celebrate our 100th birthday. Lady Liberty holds a tablet inscribed “July 4, 1776.” Her raised torch shines as a beacon, welcoming America’s new arrivals.

Her pedestal proclaims Emma Lazarus’ ”The New Colossus,” embodying the promise that inspired our immigrant ancestors:

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-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!

On Thanksgiving Day, Trump vowed to “permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries.” In plain English, “permanently pause” means “stop.”

On Dec. 2, he called Minnesota’s LEGAL Somali immigrants “garbage,” saying, “I don’t want them in our country.” He said, “Ilhan Omar is garbage. Her friends are garbage,” and told them to “go back where they came from.”

Omar, a Minnesota Democrat and naturalized American citizen, arrived from Somalia at age 12 as a legal asylum seeker. She grew up and was educated here and has represented Minneapolis-St. Paul in Congress for seven years — longer than Trump has been president.

Trump surged 3,000 ICE agents into Omar’s district in what he called the “largest deportation operation ever.” That led to the tragic shootings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti by masked federal agents. Their killings shocked the conscience of Americans.

Trump has betrayed Reagan’s ideal of American leadership, extinguished Lady Liberty’s torch, and slammed shut the Golden Door. Are Americans willing to tear HER down — and send her back to where SHE came from?

Arthur Hill

Southport