Readers write

Stand against violations of immigrant rights

I have lived and worked in the metro Atlanta community my whole life, and I am deeply concerned about social justice rights, including immigrant rights.

In 2020, a whistleblower from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Detention Center in Irwin County reported this. According to an article by CBS News and Time magazine, “female detainees appear to have undergone excessive, invasive, and often unnecessary gynecological procedures.” These aggressive and unforgivable acts are a violation of human rights as they effectively lead to forced sterilization, eugenics and/or genocide.

When will the United States, and Georgia, in particular, honor the rights of immigrants whose “crimes” are the desire to achieve the American dream? Simply closing the Irwin County Detention Center is not enough. Furthermore, this work cannot be done in isolation. Advocates for promoting social justice and protecting human rights must work with lawmakers to establish policies that protect vulnerable populations.

I do not vote for candidates who are willing to suppress the rights of others. I do not condone my tax dollars being used to violate the rights of immigrants, women or any human being regardless of race, ethnicity, culture or creed. My fellow Atlantans, we must act to stop these oppressive acts and see them for what they are: abuses of power.

We, as Americans, are better than this, but we must stay aware of what is happening and be willing to stand up for those whose voices our government does not hear.

MEGAN ROEDL, MARIETTA

Trump on a mission to destroy Affordable Care Act

Gee, I wonder why the ACA isn’t affordable anymore?

It’s not just because of the disappearing COVID-era subsidies. It’s because President Donald Trump has made it his mission to destroy it (simply because it was an Obama initiative), no matter the consequences to the people.

Trump has slashed outreach by 90%, which helps people (especially young people) sign up. He’s eliminated the tax penalty for the uninsured, which lowered sign-ups and raised premiums.

He’s terminated federal subsidy payments to insurers, which helped lower deductibles and copays for low-income enrollees. He’s eliminated cost-saving reinsurance programs. He’s expanded access to short-term “junk” plans (which don’t cover preexisting conditions).

He’s restricted Medicaid access by adding multiple administrative hurdles and allowing states to impose work requirements. He’s cut the enrollment time in half. And he’s backed lawsuits, trash-talked and made threats to invalidate or eliminate the ACA.

One of the most popular and positive things the government has accomplished in recent memory is being systematically targeted to death by 1,000 cuts.