Hysteria over immigration misses vital distinctions

Two immigrants in the Midwest are riling emotions and attracting national attention. One is reviled, accused of killing two people, and the other is a beloved and respected member of his community. But they are virtually the same to the federal government.

They are deportable. Let’s consider the case of Manuel Orrego-Savala, a Guatemalan who currently sits in jail in Marion County, Ind.

Hours after the nation flocked to their televisions to watch the Super Bowl, Indianapolis Colts linebacker Edwin Jackson and his Uber driver were run over and killed by a drunken driver.

Police arrested the twice-deported Orrego-Savala. He’s charged with four felonies.

President Donald Trump didn’t miss a beat. He tweeted to link Jackson’s death with what he misinterprets as the Democrats’ reluctance to get tough on immigration and the border.

Marion County prosecutor Terry Curry, who vowed to try the case “vigorously,” pushed back. He chastised the “ghoulish and inappropriate” public commentary, including Trump’s politicizing of the deaths.

Curry spoke from the point of view of the justice system, which values placing blame where it belongs rather than vengeful scapegoating that casts all immigrants as enemies of the nation.

He also underlined where attention ought to be placed: with the grieving families of Jackson and his driver, Jeffrey Monroe.

Now consider the case of Syed Jamal, a Kansas chemist who has escaped deportation — for now.

Jamal was detained in late January as he prepared to take one of his U.S. citizen children to school in Lawrence, Kan. Jamal has been in the U.S. for 30 years, arriving legally from Bangladesh, and has taught at several colleges. His story is the quintessential American dream.

But his status became complicated as he tried to shift back and forth between holding a student or a work visa.

A Change.org petition drew 64,000 signatures as of Friday, a march was held, and the story was picked up by national media and by Hollywood celebrities like Alyssa Milano.

But as Jamal was being readied for a flight by immigration agents, he received a late stay on Feb. 8. His story is to be continued.

Jamal was scooped up because, rather than prioritizing the deportations of violent criminals, of the drunken drivers like Jackson’s and Monroe’s accused killer, the Trump administration is going after anyone who might possibly be deportable. No discretion is used.

It must be pointed out that some of Jamal’s supporters are inadvertently buying into Trump’s rhetoric that some immigrants are more desirable than others.

America needs to come to grips with the realities the two cases show. Highand low-skilled workers are needed in the U.S. Our demographics require it.

We need a comprehensive overhaul of our policies so that they align with emerging labor needs and the necessity of keeping immigrant parents with their U.S.-born children. We must return to prioritizing deportation cases for immigrants who are violent and not sweep up the beloved chemist or the person who cleans offices.

And that will only happen when we have a president backed by a Congress and a voting public that calmly and reasonably can understand the difference.