Why workplace raids now?

Re “ICE’s raids are political theater,” Opinion, Jan. 23

David L. Ulin’s op-ed article on the recent 7Eleven raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents brought to mind the fact that until 2015, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce was officially against mandatory employer verification of legal status of employees (E-Verify).

Federal immigration authorities quit routinely checking restaurant employees in California for green cards decades ago. By 1985, most restaurants and other service industry businesses in California were populated with illegal workers, hired with a wink and a nod at their obviously fake identification documents. They were practically invited to be here and also work in Midwest slaughterhouses and Arkansas poultry farms.

To kick these people out now, often breaking up their families, is immoral. They deserve a path to citizenship.

If they’re thrown out, their employers should logically go with them. So should the politicians who looked the other way to allow the importation of cheaper but still reliable illegal workers.

People who made it across our border were all but promised — wink, wink — a job and legal protection. Deport all those who colluded, or deport no one. Mark Davidson

Santa Ana