U.S. pays the price for neglecting neighbors If we don’t help more, China is happy to

Re “U.S. is spending $60 million a week to shelter unaccompanied children” (April 9): So much of this expense could have been avoided if the U.S. had accepted and implemented the 2019 U.N. plan to rehabilitate Central American countries so its citizens would choose to stay home.

The plan consisted of substantial investments and financial support from the U.S. along with tackling corruption and improving security for the people. The U.S. failed to heed this advice, deciding that all resources should be directed toward “America First.” We are paying the price for

Re “U.S. had a chance to help southern countries” (April 10): Yes, I agree with the writer we have failed to help their development. A “Marshall Plan” like we did for Europe and Japan after World War II would have helped them develop.

China, though, has been actively helping them for a decade, resulting in a permanent presence in our region. The U.S. has done very little in comparison.

This has happened long ago when poverty and climate change drove the Goths (now Germans), who were mostly farmers, to illegally immigrate to the Roman Empire and subsequently be treated as second-class citizens. When the Goths invaded later, they found Goth sympathizers, which helped their efforts, and Rome fell.

It is in our best interest to help these countries to develop — that is how to stop illegal immigration and gain political allies.

Vic Petrelli Rancho Peñasquitos