Officials should comply with the law

Mayor David Holt, Police Chief Wade Gourley and some members of the jail trust want to remove federal ICE officers from the Oklahoma County jail and not cooperate with the federal government. Do Holt and Gourley want Oklahoma City to become like Los Angeles and San Francisco, both of which are going bankrupt because of the vast sums of money spent on illegal immigrants? Two once-great cities that are now among the poorest in the United States with the highest homeless populations where the U.S. citizens are fleeing in droves. Cities where the administrations care more about illegal immigrants than their own citizens.

Holt, Gourley and members of the jail trust have a sworn duty and were elected or appointed to protect U.S. citizens living in Oklahoma City. These public officials do not have a duty to welcome illegal immigrants to the city and spend large sums of limited tax money paid by U.S. citizens taking care of them. These officials should do their jobs, comply with federal law and cooperate with federal law officials. Gordon K. Montgomery, Edmond

Let ICE do its job in OKC

Regarding “Maughan backs ICE at county jail” (News, July 24): Mayor David Holt and Police Chief Wade Gourley made a very disturbing statement. The story said they “recently stated their support for building trust (between the public and law enforcement) instead actively being engaged in enforcing federal immigration policy.”

Holt said, “I just want people of diverse backgrounds, whether they are literally an immigrant or descendants of immigrants, to know they are welcome in Oklahoma City.” Well, Mr. Holt, there is one “diverse” people group that is not welcome in Oklahoma City and that is law breakers! (Is it or is it not a crime to be in this country illegally?) Please, Mr. Mayor and Mr. Police Chief, it is your job to make our city safe from all law breakers.

Let ICE do its job in Oklahoma City.

Norma Ledoux, Oklahoma City

We need to stop digging deeper trenches

Cal Thomas (Commentary, July 27) was spot on with placing blame for the current budget problem on the Democrats and the Republicans. The Democrats don't want to hold the line on nondiscretionary spending and the Republicans don't want cuts in the defense budget. It has been reported in other news articles that if Congress would just agree to the sequestration formula agreed to by former President Obama and former Speaker John Boehner, the budget would have been reduced by $300 billion over two years. Unfortunately, as Thomas pointed out, Republicans in the Senate will not stand up to Trump, “fearing backlash from the media.”

The other point Thomas did not mention is that even if Congress cut the entire nondiscretionary annual spending of $700 billion, the budget would still not be balanced. It will take a combination of spending cuts and revenue increases to make up for the corporate and individual tax cuts passed two years ago. The promised revenue increases will not come close to paying for the tax cuts.

It's time to look back at what Ronald Reagan did after his tax cut policies were not paid for, by reducing tax breaks and closing loopholes in the federal tax code. Two bills passed in Reagan's presidency together “constituted the biggest tax increase ever enacted during peacetime.”

Congress must start doing what is right and not just worrying about getting reelected. Both sides will need to compromise instead of just digging deeper trenches. David Ruyle, Oklahoma City

Amnesty program doesn't punish poverty

Regarding “Fine-fee `fix' is anything but” (Point of View, July 28): Some believe Oklahoma City's reduced-fine amnesty for old speeding tickets doesn't go far enough, because the system still punishes poverty. The cost of a speeding ticket doesn't punish poverty. It punishes speeding. If you can't afford the cost of a speeding ticket, don't speed. SueMae Bittle, Stillwater