Migrants and foreign aid
Hold spacecraft to later
Regarding “Independence Day bash lands stellar spacecraft” (City/State, June 3): The large photo by Steve Gonzales was a beautiful composition showing the skyline in the background, but what caught my attention was reading that the spacecraft weighed 20,000 pounds.
We are celebrating the Fourth of July, and this is dangerous, costly and making more pot holes for sure.
I think of the moon landing and all of NASA’s great achievements as a separate celebration altogether. Josephine Maxwell Eager, Pearland
Foreign aid accountability
Regarding “Remember the names behind the grim photo” (First Word, Monica Rhor, June 26): How about beginning to remember the names of the corrupt, criminal government officials of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador?
Do they not have a single shred of responsibility to establish the means for economic systems to flourish that allow their citizens to improve their lots in life and thus end the need to travel over 1,000 miles? Costa Rica did this with ecotourism around its beaches and rain forests. The other three countries have the same resources. What are they doing with them?
The U.S. has sent large amounts of foreign aid to these three countries. What happened to it? Chuck Hoffheiser, The Woodlands
Aiming for global stability
The country is captivated by the situation we have at the southern border. As with many things, it is hard to tell what the truth is of the situation and what should be done about it.
Since 2016, immigration has been a focal point of American foreign policy. Unfortunately, it seems that foreign aid has been largely cast aside as a strategy for curbing immigration in favor of walls and “tougher” border security.
Most people do not want to leave their homes and family — especially if that means being locked up in detention centers with no access to basic human necessities. The only feasible solution to our immigration issues must include foreign aid for underdeveloped countries and their citizens who are seeking refuge in the United States. Though the United States does not give nearly enough to foreign aid, we must give credit where credit is due.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, played a role recently in passing the Global Fragility Act, a bill which aims to prevent the root causes of violence and instability globally through diplomatic and developmental efforts. Texans must be informed and up to date on these issues and legislation, as they affect us so disproportionately compared to many other states. Allison Dean, League City