Letters: All-aboard the 'unity bus'

The article, "The unity bus" (Dec. 14), brought tears to my eyes as I remembered growing up more than 70 years ago in one of the German/Irish immigrant neighborhoods along the then-47 trolley route. My family rode that trolley to get to work and school and to go window-shopping in Center City on Sunday (stores were closed on Sunday in those days).

How wonderful that we are reminded by SEPTA's Route 47 bus that "We Are All Migrating Together" and have been immigrants from the founding of our city. I hope that the bus will become a permanent feature of our City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection.

|Anne Hill, Gwynedd

Donald Trump's "thank you" rally in Hershey was a first for me, and I was joyfully impressed with the diversity - white, black, Asian, Hispanic ("Trump backers clinging to hope, dinging media," Dec. 16). I spoke to many of them, and no one could deny that we felt immense pride to be Americans. Inquirer columnist Helen Ubiñas put the attendance at 7,000, but I calculated at least 13,000.

As far as the "clueless media elite" she referred to, perhaps if the media would join in with the president-elect's message of hope, rejuvenation of the American dream, and, yes, respect for everyone, they also would belong to this new movement of young and old who will witness change for the better.

|Anne C. Metz, Royersford

In response to the commentary, "Expand sanctuary concept from cities to suburbs" (Sunday), I say, "No, thank you." Most suburban Philadelphia residents would agree. We don't want a Delaware Valley version of Kate Steinle, the young woman who was brutally murdered by an undocumented immigrant and criminal who had been given sanctuary in California. We don't want Philadelphia defying federal law and giving such criminals sanctuary either.

There are good people among illegal immigrants, but there is no excuse for protecting the hardened criminals among them. They have no right to be here, and neither the city nor the county and state have the right to give them sanctuary.

It's bizarre for University of Pennsylvania professor Frederick Steiner to say, "Cities need to become safer for all people," and, "safety can be enhanced" by protecting these criminals. In what world is he living? Is Philadelphia safer than the suburbs, where criminal illegal immigrants are not yet given sanctuary, thank goodness?

|Morris Olitsky, Havertown

The article on proposed Pennsylvania legislation targeting sanctuary campuses addressed the plight of college students who could face deportation if the incoming administration undoes President Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival protections ("Pa. bill to take aim at 'sanctuary campuses,' " Dec. 14). One of my Temple engineering students, Brexy Pena Mencia, was quoted as saying that undoing DACA could keep her from completing her education

This hard-working student would like to work for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which protects American citizens, and possibly start a bioengineering firm, which would create jobs. She also is interested in developing bioengineered solutions to relieve osteoarthritis.

As Obama wisely recognized, deporting enterprising students such as Brexy would be unfair to them and a great loss to our country.

|Joe Danowsky, Philadelphia