Opinion: The human cost of anti-immigrant rhetoric

A prisoner is moved as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem tours of the Terrorist Confinement Center in Tecoluca, El Salvador, March 26, 2025. Alex Brandon, Associated Press

After reading Emma Pitts’ excellent article on due process and deportation and reading some of the 450+ comments, I feel compelled to share some of my experiences. I am a lawyer and served as a mission president for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Latin America. I share just a few of the many real situations that several former missionaries and others have encountered.

A 31-year-old man who works in sales followed all of the requirements of the law and entered the country legally. He is one of the finest young men I have ever known. He lives in the U.S. and attends an English-speaking church congregation. He is working several jobs that are well below his capacity and aptitude in order to support his family. He does door-to-door sales. Some people have called him pejorative names and threatened to or have actually reported him to ICE while he was knocking doors. He has described the fear that all Latinos in his area are experiencing, including negative comments from fellow Latter-day Saints.

Read more on the original article : https://www.deseret.com/opinion/2025/07/13/immigration-struggles-deserve-empathy-not-prejudice/