Regarding the story “Jail officer detained by ICE had applied for asylum,” (June 18), it’s outrageous that a Cumberland County Jail corrections officer, with a work permit and pending asylum claim, has been “detained” and lost his job. Ironically, Gratien Milandou-Wamba was wearing a law enforcement uniform when he was arrested by unidentified plain-clothes agents. No explanation was given. Sadly, Gratien’s story is hardly unique in recent months.

Typically masked and usually without uniform, ICE agents are snatching “undocumenteds” as they leave their immigration court check-in appointments. As a nation, we have been historically proud to grant asylum to those persecuted in their home countries. Even today, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website indicates that criteria for asylum include persecution or fear of persecution due to “political opinion” or “membership in a particular social group.” Those here to escape persecution deserve our full consideration of their case.

The U.S. State Department’s advisory for Gratien’s home country: “Do not travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo due to armed conflict, crime, civil unrest, kidnapping and terrorism.” Importantly, asylum seekers must be on U.S. soil to apply. Gratien accomplished that with a tourist visa. He is now the victim of a clogged immigration that cannot adjudicate his claim in a timely way.

Do we want to be a nation that ruins Gratien’s life and the lives of so many others that are here — most working and paying taxes — because of our own broken system? We in Maine must show Washington that we are better than that.

John Palmer
Raymond