'Punishing the families'?

Salvador Lazalde, an immigrant from Mexico, is worried that his brother won't be able to join him in the United States. Kathleen Moroney (Migrant bill may keep Utah kin apart, May 19) refers to the proposed new changes in the legislation as "punishing the families."

Fascinating.

I have a lot of family in the East, including a brother who lives in North Carolina, which is farther away than many parts of Mexico. There are two ways to reunite the inseparable Lazalde brothers. Presumably, Mr. Lazalde's brother has a wife, who will also want to come to the United States. And his wife has brothers and sisters, who have wives and husbands, who have brothers and sisters, who have — well, you get the idea. That's why it's called "chain migration." Here's a suggestion: If you can't bear to come to the United States without bringing your 800 nearest and dearest relatives with you, then don't come.

Craig Russell

Orem