SerpApi.Org
TO THE EDITOR:
Few things expose Trump Derangement Syndrome quite like the hysteria over ICE doing exactly what voters asked for after years of open border chaos. A tragic incident in Minneapolis gets spun into federal overreach, while the real story — safer streets and restored rule of law — gets buried.
Many people I know struggle talking with family or friends locked in knee-jerk opposition to the Trump administration. They shuffle facts, move goalposts, and treat every enforcement action as a crisis. I’ve found three practical ways to lower the temperature and actually connect.
First, I ask: “Given what you value most — safety for your kids, fair wages, affordable housing — what would you do differently at the border and with enforcement?” This lets them speak from their priorities instead of defending Biden’s record of intentional mismanagement. Many who pushed open-border policies are now seeing daylight as criminals get removed. Washington, D.C. is becoming a place families can walk in the evenings again, with homicides down 37%.
Second, I swallow pride and share real wins without “I told you so.” ICE has arrested over 10,000 gang members this term — MS-13 types with records for murder, assault, drugs, and extortion, many released under the last administration. Arrest rates hit 1,400+ per day in July peaks. Families and kids are safer for it.
Violent crime is plunging nationwide — murders, assaults, and robberies down double digits in major cities. That’s not abstract; it’s fewer victims, safer neighborhoods, and parents breathing easier.
Third, we talk consequences with a smile. Coming here illegally, overstaying a visa, or relying on temporary protected status that’s no longer in effect has outcomes — just like any choice. Enforcement isn’t mean; it’s fair. It’s already easing pressure: Fewer illegal workers in certain sectors means native-born employment gains, and housing demand softens in overstressed areas. Rents and home prices get relief where supply isn’t strained by unchecked inflows. Healthcare and school systems see less overload too. It’s basic economics delivering wins for working families.
I keep it light and cheerful because the results speak for themselves. One of my aunts was skeptical — worried about “excesses” and family separations. After hearing the numbers on gang arrests, falling crime and how enforcement helps everyday costs, she paused. “I didn’t realize how much cleaner things feel already,” she said. Later, she admitted the policies are working better than she expected. No yelling, just facts and shared values around safety and fairness.
We won’t convert every partisan, but real conversations beat shouting. Prioritizing citizens, enforcing laws, and cleaning up the prior mess isn’t radical — it’s responsible. Midland families deserve that peace of mind.
ZACH HESSE
Midland
