Poll on migrants, COVID-19 masks, wetlands law, and Anthony D'Esposito on Sarah Hughes

Poll on migrants has only 424 opinions

So Newsday felt a Siena College Research Institute poll showing that New York State residents supported aid to migrants deserved a big article on Page A4 [“Poll: Most in NYS want to aid migrants,” News, Sept. 14] and a headline at the bottom of the front page.

The statistics showed percentages supporting reform to fast-track the migrants in obtaining citizenship without the required documents. The differences between Democratic and Republican voters were overwhelming. The poll even revealed that most New Yorkers oppose finishing building the wall at the Mexican border.

Only 424 adult state residents, though, participated in the poll. I wonder how many live anywhere near the proposed housing centers for these migrants? I didn’t see any questions regarding how they felt about their tax dollars being funneled to pay for all this while other services face cuts. There was no information on the percentage of residents willing to open their homes (or neighborhoods) to the tired, poor “huddled masses yearning to breathe free” that 69% of the responders said America should follow.

This is the opinion of hundreds of New Yorkers, not millions.

— Paul DiSclafani, Massapequa

An important point was missed in the poll. Of course, most New Yorkers are inherently caring people. Our political party affiliation does not generally reflect our capacity for empathy and compassion. The real point and question that truly needs to be asked is “How did we get into this mess in the first place?”

Former President Donald Trump did not allow an influx of hundreds of thousands of immigrants to cross the border under the guise of seeking “asylum.” President Joe Biden used this idea in his campaign for president to paint Trump as an uncaring person and basically invited immigrants to come, and so they came and continue to come.

Their ticket to a likely illegal long-term stay in the United States is just a few simple words: “We are seeking asylum.” Whether it’s true or not is irrelevant. The article itself acknowledges that most will not be considered legitimate asylum-seekers but will stay here illegally anyway.

Most of us support providing refuge to the tired, poor and huddled masses. Supporting hundreds of thousands of immigrants that are taking advantage of a president’s flawed immigration policy is something altogether different.

— Vincent J. Cristiano, Ronkonkoma

Don’t judge people if they revisit masks

As the new COVID-19 variant BA.2.86 raises its ugly head, COVID-19 cases are on the rise and sadly so are associated COVID-19 hospitalizations [“New vaccine here on LI,” News, Aug. Sept. 14].

It is unclear yet if this new variant is any more virulent than recent strains, but with its more than 30 mutations to its spike protein, there is clearly some concern.

Concerns about the efficacy (or lack thereof) of masking for COVID-19 notwithstanding, some in our society are choosing once again to adorn their faces with the dreaded “mask.”

We all need to be kind, understanding and nonjudgmental to those individuals who choose to use masks, especially the elderly, those with underlying conditions, and anyone else who makes that decision.

We are not talking about universal mask mandates here, at least at this point, and for the most part it remains within the domain of the individual.

— Dr. Joel Reiter, Woodbury

New Yorkers benefit from wetlands law

I can understand the Supreme Court’s ruling in Sackett v. EPA since the Clean Water Act’s jurisdiction over wetlands is based on navigable waters [“NY law to protect wetlands,” News, Sept. 11].

The correct response would have been for Congress to revise the Clean Water Act, not the Environmental Protection Agency weakening its regulations. But Congress cannot even perform its most basic function — passing a budget, due to a partisan divide.

We and all creatures suffer as a result. Thankfully, New York State took proactive steps.

— Eric Swenson, Oyster Bay

The writer is a former superintendent of Environmental Control for the Town of Oyster Bay.

Statement about Hughes is classless

The classless statement by Republican Rep. Anthony D’Esposito about Democrat Sarah Hughes ending her attempt to unseat him in the 4th Congressional District shows how unsuited he is to represent Long Island [“Ex-Olympian Hughes ends Congress run,” News, Sept. 10].

I imagine D’Esposito was cheering, waving his American flag and singing the national anthem when Hughes won a figure skating gold medal in the 2002 Winter Olympics, representing our country and region.

— Ira Checkla, Jericho