Letter to the editor,
Within days we have heard North Dakota has a serious shortage of workers, and that the governor is sending troops to the border to prevent people from coming into this country!
Every state has a worker shortage issue. At a recent Chamber of Commerce event, the lack of people for open jobs was noted as a top problem. Recently our state Director of Commerce, James Leiman, stated, “My biggest worry is workforce. Any creative ideas would be of the utmost benefit to the state.”
We also have churches teaching that we are to offer shelter and placement for persons suffering from war, gang related torture and death, and the inability to have sufficient income to support one’s family.
We suggest a totally different public policy response than using our military to stop people at the border. Let’s use the National Guard to provide a safe route to North Dakota, working with the partnership of churches and chambers of commerce to resettle people.
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The federal government also needs to offer residents of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Mexico hope for their future. International policies need to be in place so suffering people no longer feel they have no other choice but to leave home for safe opportunities.
We are better than providing a militarized closed door. Let’s provide what is needed, a warm welcome and jobs.
Vicki Schmidt, West Fargo; Sen. Tim Mathern, Fargo.
