New U.S. Law on Immigration

This is in response to Frank del Olmo’s article (Editorial Pages, Oct. 23), “Immigration Law--Now the Work Begins.”

There’s no reason Latino activists who opposed immigration legislation for 10 years should have less energy now that a bill has been passed. If the “amnesty” provisions and the special concessions made to agribusiness are improvements they should be feeling regenerated and proud of their contribution.

However, expectation levels remain low as long as the Immigration and Naturalization Service is fueled by the violence of a prevailing public opinion intent on blaming most of society’s problems on the new immigrants.

The enormous uncertainties about who will qualify for “amnesty” are well-founded. After all, “amnesty” is a poor concept when applied to those whose only crime has been avoiding hunger and persecution.

Are we expected to stop being concerned for those immigrants who came after Jan. 1, 1982, a period of almost six years?

Those not eligible for legal status include a large percentage of Central Americans, and the poorest of the poor who are the main victims of Mexico’s worsening economic situation. They are the ones who get sold out by a Congress intent on following an anything is better than nothing attitude.

FRANK M. SIFUENTES

Compton