To the editor: 

My family is from Italy. They survived the Nazis invading the village, going into people’s homes, violating their rights, taking people away. They came to the U.S. as hard-working immigrants to give their children a better life, to be safe. What is going on today makes me feel unsafe and worried about our democracy. 

In the city of Cape Coral we have a memorial to the brave soldiers who fought to preserve our rights to liberty, justice and freedom.  Trump does not understand their sacrifice, or honor —  he never served and avoided the draft. 

I have become more and more concerned as I hear increasing stories about U.S. citizens being detained. One man was arrested and accused of being illegal. It turns out he was born in the U.S. and was merely driving from his home in Georgia to go to work in Florida!

In another case a former Australian police office and wife of a U.S. Army soldier was taken by ICE on her way to vacation in Hawaii with her mother, body cavity searched, strip searched, put in jail and then deported without any reason. She is traumatized by the ordeal. 

In another case a mother and her daughters — U.S. citizens! — were terrorized as ICE agents broke into their house with a warrant for former residents. She told them she was a U.S. citizen but they did not believe her. The family’s belongings were seized and damaged. The mother was told to change her clothing in front of male officers. She was crying, terrified, humiliated. They did this to fellow U.S. citizens. She had guns pointed to her face. 

A U.S. veteran was recently arrested in California by ICE and his wife stated she is not sure where he is being held. She was on the news crying, terrified. 

News reports state that former agents stated their ability to arrest real violent criminals is being halted because they are being told to “arrest gardeners.” Because Trump wants numbers, he wants to be able to boast that a high number of people were deported, even naturalized U.S. citizens are being detained now. And tourists are being turned away. Australian tourists and others report they are going to avoid coming to the U.S. That is lost tourism dollars Southwest Florida. 

I join with others in telling politicians, enough is enough! 

And I ask my fellow citizens to make sure you vote Democrat in the upcoming elections up and down the ballots, for Congress and Senate, not just in the Presidential year. This tyranny must end. We must protect our democracy. If you voted for Trump and now you are sick of the high grocery prices, the continuing wars and now the arrests of U.S. citizens, you have the right to change your mind and vote for someone else. 

C.A.Hughes, MSW

Cape Coral