Letters to the editors: Immigration action driven by race; tariffs not helping

Immigration actions driven by race

While Tuesday’s (02/24) editorial makes numerous thoughtful and relevant comments, there is an “elephant in the room” that goes ignored. There is a common characteristic shared by those subject to this administration’s punitive actions. That is the color of their skin. Please call out the vindictive racism of this administration.

Larry Roberts

Signal Mountain

(READ MORE: Times Opinion: On immigration, Hamilton County Republicans are missing the point)

Tariffs don’t help economy

President Trump says we are being “ripped off” by trade imbalances and the solution is to impose high tariffs on imported goods. U.S. manufacturing will have a comeback, jobs will be created and trade imbalances will go away.

The problem is tariffs are paid by the U.S. company doing the importing. They’re a government-imposed cost either absorbed by the U.S. company or, more likely, passed onto consumers. According to the Tax Foundation, prices are up and will rise as much as $1,300 in 2026. Yahoo Finance reports manufacturing lost 70,000 jobs since the new tariffs. And FactCheck.org says it is too early to judge whether tariffs are having an impact on the trade deficit.

Meanwhile Trump is using tariffs to threaten the EU on Greenland, India on Russian oil, Canada on Chinese EVs and Switzerland because their prime minister “rubbed me the wrong way.” In retaliation, China stopped buying American farm products and farmers now need $12 billion in government aid just to get through this spring’s plantings. Canada, UK, Germany and South Africa are talking new trade with China. The EU just finalized an agreement with India and may cancel July trade negotiations with the U.S.

Not a very encouraging beginning to President Trump’s economic plans for the next three years.

Rick Platz

Cleveland