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The story about two German teens attempting to enter Hawaii recently is interesting. U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz made comments that sounded like his heart may have been in the right place, but I don’t think he gave it his full thought before speaking.
The two teens came to Hawaii from California under false pretenses, and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection was spot-on in its decision to detain them and send them back home. They came here on a whim with the intent to work, with false visas, no place to stay and maybe no money. Was Schatz willing to put them up at his house or at the Hilton?
I don’t feel they had any idea about visas, international laws, about Hawaii. This situation may not quite reflect Hawaii’s values, but the end result was right. It’s legal. Hawaii welcomes all; just do it the right way.
Charlene Aoki
Kaimuki
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