No big savings from cutting school vouchers

In response to the recent commentary, “Time for Maryland to cut private school vouchers” (March 31), I would call attention to the readers of The Baltimore Sun that the Maryland Department of Education budget for 2025 is $10.1 billion.

Is it unreasonable to spend $9 million (or .0009%) of that budget to provide low-income students an alternative to our failing public schools through the Broadening Options and Opportunities for Students Today or BOOST program?

— Don McCartney, Ellicott City

Maryland men’s basketball gets shipwrecked

The Poseidon wreckage, also known as the transfer portal, has not been kind to the University of Maryland Terrapins men’s basketball team. Sadly, college basketball is in unfettered disarray at this juncture.

Perhaps the only good to emanate from this is that head coach Kevin Willard is moving to another team to tell the same time-tested lies, over and over (“Buzz Williams introduced as Maryland men’s basketball coach: ‘We will win,'” April 2).

Good riddance, Coach Willard.

— Patrick R. Lynch, Towson

Fear the penguin!

The penguins on Heard Island and McDonald Islands in the remote Antarctic deserve better than having President Donald Trump’s 10% tariffs imposed on them (“Federal Reserve chief says Trump tariffs likely to raise inflation and slow US economic growth,” April 4).

They should be left alone by him so they can spend their days swimming and hunting for food in the water and coming on land to breed, nest and care for their young, often in groups.

“Fear the penguin!”

— Mel Tansill, Catonsville

Will Harris stand up for due process?

As the one Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland, what is Rep. Andy Harris doing to speak out against the illegal imprisonment of Maryland resident Kilmar Abrego Garcia in a foreign prison by the Trump administration? We should all be concerned about the lack of due process illustrated by this case (“Md. deportation a mistake; failing to correct it a bigger one,” April 3).

Abrego Garcia came to the U.S. seeking asylum. Although he may have entered illegally, he was granted protected status by a U.S. court declaring he could not be deported to El Salvador.

He lived and worked in Maryland with his wife, child and stepchildren who are all citizens of the United States. He has no criminal record. And despite flimsy allegations of MS-13 membership, there is no evidence that he was ever a gang member.

ICE has admitted that Abrego Garcia’s imprisonment is the result of an “administrative error” and the Trump administration claims it cannot return him because he’s now in El Salvadoran custody.

But surely the courts, Secretary Marco Rubio and the U.S. Department of State, or whoever in the administration made that deal to pay El Salvador for holding these men, can do something.

As the leader of the Freedom Caucus, Harris frequently talks about his meetings with President Donald Trump. Surely, having President Trump’s ear, the congressman could be of some help in delivering this Maryland father from the black hole he’s been sent to? But first, he should stop saying things like how Abrego Garcia “is probably an MS-13 gang member.” “Probably” isn’t good enough.

Due process ensures the right to notice, a fair hearing and an impartial tribunal before being deprived of life, liberty or property.

It’s time for Harris to recognize that due process rights protect all of us and we need him to speak up.

— Dawn Sacks, Forest Hill