In his July 1 letter (“Politician unaware her comments uninformed”), Michael J. DiStefano criticizes U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for comparing our detention centers to Nazi concentration camps. He suggests that such comments are uninformed and ignorant. Yet the congresswoman’s comments appear to be consistent with the writings of Andrea Pitzer, the author of “One Long Night: A Global History of Concentration Camps.” Ms. Pitzer states that a concentration camp involves “mass detention of civilians without trial.” I believe that this description accurately describes what is happening on our southern border.

The editors of National Catholic Reporter are in agreement with the comparison made by the congresswoman and they note that many detained in these camps have not done anything illegal, and in fleeing violence and persecution in their native countries they are within international law and U.S. law in seeking asylum. The editors note that while detention predated the Trump administration, they state that President Trump has “made it a centerpiece of his agenda and has perfected the use of extreme language to dehumanize families fleeing for their lives and safety.”

Representative Ocasio-Cortez is doing a public service in highlighting Trump’s dehumanizing asylum seekers and calling out his atrocious concentration camps.

Jim Cummings

West Kingston