In the Feb. 6 Mini Editorial, the writer sought to defend her opinion that all foreigners have an entitlement to enter the United States by referring to what is "inscribed on the Statue of Liberty." This is a much-too-common misconception.

There is nothing inscribed upon the Statue of Liberty; instead, I assume the writer was referring to Emma Lazarus' sonnet "The New Colossus." This is the sonnet that contains the oft-cited line "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses ..." The poem is not "inscribed" on the Statue of Liberty. It is engraved on a bronze plaque which is mounted in the lower level inside the pedestal upon which the Statue stands.

The origin of the Statue of Liberty has nothing to do with immigration. It was a present from the people of France to commemorate our Declaration of Independence and was intended to be a symbol of liberty. I cannot see where the Statue of Liberty has any place in the immigration debate. - Robert B. Deck, Sioux City

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LETTER: Statue of Liberty has no place in debate over immigration - Sioux City Journal