'Marvin's Journey' elicits readers' opposing views

A drag on America or a rising American?

Two views of Marvin Hernandez emerge in calls and letters to the Star from readers of last week's three-day series, "Marvin's Journey: One Immigrant's American Dream."

Staff members Ignacio Ibarra and Jeffry Scott chronicled the journey of illegal immigrant Marvin Hernandez, a 26-year-old mechanic, from El Salvador, through Southern Arizona to his new home in Boston.

Tucsonan Robert Crain sees Hernandez as part of a wave of criminals who threaten to diminish the quality of life for all Americans.

"It seems to me that we are being overrun," Crain said, "not only from the Latin American countries but all over. We have enough problems of our own. No question that there's poverty and wars in other countries. We are running out of resources for our own people."

Ivan Abrams, on the other hand, said he hopes Boston's elite Harvard University might some day open its doors to the children Hernandez hopes to have. "Our nation was built upon this dream," said Abrams, of Tucson. "It will stagnate unless we encourage those who truly believe in it to live it among us."