On second border visit, first lady shows strengths

The first lady may have found her White House calling.

On June 28 she returned to the border to speak with officials at a U.S. Border Patrol facility in Tucson, Ariz., where she held a roundtable discussion with those on the front lines of the immigration crisis.

“I’m here to support you and give my help, whatever I can,” said Mrs. Trump.

It’s her second trip to the border, and she seems laser-focused on the issues there affecting children. “She cares about children deeply and when the news started to hit I think she was very concerned and wanted to make sure the kids are being well taken care of,” said her spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham. “She doesn’t like to see parents and kids separated,” she told The Associated Press.

Melania Trump has not had an easy go of it since becoming first lady. She and other family members have been the target of late-night talk shows, and social media has been cruel to Melania. Being married to the president of the United States can be daunting to anyone but it is fair to say that her husband has drawn more ire from all sides than most.

We applaud Melania Trump and her efforts to understand the situation on the border and use her position to improve it. She is a smart and accomplished woman and has the unique circumstance of being an immigrant herself.

She is becoming more high-profile in her current role and that can be a powerful thing as we’ve seen with some of her predecessors.

Border security is important but so is empathy, and this first lady is certainly exhibiting it.

—Boston Herald, July 2, 2018

More in Opinion

Larry Persily. (Juneau Empire file photo)
Opinion: Low oil prices a ‘bah humbug’ for state treasury

It’s the season of warm wishes, goodwill, families and friends. It’s a… Continue reading

Seismologist Carl Tape stands at the site of Dome City in summer 2025. Dome City ghosted out many years ago, but not before miners unearthed many fossils, some of which they donated to the University of Alaska. Photo courtesy Ned Rozell
A whale of a mammoth tale

Matthew Wooller couldn’t believe his ears after a California researcher rang his… Continue reading

A vintage Underwood typewriter sits on a table on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022, at the Homer News in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
Letters to the editor

Soldotna needs better funding for all student sports An issue that has… Continue reading

Larry Persily. (Juneau Empire file photo)
Opinion: Governor misses the point of fiscal leadership

Gov. Mike Dunleavy, now in his final year in office, has spent… Continue reading

Voting booths are filled at the Kenai No. 2 precinct, the Challenger Learning Center of Alaska in Kenai, Alaska, on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Point of View: Alaskans, don’t be duped by the Citizens Voter initiative

A signature drive is underway for a ballot measure officially titled the… Continue reading

A 1958 earthquake on the Fairweather Fault that passes through Lituya Bay shook a mountaintop into the water and produced a wave that reached 1,740 feet on the hillside in the background, shearing off rainforest spruce trees. Photo courtesy Ned Rozell
A wrinkle beneath the icy face of Alaska

A few days ago, the forces beneath Alaska rattled people within a… Continue reading

A vintage Underwood typewriter sits on a table on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022, at the Homer News in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
Letters to the editor

Brine makes life less affordable About a year after the 2024 presidential… Continue reading

Larry Persily. (Juneau Empire file photo)
Opinion: Maybe the 5-day-old leftovers are to blame

I don’t ever throw away leftovers. I figure anything wrapped in petrochemical-based… Continue reading

This figure shows the approximately 2,700 earthquakes that occurred in Southcentral Alaska between Sept. 10 and Nov. 12, 2025. Also shown are the locations of the two research sites in Homer and Kodiak. Figure by Cade Quigley
The people behind earthquake early warning

Alders, alders, everywhere. When you follow scientists in the Alaska wilderness, you’ll… Continue reading

Patricia Ann Davis drew this illustration of dancing wires affected by air movement. From the book “Alaska Science Nuggets” by Neil Davis
The mystery of the dancing wires

In this quiet, peaceful time of year, with all the noisy birds… Continue reading

Photo courtesy Kaila Pfister
A parent and teen use conversation cards created by the Alaska Children’s Trust.
Opinion: Staying connected starts with showing up

When our daughter was 11 and the COVID lockdown was in full… Continue reading

Juneau Empire file photo
Larry Persily.
Opinion: The country’s economy is brewing caf and decaf

Most people have seen news reports, social media posts and business charts… Continue reading