Oshkosh readers sound off on voter rules, SNAP cuts and ICE detention

Oshkosh readers sound off on voter rules, SNAP cuts and ICE detention

Send your views to [email protected].

Oshkosh Northwestern

March 7, 2026, 4:01 a.m. CT

A reader questions the necessity of the SAVE Act for voter registration in Wisconsin.

Another letter criticizes tax cuts for the wealthy, arguing they harm anti-hunger programs like SNAP.

A third writer expresses concerns about the conditions and treatment of individuals in immigration detention centers.

The Oshkosh Northwestern publishes letters from local authors on topics of local interest.

Here are this week’s letters to the editor of the Oshkosh Northwestern. See our letters policy below for details about how to share your views.

Questions remain about SAVE Act and voter registration

I have questions about H.R.22, known as the SAVE Act, which has passed the House of Representatives and has reached the Senate. In brief, this bill seeks to ensure that noncitizens cannot vote in national elections

One of my questions: Is a Wisconsin REAL ID alone sufficient to register to vote? To obtain a REAL ID, one must present a birth certificate, a marriage license, Social Security number and two proofs of address.

I submitted this question to the office of Glenn Grothman, who is my district’s representative in Washington, D.C. When I contacted Mr. Grothman, the bill had passed the House of Representatives and he had voted for it. Certainly, he should know this answer! In response to my email, I received a boilerplate response that did not acknowledge, much less answer, my question.

My question WAS answered — by the Wisconsin DMV. Our REAL ID alone is NOT sufficient to register to vote, because it does not explicitly state that the bearer is a citizen. Which means that all the documentation required to obtain a REAL ID will need to be presented AGAIN to register to vote under the SAVE Act.

Glenn Grothman either did not know the answer to my question or did not care to answer me. Either way, he demonstrated a troubling disregard for my inquiry, made in good faith. This is not a good look for an elected official who claims to represent all the members of the Sixth District.

Jennifer Frank

Omro

Tax cuts for the wealthy, hardship for the hungry

Are you and/or people you care about feeling the effects of the Billionaire Tax Cut bill of July 2025?

H.R. 1 reduces income for the poorest 20% of Americans by an average of 3.8% while increasing income for the wealthiest 20% by 3.7%.

SNAP is one of the most effective anti-hunger programs in our country, reaching 42 million people and generating up to $1.80 in economic activity for every $1 spent. Cuts to SNAP mean direct losses for farmers, grocers, and state and local governments.

By expanding time limits, shifting costs to states and imposing harsh restrictions on families, Congress made SNAP more expensive.

I volunteer at our local food pantry. People come here when they need it. We must limit what families can receive because of our supply limits. For example, would 2 gallons of milk or two dozen eggs a month be enough for your family?

Community members and companies are generous, but we cannot make up for what the federal government does. We supplement SNAP, but we cannot replace it.

Taxpayers do not save money. Under H.R. 1, working Americans bear the cost while billionaires walk away with the winnings. (Nearly 75% of tax cuts go to the top 20% in the U.S.)

I have been a hunger advocate since 1985. SNAP is a proven program I have urged for all these years. Please tell U.S. senators Tammy Baldwin and Ron Johnson and U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman to fully fund SNAP and not continue these new draconian cuts.

Deb Martin

Oshkosh

Immigration detention practices raise concerns

What really happens when ICE and Border Patrol agents snatch a brown-skinned person from their home, car or business and shove them into a vehicle?

Immediately, their location is unknown to family members.

The detainee is nabbed with only what they are wearing.

Length of detention is days or months with no change of clothes, no meds, no toothbrush, no showers, no food or water for hours or days, and, for women — no sanitary supplies.

“Detention center” is a polite term for “concentration camp.” No beds, thin pads on the floor for mattresses, no linens, blankets or laundry facilities. One toilet for dozens, not just two to four people.

Stress runs high; tempers flare; no privacy; injuries occur; no medical help is available; close quarters allow sickness to spread; uncertainty about tomorrow is worrisome and fearful.

There are no lawyers, friendly visitors, counselors … or hope.

There have been more than 25 deaths that are known — from disease, injury from beatings, poor nutrition, inadequate and tainted water, filth because of no ability to cleanse. What did the guards do with the bodies?

Jan Doemel Feeler

Viroqua

Our letters policy

Letters to the editor are published in the order in which they are received and letter-writers are limited to having one letter published per month. Letters can be emailed to [email protected] and Editor Brandon Reid at [email protected]. Letters must meet specific guidelines, including being no more than 250 words and be from local authors or on topics of local interest. All submissions must include the name of the person who wrote the letter, their city of residence and a contact phone number. Letters are edited as needed for style, grammar, length, fairness, accuracy and libel.