Re: “Food, Honestly: Is takeout too expensive?<\/a>” Jan. 14 commentary<\/p>\n Allyson Reedy hit the nail on the head. My wife and I love to eat out, but in all honesty, the prices are starting to deter us. At our favorite sit-down burger place, a burger is $14, fries are $4, and a Happy Hour beer is $6 — $24 before taxes\/fees and tip. There are myriad taxes and extra fees (Fair Labor, kitchen, recycling, composting, etc.) these days, usually averaging 10-15% of the bill. Add a 20% tip and you are over $30 for a burger and a beer. Multiply that by two, and our tab is usually just under $65.<\/p>\n Not to sound like my mother, but you want to know how many burgers, fries and beers I can have at home for $65? I honestly don’t know how the average family eats out these days. I’m guessing in light of all the restaurant closures that too many don’t.<\/p>\n Mike Conkey, Thornton<\/em><\/p>\n Re: “Bills address immigration crackdown<\/a>,” Jan. 15 news story and “Chaos, tension the new normal<\/a>\u201d and \u201cDemonstrators for and against ICE face off,<\/a>\u201d Jan. 18 news stories.<\/p>\n The U.S. Constitution clearly states that the federal government has supremacy over states in matters of immigration. Sanctuary states and localities are clearly illegal and actions by them to impede or interfere with federal immigration law enforcement are illegal and constitute insurrection.<\/p>\n Officials in sanctuary states like California and Minnesota and sanctuary cities like Los Angeles and Minneapolis claim that ICE is creating chaos and making conditions unsafe for their citizens. Actually, it is government officials in these states and cities that are creating these conditions by refusing to cooperate with ICE, releasing criminal aliens with ICE detainers onto the streets, encouraging residents to protest against ICE and doing nothing when protests turn into riots with projectiles and fireworks thrown at federal agents, federal vehicles damaged, and \u201dprotestors\u201d vehicles used to impede law enforcement. Their actions encourage residents to endanger themselves and risk prosecution for criminal violations. You do not see chaos and unsafe conditions in non-sanctuary cities or states that cooperate with federal immigration authorities.<\/p>\nICE is making sanctuary communities safer<\/h4>\n