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In response to the four letters critiquing my letter ("Immigration status of suspects in crimes is an issue," Dec. 3), they interpret what I wrote as they want not as I wrote it.

Of course I don't condone criminal behavior of anyone no matter where they are from. However, to label an entire group of persons such as immigrants (whether documented or not) as potentially bad people goes over the top.

Being an undocumented immigrant is NOT a criminal offense, it is a civil offense like driving without a license. Doing something that may not be lawful does not make it criminal, otherwise speeders would all be arrested and tax cheats would deserve federal prison among other societal offenses.

These writers and Brad Botwin ("Leadership vacuum in Maryland," Dec. 3 letter) want to hang the criminal label on undocumented immigrants so they can rouse the anger of the public to be against good decent persons. Determining immigration status is very complex. Leave it to the immigration authorities. Creating divisiveness and anger in our county populations does not solve our crime problems but only exacerbates them.

Henry Montes, Potomac

The writer is co-chairman of the county executive's Latin American Advisory Group.