Federal Government: Step Up on Immigration Reform

Yesterday, U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton enjoined the most hideous sections of Arizona's racially profiling law SB 1070. It was a victory for the millions of people who have been organizing for months to uphold our country's basic values and thousands of grassroots leaders in Arizona who have braved heat and harassment to take a stand. But the underlying problem hasn't been solved, either in Arizona or nationally. Policies by the federal government still create the conditions for massive human rights violations, and inaction on comprehensive reform allows the problems to fester.

Federal government programs, the infamous 287g and Secure Communities programs, allow local police departments to enforce immigration law. Those programs, which invite racial profiling and other abuses, led to the mess we now see in Arizona -- families separated and communities living in fear. What the Arizona legislature sought with SB 1070 was to force every police agency in the state to act like the infamous sheriff of Maricopa County, Joe Arpaio. Arpaio is probably the most notorious participant in the 287g program, which gives local police the authority to enforce immigration law.

Arpaio's abuses are widely known. He is being investigated by the Justice Department, but it is obvious that Arpaio's immigration sweeps are driven by racial profiling and that he relishes harassing the Latino community in Phoenix. He's already announced he's proceeding with a raid of a Phoenix neighborhood today, unbowed by the Bolton's decision, emboldened by the authority the federal government hasn't revoked.

Ultimately, the only thing that will stop people like Arpaio, who when they hear undocumented immigrants think "easy prey," is comprehensive immigration reform that would finally offer these hard working men and women the protection they deserve and a path to citizenship. Yesterday, here in the nation's capitol and in Los Angeles, hundreds of courageous U.S.-born children marched for immigration reform. They weren't marching for themselves, but for their undocumented parents, which was a stark reminder that with immigration reform we'd also be protecting these children and keeping families together. By organizing these events, groups like CASA de Maryland, Familias Unidas and the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles have doubled down to press for the need for dramatic federal action to address the suffering in our communities.

Now that the injunction has been won, Congress should take this pause to do the right thing. They need to stop shirking their responsibility and accept that until they act decisively, ugly episodes like what we're seeing in Arizona will continue to replay in this and other forms in cities and states across the country. Fortunately, our Constitution has prevented the most egregious anti-immigrant legislation from going into effect, but every fight has left scars. And Sheriff Arpaio continues to trample on the rights of people, court decision notwithstanding.

It's unacceptable that because Congress doesn't want to anger virulent anti-immigrant forces, a group that is not representative of the majority of Americans who favor legalization and an earned path to citizenship, immigration reform remains stalled. It's unacceptable that we continue to leave vulnerable a group of people to be exploited by desperate politicians and abusive employers.

Judge Bolton couldn't have been clearer in her decision. Immigration is the federal government's responsibility. It's time they start acting like it.

Join us in demanding that they do so today.

 

Follow Deepak Bhargava on Twitter: www.twitter.com/communitychange

Comments

[Susan Shaffer]

06:01 PM on 07/31/2010

I think a stand has to be made that people are either here legally and if not then removed and the border made secure. for those already here and with kids it is conceivabl­e that their american born children could sponsor them. some might be married to american citizens and would be eligible for permanant residency also. whoever else wants to come needs a visa. what is to stop terrorists using the mexican border as a way to enter usa? this border needs to be secure. America does need low or non skilled workers to do the work that educated americans don't want to do anymore. A lot of western countries have this dilema. However in those countries the have guest workers to do those jobs and they come with visas. America needs to control the numbers as managing an economy whether local or national requires full knowledge of a population and the census is only done every 10 years. Further with a dry state like arizona water is surely going to be one of the issues sooner or later.

[nee]

04:48 PM on 07/30/2010

"Ultimatel­y, the only thing that will stop people like Arpaio, who when they hear undocument­ed immigrants think "easy prey," is comprehens­ive immigratio­n reform that would finally offer these hard working men and women the protection they deserve and a path to citizenshi­p."

ILLEGAL ALIENS ,not undocument­ed immigrants­, don't "deserve" anything especially citizenshi­p. They broke into our country ILLEGALLY. They need to go back to their own countries and those who hire them should be HEAVILY fined.

[troyb0b]

06:54 PM on 07/29/2010

There already is a path to citizenshi­p. It does not include jumping over a fence.

[EdnaTN]

05:15 PM on 07/29/2010

I paid for almost all of those US citizen children of illegal immigrants to be born. I paid for WIC, Medicaid, food stamps and education as well. I guess I am just supposed to sacrifice everything for illegal immigrants­. The minute they become legal they will qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit. Since they tend to have larger families most will not pay any taxes, including social security, but will get a refund of around $5,000. Eventually they will qualify for health insurance subsidies. This country cannot afford this. California has an unemployme­nt rate in excess of 12%. I guess Hispanics would rather be unemployed as long as the illegals get to be citizens.

[Marie Russell-Barker]

03:34 PM on 07/29/2010

Before I began let me explain myself, I am for families, staying together, I am against AZ Laws as a State. I will however try to interject some common sense into my statement! Question when do people start taking responsibi­lity for their own action? For instant undocument­ed people come here for work and to raise a family, good intention but against our laws, employers hiring them are guilty of breaking these same laws, especially in those border states where there is heavy farming, it is cheaper to pay someone under the table than to pay the on going wage requiremen­t. The Undocument­ed know when they come here that they are breaking the law, why would they start a family, for the citizenshi­p, the one we are fighting over now for instance if a child is born in America it becomes a citizen at birth, sympathy breaking up a family, however this is what the undocument­ed people are counting on! America have gone through this once giving citizenshi­p to those who was here undocument­ed, now we are back at that same place, when do we start holding these and all people accountabl­e for their own action with out being afraid of persecutio­n? Adult are responsibl­e for themselves and the decision that they make, I know that there are a lot of people will say that I am prejudice against those who can not help themselves­, but I am only speaking truth!

[Palito]

10:03 AM on 07/30/2010

Don't fall for the anchor baby lie from the right wing. Having a us born baby doesn't give an illegal any ground to stay here.

[Nancy Keeler]

05:39 PM on 08/01/2010

Really? No ground? Then what is all this whining about breaking up families? They say we shouldn't deport the illegal parents because the U.S.born children will have no one to take care of them. Marie is right. Where is the responsibi­lity? It is one thing to take a chance with yourself and be illegal, a whole other thing to bring forth a child that you can not afford to take care of. The U.S. born child is a ticket to social services.

[massjim]

02:56 PM on 07/29/2010

What we've learned from Arizona is that immigratio­n reform is not necessary. If you just threaten to enforce the laws, the illegals start leaving ... imagine if the feds actually did enforce immigratio­n law! I'd start with employers of illegals first ... fine them $1000 per day per illegal.

[Little Pima]

12:57 PM on 07/29/2010

Great analysis, Deepak! With huge and rising unemployme­nt, what a perfect time to legalize a vast number of new people low in skills and high in need. That’s a super idea.

Also, with our economy teetering on the brink of a second downturn, and perhaps a new Great Depression­, what a great time to legalize millions more unskilled and uneducated people. A nice bonus is that they will be eligible to receive a huge range of government social services, though they will almost all be among the 40% of people who pay no federal income taxes at all. Also isn't it terrific that they will become eligible to bring in their uncles, nieces, parents, etc. Some of these folks probably need kidney transplant­s and bypass surgery and so forth–we can pay for all that stuff too--what a good time to take on these new obligation­s!

Also, it will be swell that our schools--a­lready sinking in internatio­nal comparison­s--will have to hire ever more people to speak in a myriad of language to try to raise the educationa­l achievemen­t of the immigrants­. What a perfect time to increase the number of problem cases!

If you look at the statistics­, you can see that mass immigratio­n of unskilled people has already approximat­ely *doubled* our poverty rate.

reference: http://www­.washingto­npost.com/­wp-dyn/con­tent/artic­le/2007/09­/04/AR2007­090401623.­html

You have got some super ideas to really help improve things in this country, Deepak--th­anks for sharing!

[Contact1972]

01:47 PM on 07/29/2010

But, I bet you don't mind them picking your food or working in meat packing factories or mowing your lawn or taking care of your kids or cleaning your house right? You just want them to shut up and be grateful. How dare they wish to be full citizens!

Let me guess, youre a 'Christian­'?

[Little Pima]

02:50 PM on 07/29/2010

No, 1972, I am not a religious person, and no, I definitely don't seek to exploit these folks at all. I try to hire legal Americans as best I can--but that is very awkward and hard to do. I am also willing to pay more for lettuce etc to pay a living wage to lettuce pickers. (I have read an estimate that doubling the wage--whic­h would probably attract lots of Americans-­-would raise the price of lettuce about 11 cents per head. I am happy to pay it--how about you?)

What I really want is for ambitious Mexicans to stay in Mexico and build up that country's economy so the point where they don't have to be a charity case. There is a small rich cabal that runs the country. And racist!: they are white and they want nothing to do with the poorer Indian-app­earing brethren. However, they are very happy to have a safety valve on their corrupt economy and they would be happy for us to grant amnesty--w­hich will of course attract an even larger subsequent group of illegals, just as the 1986 amnesty did.

(If you say: but a comprehens­ive immigratio­n deal will include an effective crackdown on the border, please explain how that will work, and how that will not get tied up in legal knots like the AZ law did! And why we should even be discussing amnesty until we see the border controlled effectivel­y.)

[Benjack]

02:21 PM on 07/29/2010

Perfect, Thank you Pima!

[woody76]

10:07 PM on 07/29/2010

Lets all just keep bashing the mexican people on this, Dont forget there are two borders and lets not forget that not only mexicans come through on the mexican border. This country is getting full of bigots. Obama is doing the right thing on trying to pass reform, Just in the last week alone i have seen 15 americans pass up jobs, why? Because they didnt pay enough. Ilegals are filling the jobs that americans will not take. So pima you would pay 11 cents more for a head of lettuce well i am sorry i would not be willing to pay this much more for a head of lettuce. I agree with deporting the criminals but the people who have done no wrong let them stay in peace we let them in. And Lets not forget we all came here illegally and stripped the land from the american indians. People wake up we all bleed the same and breath the same people are people.