On Monday, November 21st, several of my colleagues in the House of Representatives and I, led by Congressman Luis Gutierrez of Illinois, are heading to Birmingham, Alabama to denounce H.B. 56, the state law that undermines the human rights of those without legal status and jeopardizes the ability of their children to attend school.
This law requires public schools to determine the immigration status of their students. Unfortunately, many families have already removed their children from Alabama public schools to avoid harassment by administrators.
H.B. 56 also requires police officers to determine the legal status of anyone arrested or otherwise detained, based on a "reasonable suspicion" that the person does not have citizenship. In effect, the law requires racial profiling. Anyone who seems to be "Not American" must establish his or her right to remain in the United States.
In addition, H.B. 56 authorizes the Alabama Department of Homeland Security to hire and maintain its own immigration police force.
This egregious law is another attempt by reactionary politicians to legislate that which is clearly beyond their jurisdiction... Immigration Law.
No one should believe that the problems with our nation's immigration policies are strictly limited to the reactionary, abusive, and often bigoted Alabama and Arizona laws. The effect of our obsolete federal immigration policies on families has been deplorable - with more than 5,000 children placed in foster care due to their parents having been detained or deported.
There are better, more enlightened and humane alternatives to address our broken and obsolete immigration system. For example, on Monday, the New York State Board of Regents recommended that the state legislature allow undocumented students to receive financial aid from the state's Tuition Assistance Program. Other states have enacted similar programs that will allow undocumented residents and their children to obtain an education and participate in the economy.
Only Congress has the authority to adequately and holistically address our broken immigration system. That is why it is imperative that Congress take up comprehensive immigration reform so that we can keep families and communities together; provide a feasible pathway to citizenship; fix our visa allocation system; bring workers back to our farms; and integrate our immigrants as contributing members of our civil society, strengthening our economy and creating jobs for all Americans.
We have the ability, it is our duty to reject the politics of divisiveness and bigotry. We must pass comprehensive immigration reform now. How we treat these immigrants today will ultimately define our future as a nation.
Good for you, girl. The Civil Rights movement would've never happened without people with integrity and courage, like yourself. Thank you.
For centuries African Americans fought for Civil Rights for centuries and was successful in 1964, without the help of the same people who now wish to link illegal immigration to Civil Rights. It's wrong and offensive for you to compare illegal aliens to African Americans whose blood is in this soil and without them being Slaves America would not be the Great Nation she is today.What have illegal aliens contributed to our nation. How dare you disparage my people's memory and heroic act. Shame on you. Perhaps this link will educate you on the treate of Black people in various Latin American countries:
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/black-in-latin-america/
Your micro bio says "justice for all, not few"...were those just words that sounded good, or did you mean that? I believe in those words.
Is she absolutely CRAZY? I don't want ANY of my tax dollars going to help illegal immigrants, or their children. I hate the propaganda being espoused. We are inhumane if we want the immigration laws of the U.S. enforced. I am not inhumane. When we are sacrificing so much to help these people, who is helping us to put food on our tables, gas in our vehicles, and to pay our mortgages? It is inhumane to put more weight upon the already strained to breaking backs of the American taxpayer. Taking our money and giving it to people who only take from our economy without giving back is inhumane. Get a clue Yvette Clarke. Really....
Deportation not education.
Dumped into a known "Drug War" with nothing, not even a drop of water?
Or to the over Five Thousand Legal Citizen Children that are in Foster care, and no longer have Parents?
To: Good, and Brotherhood, from Sea to shining Sea.
You American You.
Just another reason to push for the repeal of Plyler vs. Doe. It's yet another magnet for illegal immigrants to come here. They know their kids will get a free education on our dime. Remove the magnets and severely punish employers .......problem solved !!
Please enjoy your Deportation Depression.
"The bill was passed with a lot of other bills and we didn't read the bill all the way through."
Point out where the leadership is exactly.
We went down this road before and congress gave the American people the finger. Now it's time to return the favor.
AP via the Birmingham News this evening:
Immigration law: Mercedes manager from Germany arrested in Alabama
http://tinyurl.com/84awjvo
Police say a German executive with Mercedes-Benz is free after being arrested under Alabama's strict new law targeting illegal immigrants.
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama — A German manager with Mercedes-Benz is free after being arrested for not having a driver's license with him under Alabama's new law targeting illegal immigrants, authorities said Friday, in an otherwise routine case that drew the attention of Gov. Robert Bentley.
"First of all he's 46 and he knew better than to leave the hotel without ID. I'm sure in germany that the police don't let you off, why should Americans put up with that crap from a visitor from another country? WE SHOULDN'T! I'm glad they arrested him, next time you drive on Alabama roads, bring your papers boy!"
"BOY" was a term frequently used by whites towards black males.
President Obama, armed with several copies of his birth certificate could disappear under this law.
Rep. Clark, please understand that not everyone in the state is fascist. I live on the coast and government officials here have gone to great lengths to assist immigrants with understanding the implications of this atrocity, and many, but not all, are disgusted by this act.
So, please do your your homework.
AND, remember to have your blood type and SSN tatoo'd on an arm and leg, and have a photo of yourself, your mother, an apple pie with little US flags sticking into it, and have The Statue of Liberty or Ground Zero in it!
RFV
Fairhope, AL