As an active member of the Movement for Comprehensive Immigration Reform, I firmly believe that only comprehensive reform is the right solution to the human problem represented by the nearly 11 million undocumented workers living in our country. Therefore, I categorically condemn and disapprove the approach and strategy of the “principles for immigration reform” issued by the House Republicans on January 30, 2014.
The proposed Republican piecemeal approach is a shameless political maneuver that only seeks to divide the pro – immigration reform movement. In addition, like HR4437, proposed by Representatives Sensenbrenner and King in 2006, these principals aim to criminalize most undocumented immigrants by stating that “people could legally live without fear in the United States, only if they are willing to admit their guilt.” As in 2006, requiring such a plea probably seeks to shift the responsibility of immigration enforcement to local and state authorities, with the consequent danger of the emergence of hundreds of Sheriffs Arpaio throughout the country.
Regarding securing the border, the solution is not to invest billions of dollars to build more fences and detection systems, or to declare “zero tolerance” policies for people crossing illegally or for those who overstay their visas. The fact is that as long as the conditions of poverty and unemployment in countries like Mexico and the rest of Latin America continue to prevail, people will migrate driven by the need to survive and support their families.
A fundamental solution to the excessive immigration of people to the US would be to invest in revitalizing the economy of “exporting” nations. If people are able to find decent paying jobs in their home country, there will be no need for them to uproot themselves from their families or their land. The solution is not to attack the symptoms of the problem (immigration) but to solve its causes and reasons.
Arguing that in certain sectors or industries, undocumented workers displace Americans, these principles also seek to change the visa system from one based on family preference, to one based on the need for employment in certain industries. In fact, this “principle” calls for the creation of temporary work visas program like the disastrous “ Bracero Program “ repealed in 1964. With that, the GOP only confirms what many of us immigrants have known for a long time: they want our labor but they despise immigrants.
In the case of E -Verify, we believe this is a discriminatory measure because without a comprehensive reform that allows undocumented immigrants to regularize their status, many people will become more vulnerable. We must remember that these people will continue to live in the United States and that one way or another; they will find jobs, except that, under these circumstances, their labor and civil rights will be violated and abused by employers who benefit from their services.
Republicans play with the needs of undocumented immigrants. This is especially true with young people also known as DREAMERS, whose only option to achieve the American Dream under these principles will be to graduate from a U.S. university or to enlist in the military, leaving out young people with a technical degree, small business owners, or any entrepreneur with no college education.
Finally, this list of Republican principles imposes as a condition before any person can regularize their status, certification that the border has been “secured”. It would be important to know what the term “secure border” means, and what the risks of repealing any reforms would be, based on the failure to comply with this “principle”.
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