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Not even 24 hours after it was announced the Senate had passed their version of the immigration reform bill, critics were jockeying for place in front of television cameras to denounce it.
Now, you would think that the criticism would be from the organizations that advocate for immigrant rights but, not surprisingly, all the anger was coming from House Republicans who still can't wrap their minds around what happens if you tell 12 million people they can't stay here anymore.
In light of the Senate's action and their proposed bill where it's stipulated that anyone who arrived here before January 1, 2007 will automatically receive a Z visa that gives them immediate work authorization, I wondered if there would be a stronger push for a moratorium on worksite raids.
Douglas Rivlin of the Immigration Forum answered my question.
In part, he replied in an email, The raids will continue until the community forces the Government to adopt a more sensible and humane immigration policy that includes wider legal channels for immigrants in the future, relief for people caught in endless backlogs, an earned citizenship program to reduce or eliminate the undocumented immigrant population, and, yes, enforcement of the new legal system in a fair and just manner.
Though most immigrant advocates don't like the Senate's bill in its entirety, they all agree that it is an important start and that without this bill the issue may not have ever reached the floor of Congress this year.
But yet again, as the House begins to tackle the issue, we should prepare ourselves for an ugly fight that will attempt to demonize and dehumanize the Latino undocumented immigrant.
It is a political tactic that was done before. This time, with new leadership in the House of Representatives and a savvier Latino community, those same critics will have a harder time of accomplishing it this next round.
We can only hope they want to do "field surveys" again.
Comments (6)
YOU ARE OUT OF YOUR MIND IF YOU THINK REAL AMERICANS WILL EVER GRANT AMNESTY TO ILLEGAL ALIENS!
Posted by Outraged Patriots | 19 de Mayo 2007 a las 02:48 PM
Posted on 19 de Mayo 2007 14:48
Outraged Patriots, Americans were the original illegal alien invaders, please remember.
And in case you don't know about the internet, anyone who uses caps all the time is understood to be a maniac. Please get back on your meds, we're all a bit worried about you. :)
Posted by nezua limón xolagrafik-jonez | 20 de Mayo 2007 a las 03:35 PM
Posted on 20 de Mayo 2007 15:35
Outraged Patriots: "Real Americans"? My maternal ancestors welcomed the Europeans on their arrival here. Their treatment of these waves of newly-arrived foreigners was far more gracious than that shown by those same Europeans toward those who were already here or those who arrived after them.
160 years ago, it was "Outraged Patriots" who put up signs reading "No Dogs, No Irish." My paternal great-grandparents were the "illegals" back then. Literally snuck in from Canada.
140+ years ago, it was "Outraged Patriots" who formed the KKK.
Almost 56 years ago, it was "Outraged Patriots" who interned Japanese-Americans and refused to allow more than a few thousand Jewish refugees per year to flee the Nazis.
Just a couple weeks ago, a group of "Outraged Patriots" were gathering weapons and planning to "massacre Mexicans".
And those are just a few examples.
As I see it, behind every "Outraged Patriot" is nothing more a white man wetting his pants in terror that someone might do to him what he's done to others.
Posted by PA_Lady | 21 de Mayo 2007 a las 01:04 PM
Posted on 21 de Mayo 2007 13:04
Oh, I guess I'm not a "real" American then! So glad I had outraged patriots to tell me that. (/snarkiness)
Posted by turtlebella | 21 de Mayo 2007 a las 04:16 PM
Posted on 21 de Mayo 2007 16:16
Real Americans aren't going to grant amnesty. They are going to assess a fine and after that permit a path to citizenship.
Posted by Dave | 22 de Mayo 2007 a las 06:54 AM
Posted on 22 de Mayo 2007 06:54
hmmm. something keeps breaking the comment width. perhaps it is the reply function....
PA Lady kicked butt with that comment.
Posted by nezua limón xolagrafik-jonez | 23 de Mayo 2007 a las 08:48 PM
Posted on 23 de Mayo 2007 20:48