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Secure Borders,
Economic Opportunity and Immigration Reform Act (S.1348) of 2007.
Background.
The United States Congress has
started the legislative process for comprehensive immigration reform
that focuses on securing the broken borders, creating economic
opportunity and dealing with the U.S Immigration system. Immigration
remains a very emotional domestic political issue in the USA. The
Senate is due to begin its immigration debate on June 4th,
with a final vote scheduled for June 8th. A positive note
during last week’s immigration debate was the defeat of a provision that
would have forced local officials to enforce federal immigration laws
and federal penalties for helping the undocumented.
Humane and Fair
Immigration.
a) The S. 1348 contains
some good elements worth supporting especially the legalization
opportunity for the 12 million undocumented immigrants to live and work
who arrived in the USA before January 1, 2007. This provision must be
supported and demanded from Senators for it is essential for the
restoration of laws, security and human dignity of the undocumented
immigrants. Critics opposed to the comprehensive immigration reform are
unfortunately calling this amnesty without offering alternatives.
b) However some issues
in S. 1348 are of concern such as the proposed point system migration
which favors personal education, knowledge of English and job skills
over family connections. Fair and humane legislation must unite
families. This system will change the family-based immigration which is
traditionally used in the United States.
c) The temporary guest
worker provision that calls for a two year visa then a return home to
extend this, with no path to permanent residency, will create a
permanent second or underclass of citizens in the USA. This carries the
potential to exploit foreign workers and may lead to undocumented
immigrants after the visa expires, especially when their return is not
guaranteed. The system must prevent exploitation and protect workings
conditions and wages for all immigrants and U.S workers.
d) We must work together
to have effective oversight and accountability of rights at the border.
A provision calling for an extensive border fence and militarization of
the border is not the only solution to the immigration dilemma today.
Action for
Comprehensive Immigration Reform.
-Contact your senators by fax,
visit, call at 202 224 3121, and email or
www.senate.gov then click “find your senator”.
- Urge Senators to return from
their recess prepared to support comprehensive immigration reform in
this historic opportunity.
Now is the time for a humane
and workable immigration reform; one that respects family unification,
legalization of the undocumented, protection of all foreign and US
workers and accountability at the border. |
