Virginia Association of Counties Supports Comprehensive Immigration Reform

At the November 2009 meeting of the Virginia Association of Counties (VACo), which represents 95 counties in Virginia, approved a position statement supporting Federal Comprehensive Immigration Reform.  The statement was approved unanimously and will be part of VACo's Legislative Program for 2010.  VACo's mission is to "support county officials and to effectively represent, promote and protect the
interests of counties to better serve all the people of Virginia."  Among other things, VACo is also "an effective force representing local governments at the state and national levels in legislative and regulatory processes."

House Bill for Immigration Reform Introduced by Rep. Gutierrez (LINK)

Yesterday, Representative Luis Gutierrez of Illinois introduced the Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America's Security and Prosperity Act of 2009 (H.R. 4321), co-sponsored with over 90 other members of the House of Representatives.  (Similar legislation is expected to be introduced in the Senate by Senator Charles Schumer of New York in January.)  In his statement, Rep. Gutierrez noted some key points:

• "This bill is not complicated...It keeps families together, but understands we must secure our borders.  It keeps people working, but understands the needs of our economy.  It gives a pathway to citizenship, but understands that immigrants must learn English, pay taxes and contribute to their communities."
• "The immigrant blame game wants us to forget that immigrants are just people...just people trying to do their best.  But immigrants are different in one important way.  They desperately want something that far too many of us take for granted.  They want to be Americans."
• "In the immigration debate, some things are constant...One is that opponents of immigration reform will use it as a wedge issue and will blame everything from unemployment to rising health care costs on immigrants."

Their Future Is Ours (LINK)

An editorial entitled "Their Future Is Ours" in today's New York Times raises the issue of education for the children of immigrants:

"There are 16 million children in immigrant families in the United States, one of the fastest-growing segments of the population. It’s an old American story made new in the age of globalization, when waves of human displacement in recent decades have led to immigration on a scale not seen since Ellis Island. But a country that has been so good for so long at integrating new Americans is stumbling under the challenge."

Why worry about educating immigrant children?  Today's reality is there are more students in honors programs in China and India than we in the U.S. have students in school.  In a global economy, we simply need every smart, hardworking young person we can educate for the U.S. to compete in the global economy.  Putting up roadblocks to education is putting up roadblocks to America's future success.

For every young entrepreneurial immigrant we block from getting an education and who might have have founded the next Google or Intel (both started by immigrants), we miss opportunity to create hundreds of thousands of new jobs in the U.S. and to sustain our technological leadership in the world.

As the editorial notes, in conclusion:

"This is the great challenge that is forgotten in the heat of the immigration debate. The children of immigrants are Americans. “They” are “us,” a cohort of newcomers who will be filling the demographic void left as the baby boomers start fading away. Their future is our country’s future."

Immigration -- A Perspective from "Down Under" (LINK)

When I first traveled to Australia in the early 1980's, I found immigration here was tightly controlled -- driven by remnants of a "white Australia" policy.  I remember a Greek cab driver in Melbourne I met on my first business trip who said his life was ok here, but he always felt excluded -- an exclusion he expected he wouldn't find in the U.S. (knowing he was talking to an American).

Confirming that, I remember listening to a TV news report on Good Morning Australia about some salami found to have salmonella that had killed a number of people, but the report concluded that there were "no worries" because only Greeks and Italian immigrants ate that type of salami.  Having an Italian surname, I personally found I was treated well if recognized as an American, but much less well if thought to be an Italian.

Today in Australia you definitely see a society somewhat more open to immigrants.  A walk in downtown Sydney includes pedestrian passing of folks who are clearly immigrants -- mostly Asian, which is a source of much of Australia's trade these days -- pretty much all well-dressed business people.  But immigration at lower economic levels and for other ethnic and racial groups is still very limited and very controlled.

On arriving here I learned that a refugee boat headed here with asylum seekers is being blocked by the Australian government in an effort to divert them elsewhere.  The unstated inference being, "we don't want THOSE PEOPLE here."  At my first Sunday here at Mass, the pastor of Villa Maria Church (Fr. Kevin Bates S.M.) spoke eloquently about this fear of immigrants.

"There is a great deal of shouting for joy in the first reading today as God brings  the remnant of Israel, back to their own homeland.  The blind, the lame, women with child and in labour, God will comfort them all as he leads them back home.

   

As we read this, our world is awash with refugees fleeing from various wars in their homelands and from persecution at the hands of governments or other ethnic groups in their homelands.   A small trickle of these people is headed in our direction and we hear the sounds of fear and suspicion on all sides because these people may impact on  the way we are accustomed to living.

   

In the gospel we have the wonderful story of the blind beggar, Bartimaeus who has the courage to call out to Jesus in his need.  Because he is an embarrassment and rejected as an unworthy member of his community, the crowds  try to silence him, but he calls out all the louder. Finally he gets Jesus’ attention and pleads that his eyes may be opened.

  

Immediately his sight returns and he follows Jesus along the road.  In other words, he starts to live in the light of what he now sees.

   

Often when we are confronted with uncomfortable truths, we prefer not to see and we call out like the people in the gospel, trying to silence the desire for clearer sight, in case we happen to see differently and then have to change and respond.  Often when we are confronted with uncomfortable truths, we deny the truth its place and prefer to stay with our blindness, for then we don’t have to respond.

   

Often when we are confronted with the “inconvenient truth” to borrow Al Gore’s film title, we use anger, aggression, name-calling to save ourselves from having to respond.

  

The recent small increase in asylum-seekers looking to come to Australia, is one instance of such an inconvenient truth."

In the up-coming immigration debate, I hope America will meet the expectation of that Greek cab driver of being a country that welcomes the immigrant.

Cardinal Mahony: "Immigrants are us" (LINK)

"Our nation needs an immigration system that upholds the rule of law, responds to our long-term economic need, values family unity, and respects basic human rights.  Now, our immigration system accomplishes none of these goals.  Our democracy was built on the premise that unjust laws can be changed."

"As a citizen and an observer of the law-making process, I believe I can say with confidence that the American public is somewhat disillusioned with the posturing and rhetoric that has become so prominent in our political culture.  This dynamic has been displayed most recently during the national health-care debate, with the subject of immigrants and their eligibility for health-care an ongoing controversy."

For upcoming changes to immigration detention policies, go to: 
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/us/politics/06detain.html?_r=1&hpw

The History of Immigration: "Immigration Stories, From Shadows to Spotlight" (LINK)

"When we think about illegal immigration, we think about Mexican immigrants, whereas in fact illegal immigration cuts across all immigrant groups," notes University of Minnesota History Professor Erika Lee, author of "At America's Gate: Chinese Immigration During the Exclusion Era, 1882-1943."  As described in the above article from the September 30th issue of the New York Times, today's immigration system developed out of a 60 year effort to keep out Chinese immigrants.

In 1882, the Chinese Exclusion Act barred Chinese-Americans from being naturalized.  Ten years later it was expanded with a requirement that all Chinese-Americans register with the government and prove their legality through the testimony of at least "one white witness."  The article notes that even then many lawyers felt these laws were counter to "the very soul of the Constitution" and so argued before the U. S. Supreme Court.  In 1893, the Supreme Court issued the decision "Fong Yue Ting v. United States" granting the U. S. government sweeping power to deport foreigners as "absolute and unqualified."  These laws were finally repealed when China became an ally in World War II.

The article also tells the story of a young man who came over from China illegally before World War II pretending to be someone else (like an estimated 90% of Chinese immigrants during that time).  After serving in the U. S. Army during World War II and working for most of his life in a family laundry, at age 88 he is proud of his childrens' professional successes (a dentist, a doctor, and the wife of and a noted New York City restaurant interior designer) and of his six multi-ethnic grandchildren.

In sum, the article says, "At a time when debates about immigration often include the claim that 'my relatives came the legal way'...[his daughter notes] 'One's status being legal or illegal, it's two seconds apart at any point.'"

Myths About Immigrants (LINK)

As we will begin to enter the debate about comprehensive immigration reform, there will no doubt be many myths raised about the evils of immigration in general and of undocumented immigrants in particular.  It is important to have some facts to refute those myths quickly and share the real facts.  Thanks to the folks at Justice for Immigrants (U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops) here are some quick myth-buster facts!  (For the full text, click on the blog title.)

1.  Immigrants don't want to learn English.
     MYTH!  FACT:  ESL classes for adults fill-up quickly;immigrants DO want to learn English.


2.  Immigrants don't pay taxes.
     MYTH!  FACT:  50-75% of undocumented immigrants do pay federal, state, and local taxes.


3.  Immigrants increase the crime rate.
     MYTH!  FACT:  Crime rates dropped by over 30% during the period of the highest growth in the undocumented population.


4.  Immigrants take away jobs from Americans.
     MYTH!  FACT:  Immigrants typically take low wage jobs, but there are still plenty of low wage jobs.  That's the problem, they are so low wage you can't really live with any comfort or security.


5.  Immigrants are a drain on the U. S. economy.
     MYTH!  FACT:  Studies from both ends of the political spectrum show that the immigrant community is a net benefit.


6.  Undocumented immigrants are a burden on the healthcare system.
     MYTH!  FACT:  The foreign born use fewer health care services so their costs are dramatically lower than for the native born population.


7.  The Catholic Church supports illegal immigration and "open borders."
     MYTH!  FACT:  The Bishops of the U. S. recognize the need for border protection and that immigration reform legislation will actually improve it.

Immigrations Recent Contributions to the U. S. (LINK)

The history of the U.S. is the story of the contribution immigrants and the children of immigrants have made to every aspect of American life.  The American Dream, that unique aspect of our country, has been fed generation-after-generation by the hard-work and talents of many immigrant groups.  This continues today as highlighted by the 20 sample stories of Americans of our time who have contributed to our country:

1. Franklin Chang-Diaz (Hispanic and Chinese-American):  Co-holder of the record for the most spaceflights by a NASA astronaut.  His daughter is a member of the Massachussets House of Delegates.
2. France Córdova (Hispanic and French-American):  The youngest person named NASA Chief Scientist and currently President of Purdue University.
3. Serena Auñon (Hispanic-American):  Flight Surgeon for NASA and astronaut candidate. 
4. Col. Sidney Gutierrez (U.S.A.F. Ret.) (Hispanic-American):  Flew the Space Shuttle on two successful missions. Nine other Hispanic-Americans not mentioned are or have been NASA astronauts.
5. Mario Molina (Hispanic-American):  Nobel Prize winner in Chemstry in 1995 for his work on depletion of the ozone layer.
6. Roberto Goizueta (Hispanic-American):  Former CEO of Coca-Cola who launched Diet Coke and managed the greatest increase in shareholder value.
7. Hector Ruiz (Hispanic-American): As a child he walked across the border every day from his town in Mexico to attend high school in the U.S. graduating valedictorian just three years after learning English.  As an adult he received a Ph.D. from Rice University and went on to become CEO and Chairman of AMD, the computer chip manufacturer.
8. Loida Nicolas-Lewis (Filipino-American):  Businesswoman and CEO of Beatrice International (Beatrice Foods).
9. Dado Banatao (Filipino-American): Computer engineer who developed many of the critical chip components used in computing technologies.
10. Jim Yong Kim (Korean-American):  Scientist and President of Dartmouth University.
11. Jeong Kim (Korean-American):  Scientist and President of Bell Labs.
12. Eugene Trinh (Vietnamese-American): NASA scientist and astronaut.
13. Trung Dung (Vietnamese-American):  Came to the U.S. with $2 at age 17, but eventually started a software company which he sold for $1.8 billion.  He is now a venture capitalist helping other young people start new companies.
14. Sergey Brin (Russian-American):  His Russian parents lost their jobs when they applied for a visa to come to the U. S. that they weren't sure they would get.  Arriving in the U. S. as a teenager with little knowledge of English, he went on to become co-founder of Google, the dominant Internet search company.
15. Peter Nicholas (Greek-American):  Co-founder of Boston Scientific.
16. Admiral James Stavridis (Greek-American):  Commander, U. S. European Command, and NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe.
17. Dr. Michael DeBakey (Arab-American):  Pioneer of cardiac surgery.
18. Ahmed Zewail (Arab-American):  1999 Nobel Prize winner for Chemistry.
19. I. M. Pei (Chinese-American):  World famous architect.
20. Jerry Yang (Chinese-American):  Co-founder of Yahoo.

Immigrants in the U. S. Military

On July 4, 2009, as reported by the American Forces Press Service, U. S. Army General Raymond T. Odierno, commander of Multinational Forces in Iraq, presided over a nationalization ceremony at Camp Victory, Iraq during which 237 servicemembers deployed to Iraq became U.S. citizens.

"Odierno praised the newest U.S. citizens for the role they have played in building Iraq's future.  Pointing to their diversity, he called them 'an example to the Iraquis of a country that welcomes men and women from everywhere.'

Looking out over the group, Odierno said he'd be hard-pressed to describe them by the inscription on the Statue of Liberty, which begins, 'Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses.'

'To be honest, I'm not sure that its legendary inscription is applicable to this group here today, because when I look at the men and women sitting out in front of me here, I'm having a hard time because I don't see them in terms of tired, poor or huddled.'

'If I had to write a description of the soon-to-be citizens in this rotunda,' the general continued, 'I would say, 'Give me your brightest and your bravest.  Give me your warriors and your heroes who will enhance our great nation and strive to keep her safe.'"

Facts:

• 15 % of current U. S. Marine enlisted personnel and 11% of U. S. Army enlisted personnel are Hispanic (the largest current group of immigrants in the U. S.).  17.5% of them serve in front line positions.
• 4.9% of active duty officers and 6.9% of warrant officers are Hispanic.
• 11 % of the military deaths in Iraq have been Hispanic service personnel.  One of the first U. S. Army soldiers killed in the invasion was a young man from Guatamala who was not yet a citizen.
• By 2015, 20% of all 18 year olds in the U. S. will be of Hispanic heritage.
• The history of Hispanics in the U. S. military goes back to the Civil War when three were awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery.

Broken Immigration System Risks Serious Damage to U.S. National Interests, Warns CFR Task Force (LINK)

"'The continued failure to devise and implement a sound and sustainable immigration policy threatens to weaken America’s economy, to jeopardize its diplomacy, and to imperil its national security,' concludes a new Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) Independent Task Force co-chaired by former Florida governor Jeb Bush and former White House chief of staff Thomas 'Mack' McLarty.

'The stakes are too high to fail,' says the report. 'If the United States continues to mishandle its immigration policy, it will damage one of the vital underpinnings of American prosperity and security, and could condemn the country to a long, slow decline in its status in the world.' For this reason, the report urges: 'The United States needs a fundamental overhaul of its immigration laws.'

Key among the changes:

• "Earned legalization: The Task Force favors a policy of earned legalization, not amnesty, for many of the illegal immigrants currently living in the United States. The DREAM Act, reintroduced in the 111th Congress, provides the right model by requiring that young people without status who wish to remain in the United States must attend college or perform military service and demonstrate good moral character in order to earn their eligibility for permanent residence."

For the full report go to: www.cfr.org/immigration_policy

Excerpts from Miami Herald's August 17, 2009 Editorial on Immigration Reform (LINK)

"The [Council on Foreign Relations] 160-page report was produced by a committee co-chaired by former Gov. Jeb Bush and former Clinton White House Chief of Staff Thomas ``Mack'' McLarty. It states that, 'If the United States continues to mishandle its immigration policy, it will damage one of the vital underpinnings of American prosperity and security, and could condemn the country to a long, slow decline in its status in the world.'

Too dire? Not at all. We are a nation of immigrants, skilled and unskilled, and must remain one to stay strong and productive.

Skilled, educated immigrants expand the envelope of the economy. The current immigration system, however, does not make it easy for them.

Furthermore, there is a direct correlation between the influx of unskilled foreign workers and the well-being of the economy, particularly with demographic trends showing an aging America. The absence of foreign workers would require the government to encourage Americans to take unskilled jobs. Is that what Americans want?"

"The nation's police chiefs -- including Miami Chief John Timoney -- are fully behind the effort to overhaul immigration policy. For good reason. Dealing with immigration, which should remain a federal enforcement issue, is a distraction from the priority of catching violent criminals and stopping terrorism. Local police need the trust of immigrant communities to fight real crime."

Excerpt from Archbishop Wilton Gregory's August 11, 2009 Press Conference on Immigration Reform (LINK)

"Under our current immigration system, illegality--which is not good for the individual or the society--must be replaced with legality--more specifically, more legal avenues must be created so migration is safe and orderly, and those in the shadows now should be given legal status so they can come out of the shadows, identify themselves to the government, and begin to become integrated into American society.

As a great nation and as a country of immigrants, we can no longer accept a status quo that tolerates a permanent underclass of human beings without rights and the opportunity to fully contribute to the life of the nation. That is not what America stands for and certainly is not what has made us a nation of equal justice under the law."

Excerpt on Immigration from Pope Benedict XVI's Encyclical "Caritas in Veritate" (LINK)

62. “Another aspect of integral human development that is worthy of attention is the phenomenon of migration. This is a striking phenomenon because of the sheer numbers of people involved, the social, economic, political, cultural and religious problems it raises, and the dramatic challenges it poses to nations and the international community. We can say that we are facing a social phenomenon of epoch-making proportions that requires bold, forward-looking policies of international cooperation if it is to be handled effectively. Such policies should set out from close collaboration between the migrants' countries of origin and their countries of destination; it should be accompanied by adequate international norms able to coordinate different legislative systems with a view to safeguarding the needs and rights of individual migrants and their families, and at the same time, those of the host countries. No country can be expected to address today's problems of migration by itself. 


We are all witnesses of the burden of suffering, the dislocation and the aspirations that accompany the flow of migrants. The phenomenon, as everyone knows, is difficult to manage; but there is no doubt that foreign workers, despite any difficulties concerning integration, make a significant contribution to the economic development of the host country through their labour, besides that which they make to their country of origin through the money they send home. Obviously, these labourers cannot be considered as a commodity or a mere workforce. They must not, therefore, be treated like any other factor of production. 


Every migrant is a human person who, as such, possesses fundamental, inalienable rights that must be respected by everyone and in every circumstance.”

Full Text of Cardinal George's Letter On Comprehensive Immigration Reform (LINK)

STATEMENT OF HIS EMINENCE CARDINAL FRANCIS GEORGE, OMI

ARCHBISHOP OF CHICAGO

PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS

JUNE 18, 2009

On behalf of the United States Catholic Bishops, gathered in San Antonio, Texas, at our annual spring meeting, I would ask President Barack Obama and congressional leaders of both parties to work together to fashion and enact comprehensive immigration reform legislation before the end of the year.

It has been clear for years that the United States immigration system requires repair and that reform legislation should not be delayed.

We urge respect and observance of all just laws, and we do not approve or encourage the illegal entry of anyone into our country. From a humanitarian perspective, however, our fellow human beings, who migrate to support their families, continue to suffer at the hands of immigration policies that separate them from family members and drive them into remote parts of the American desert, sometimes to their deaths. This suffering should not continue.

Now is the time to address this pressing humanitarian issue which affects so many lives and undermines basic human dignity. Our society should no longer tolerate a status quo that perpetuates a permanent underclass of persons and benefits from their labor without offering them legal protections. As a moral matter, we must resolve the legal status of those who are here without proper documentation so that they can fully contribute their talents to our nation’s economic, social and spiritual well being.

Only through comprehensive reform can we restore the rule of law to our nation’s immigration system.

We urge President Obama and congressional leaders to meet as soon as possible to discuss and draft comprehensive immigration reform legislation, with the goal of making it law by the end of 2009. The Catholic bishops of our country stand ready to assist in this effort.