Bishop Wester (Salt Lake City, Utah) Responds to Questions on Immigration Reform (LINK)

Bishop John C. Wester is the Chairman of the U.S. Bishop's Committee on Migration responded to questions about the Church's position on Comprehensive Immigration Reform (May 16, 2010 issue of Our Sunday Visitor).  In answer to a key question often raised, Bishop Wester clearly stated the key components of real Immigration Reform:


Question:  What kind of immigration reform do the bishopswant exactly? Amnesty?Open borders?

Answer:  Neither. The U .S. bishops’ prescription for mending our broken system is to bring the 11 million undocumented out of the shadows, register them with the government, require them to pay a fine and any taxes owed, and require them to learn English and work as they wait in the back of the line for a chance for citizenship. This is not “amnesty,” which is generally defined as granting a benefit without anything in return.

Parish Bulletin Immigration Facts Series

In case you missed the excellent Immigration Fact series that ran in the parish bulletin and were developed by Mary Cheston, here are the articles:

October 11 and 18:
As the nation mourns the loss of Senator Kennedy, we're reminded of his dedication to protecting the rights of immigrants and supporting every facet of immigration reform.  Senator Kennedy was moved by the "immigrant spirit of limitless possibility" of those coming to America.  "This country, with each new wave of immigrants has been energized and advanced, quite frankly, in terms of its economic, social, cultural and political life."

Did you know that:

• Thousands of immigrants are fighting in the U.S. armed forces in Iraq and Afghanistan today?
• Each farmworker creates an average of three new local jobs in packaging, shipping, and sales?
• Immigrants collectively pay more than $90 billion in taxes?

October 25 and November 11:
Each year on November 2, All Souls Day, bishops in Texas, New Mexico and Mexico concelebrate Mass to remember all those who have died trying to cross the border into the United States.  These Day of the Dead Masses are celebrated with Catholics gathered on either side of the border fence.  Readings and prayers alternate from side to side, English and Spanish.

Did you know that:

• Until about 1924, people moved fairly freely across the borders of Mexico and California, Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico?
• Every day immigrants dehydrate in deserts, drown in canals, freeze in mountains, and suffocate in tractor trailers?
• Since October 2008, 416 border deaths have been reported; over 200 bodies have been found in the Arizona/Mexico border area alone?
• Although total illegal border crossings have decreased, the number of deaths is increasing as immigrants move to more remote and hazardous locations?

November 8 and 15:

The United States has greatly increased its scrutiny of immigrants in the wake of the tragedies of September 11, 2001.  In the name of national security, some jurisdictions have deputized local police to assist with enforcement.  From Fiscal Year (FY) 1993 to FY 2006, the U.S. Border Patrol budget more than quadrupled from $362 million to $1.6 billion, and the number of Border Patrol agents more than tripled from 3, 995 to 14, 400.

Did you know that:

• All 19 terrorists of September 11th came into the United States with legal visas (2 overstayed these visas)?
• Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids and deportations have left behind children who were born here without one or both parents?
• The cost of ICE detentions is budgeted at $1.7 billion for FY 2010?

November 22 and 29:
The Catholic Church recognizes the right of a nation to control its borders, but it does not see this as an "absolute right," nor does it see sovereign rights as having priority over basic human rights.  While ideally people would find work in their home country, the church teaches that if their country of birth does not afford the conditions necessary to lead a fully human life, persons have a right to emigrate.

Did you know that:

• Immigrants make up more than 10% of the population of Virginia?
• Undocumented immigrants in Virginia paid between $260 million and $311 million in taxes in 2007?
• Latino and Asian entrepreneurs and consumers add billions of dollars and thousands of jobs to Virginia's economy?

December 6 and 13:
Most future population growth in the United States will occur through immigration and through births to immigrants and their descendents.  By 2020 it is estimated that "almost 30 percent of children born in the United States will have one or more foreign born parent."

About one in every 10 children born in the United States each year are the children of undocumented parents.  More than 3 million U.S. children who are U.S. citizens have at least one parent without legal status.  Each year about 65,000 U.S.-raised undocumented students graduate from high school.  The United States has already invested in their futures.

Did you know that:

• Children of immigrants will drive our future economy, just as our ancestors did?
• Without parents who are citizens or permanent residents, Virginia students are not considered to be residents, and therefore are not eligible to receive in-state tuition at Virginia universities?
• States that have permitted in-state tuition (currently 10 states) have experienced increased school revenues from the tuition of students who otherwise would not be in college? 

December 20 and 27:
U.S. law does not currently provide a path for immigrants who are undocumented to regularize their status.  Many of these immigrants entered the country legally with a visa but have extended their stay beyond the allowed dates.  As of 2007, about 75 percent of Americans supported allowing those in the U.S. to remain for either temporary work or to become citizens.

Did you know that:

• The costs of becoming a U.S. citizen have increased dramatically, rising to $676 to process an application for citizenship, and $1,010 for a green card?
• The costs to deport the 12 million undocumented immigrants already in the U.S. is estimated to be $80 billion?

January 4 and 11:
This month we celebrate National Migration Week.  America is a country of immigrants, founded on the principle of providing opportunity to all.  The labor, values, and beliefs of immigrants from throughout the world have transformed the United States from a loose group of colonies into one of the leading democracies in the world today.

"Nearly all Americans have ancestors who braved the oceans -- liberty-loving risk takers in search of an ideal -- the largest voluntary migrations recorded in history.  Across the Pacific, across the Atlantic, they came from every point on the compass -- many passing beneath the Statue of Liberty -- with fear and vision, with sorrow and adventure, fleeing tyranny or terror, seeking haven, and all seeking hope...Immigration is not just a link to America's past; it's also a bridge to America's future."  -- George W. Bush

Our "faith reminds us how we are all pilgrims on our way towards our true homeland."  (The Love of Christ Toward Migrants)

Please join us in celebrating National Migration Week and praying for immigration reform.

A Prayer for Immigrant Justice

Blessed are You, Lord God,

King of all creation.

Through Your goodness, we live in this land

that You have so richly blessed.

Help us always to recognize our

Blessings come from You

and remind us to share them

with others, especially those who come

to us today from other lands.

Help us to be generous, just, and welcoming,

as You have been and are generous to us.

Latest Poll Shows 87% in U.S. Support Comprehensive Immigration Reform (LINK)

In the new Benenson Strategy Group poll (December 2009), voters were asked about several aspects of comprehensive immigration reform. Perhaps not surprisingly, 89 percent supported increasing security on the U.S.-Mexico border and an identical number supported cracking down on employers who hire illegal immigrants. But nearly as many—87 percent—also supported a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, provided they registered with the government and met requirements like working, paying taxes, and learning English.

The Economic Benefits of Comprehensive Immigration Reform (LINK)

A new study from the Center for American Progress quantifies the benefits to the U.S. economy of Comprehensive Immigration Reform and shows how it can actually help in raising wages for all American workers and in jump-starting the economy even in a recession.  Using hard data to create an econometric model, it estimates the economic ramifications of three different scenarios -- including mass deportation of all undocumented immigrants.


The study finds that mass deportation is the worst scenario for the U. S. economy, reducing U.S. Gross Domestic Product by $2.6 trillion over 10 years not including the substantial actual cost of deportation of 12 million people. Wages would rise for less-skilled native-born workers, but would diminish for higher-skilled native-born workers.  This scenario would also lead to widespread job loss.



By contrast, implementing Comprehensive Immigration Reform generates an increase in U.S. GDP of at least at least $1.5 trillion summed over 10 years.  It also boosts wages for both native-born and newly legalized
immigrant workers.

Pope Benedict comments on immigrant rights (LINK)

In remarks last Sunday about immigrant problems in Italy, Pope Benedict said, "An immigrant is a human being, different in origin, culture, and tradition, but he is a person to respect, with rights and duties."  The Pope also criticized the "exploitation of immigrants."

No Amnesty in Proposed Comprehensive Immigration Reform Legislation

In 1986 President Ronald Reagan* got Congress to pass an amnesty for undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. at that time.  Because of that, many people believe that Comprehensive Immigration Reform is another plan to grant amnesty to undocumented immigrants now living in the U.S. Indeed the media even sometimes portrays Comprehensive Immigration Reform as amnesty.  But it is not amnesty.

According to Merriam-Webster, amnesty is “an act of an authority (as a government) by which pardon is granted to a large group of individuals.”  Pardon is “the excusing of an offense without exacting a penalty.”  

However, Comprehensive Immigration Reform would exact a penalty -- undocumented immigrants would be required to pay a fine for breaking the law.  In addition, they would be required to:

• Pay any back taxes (in fact, 50-75% of undocumented immigrants already pay taxes)
• Pass a criminal background check (during the immigration peak, U.S. crime dropped over 30%)
• Learn English
• Have a job
  

The real question then is who pays the penalty.  Under Comprehensive Immigration Reform, the undocumented immigrant must pay the fine.  Without Comprehensive Immigration Reform, we, the taxpayer, pay the cost of deporting undocumented immigrants.   That costs the U.S. taxpayer well over $1 billion per year -- the cost during the peak deportation year when 300,000 undocumented immigrants were deported.  And, at that rate, the last of the 12 million undocumented immigrants here now will be deported in 40 years.

Of course, without the border protections and employer penalties for hiring undocumented immigrants that are also part of Comprehensive Immigration Reform, there will be many more undocumented immigrants who will have come into the U.S. over that period.

While justice and compassion are good reasons to support Comprehensive Immigration Reform, simple economics adds a more pragmatic reason.

* As an individual, Ronald Reagan was very convinced of the benefits of immigration, even undocumented.  "This view was apparent in Reagan's public statements well before he became President. In one of his radio addresses, in November 1977, he wondered about what he called 'the illegal alien fuss. Are great numbers of our unemployed really victims of the illegal alien invasion, or are those illegal tourists actually doing work our own people won't do? One thing is certain in this hungry world: No regulation or law should be allowed if it results in crops rotting in the fields for lack of harvesters.' As a Californian, Reagan understood the role of immigrant labor in agriculture." (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB114773982558453625.html)

Hope...and a Challenge (LINK)

In its lead editorial today (January 6, 2010), The New York Times notes that "The quest for overhauling immigration received two very welcome lifts on New Year's Day."  (For the full text, click on the subject line.)

First, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg pledged at his inauguration to help the Obama administration pass immigration reform.  He said, "No city on earth has been more rewarded by immigrant labor, more renewed by immigrant ideas, more revitalized by immigrant culture."  As The Times suggests, we could easily substitute our "country" in Mayor Bloomberg's statement and it would be every bit as true.

Second, The Times highlighted four immigrant college students who are walking from Miami, Florida to Washington, DC to bring attention to the problems of immigrant children who are denied or have problems securing a college education even if they are very highly qualified.  These young people are denied simply because their parents are undocumented (even though the student may be a U.S. citizen) or they were brought here at an early age and are themselves undocumented but want to become U.S. citizens.

As the editorial notes, comprehensive immigration reform would resolve these injustices not by some broad "amnesty" as its opponents like to say, but by creating a pathway to legalization that requires the undocumented immigrant already living in the U.S. to "show they have been employed, pay a $500 fine, learn English and undergo a criminal background check" in addition to paying any back taxes.  It also notes that this "is not a question of adding new people to the work force; they are already here, many helping keep the economy afloat while tolerating low pay and abuse from lawbreaking employers who prefer them to American workers." 

In sum, "America needs to shut the path to illegal entry and employment while opening smoother and more rational routes to legal immigration."

However, The Christian Science Monitor yesterday reported on "Opponents on immigration reform gear up for forthcoming battle" (http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2010/0105/Opponents-on-immigration-reform-gear-up-for-forthcoming-battle).  Noting that "Immigration reform is far down on Washington's 'to do' list, after healthcare reform, the Afghanistan war, and job creation." it also reports that "outside the Beltway, in America's community centers and protest venues, you'd think someone had already pushed the hot button to bring this always-simmering issue to a boil."  For example, on November 14, 2009, 50 "Tea Party Against Amnesty and Illegal Immigration" rallies were held around the U.S.

Countering that, however, pro-Reform groups held 900 "house parties" (including one here at St. Anthony of Padua) nationwide.  As pollster Peter Brodnitz has found in his recent polling, "Americans have a more knowledgeable and nuanced opinion than they did a few years ago."  His most recent poll "...found that 86 percent of American voters given details of comprehensive reform want Congress to pass a plan."  The challenge for those supporting immigration reform is to reach out and educate our communities about the details of comprehensive reform.

Ireland Supports U.S. Effort for Immigration Reform (LINK)

Late last year, speaking at the Mission of Our Lady of the Rosary in New York City, Ireland's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Michael Martin, asked those of Irish ancestry in the U.S. to "rally around immigration reform."  With an estimated 50,000 undocumented immigrants from Ireland in the U.S., Mr. Martin noted that "The Irish government has articulated our concerns to Obama himself.  And there's a need for the [Irish] community here to be supportive."  He noted that a large number of the undocumented Irish immigrants are university graduates.  The Irish government is hopeful that reform might take place in the first three months of 2010, and the question of undocumented Irish will be part of a comprehensive review of the immigration system.  For more information about undocumented Irish immigrants, click here:  http://legalizetheirish.org

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."