When the Rules Change, We Can Prosper Together
posted by: Cynthia Samuels 69 days ago
By Nezua, Media Consortium
For the most part, it’s been a good week for immigration reform. The Senate approved a measure that will end the “Widow Penalty,” which rescinded applications for U.S. residency if one’s spouse of two years or less years dies, and on Tuesday, as RaceWire reports, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed legislation that restores the right of due process to immigrant youth.
Now for the not-so good news: The U.S. Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has decided to modify, not cancel, its many 287(g) agreements, as the Colorado Independent reports. Cause for celebration on this change may not yet be warranted. The proposed modification does not address the problems inherent to the provision.
According to ICE data, 55 jurisdictions have signed “new standardized agreements” with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). 12 others are pending agreement. ICE now requires police officers who turn in undocumented immigrants to follow through on “All criminal charges that originally caused the offender to be taken into custody.” But what measures has ICE taken to eradicate the racial profiling that has tainted the reputation of the 287(g) provision? The ACLU does not feel the modification is enough. And it’s hard to see how it could be. Under the modifications, the police would still be perceived by the immigrant community as prosecutors and potential border guards, not protectors to work with for the good of a neighborhood.
Arizona’s Sheriff Joe Arpaio is a perfect example of why the White House needs to cease all 287(g) agreements. Reporting for AlterNet, Isabel Macdonald chronicles the bizarre antics and mindset of the rogue lawman. Arpaio’s 287(g) agreement with the Federal government was recently downgraded. He can no longer perform his “over broad” sweeps, but Macdonald makes clear that this change is mostly symbolic. Arpaio is simply “An official who has come to expect total impunity.”
Another small, but meaningful step happened recently Milwaukee, as Leticia Miranda reports for RaceWire. Matt Nelson, a Milwaukee small business owner and spokesman for the Milwaukee Police Accountability Coalition, was harassed by police and threatened when he refused to reveal his Social Security Number (SSN) to an officer. Incensed, Nelson “pursued litigation of the officer filing a formal complaint against him,” appealing to the Milwaukee Fire and Commission, who oversees the Milwaukee Police Department.
The commission ruled that the officer was acting without any legal authority and issued guidelines for departments to clarify the issue [PDF memo]. While the Milwaukee ruling is definitely a victory, we must look closer at the many police departments that operate under the 287(g) provision to monitor any “less formal ‘agreements’ to find and arrest people who ‘look’ undocumented.”
Going back to San Francisco’s fight to adopt a measure restoring due process to undocumented youth: Mayor Gavin Newsom passed a law last summer that directs police who arrest undocumented youth to report them to ICE before any trial, leading to the deportation of undocumented youth for any perceived offense that leads them into police custody. The measure to restore due process was passed, and with enough margin to override a possible veto by the Mayor. Mayor Newsom has proclaimed he will disregard the ruling entirely, much like a certain Sheriff.
Writing for Salon, Joe Conason makes a good case for reframing the health care discussion as it pertains to immigrants. He points to the perverse “moral perspective of the nativists and politicians” that leap up to assure everyone that the undocumented will most certainly not be allowed to buy into health insurance. But what about families with undocumented parents and citizen children? It should never be “permissible to let the ‘illegals’ and their children suffer from illness and even die prematurely, so long as their condition poses no threat to the rest of us,” as Conason writes.
Finally, “a new joint U.S.-Mexico” study on children of Mexican parents finds that this demographic is already “one of the most vulnerable sectors in America’s health care system,” as New America Media reports. 86 percent of those studied were U.S. citizens. New America Media’s Odette Keeley questions Yurina Rico, public health editor for La Opinion, as to why these children are so often uninsured. According to Rico, these communities are often isolated from proper information on health care. Rico goes on to say that unfortunately, these disparities in health care are not being factored into health care policy discussions.
The U.S. has long way to go before it acts on the premise that—as lofty as it might sound—we really are one large human family. As Sojourner’s reminds us, even Americans of European origin have immigrant roots.
The sooner our laws and health care and safety reflect the importance of all members of this large human family, the healthier this nation will be.
This post features links to the best independent, progressive reporting about immigration by members of The Media Consortium. It is free to reprint. This is a project of The Media Consortium, a network of leading independent media outlets.
Read more: immigration, human rights, immigrant rights, immigrant health care, immigrant family separation
comments
Judith, although some may take that job, I would venture to say that you would be hard pressed to find 1/3 of those people willing to fill the so called 12,000,000 undocumented positions that would become available should those positions become available. Our country has to accept much of the responsibility for the condition of our neighbor to the south. The least we could do is accept with open arms those willing to risk there lives to put food in the mouths of there loved ones.
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Why, with an unemployment rate hovering around 10%, do so many people keep insisting that Americans won't take dirty jobs. Who do you think did those jobs before and did them very well, I might add. I bet that if you asked one of the many people who apply for and are turned down for jobs at McDonalds, Walmart (who have a strong preference for hiring illegals), etc., if they would like to work there, they would say that it isn't their ideal job but better than nothing. At least they could buy food and pay their bills. Do you think the many new homeless people would turn down work? I think not. You, who believe this, have a very poor opinion of your fellow Americans. It is wrong to prefer to hire illegal aliens. They key word here is "ILLEGAL." They many people who have gone through the proper channels to become citizens and who are willing and eager to learn the language I have no problem at all with. But we should not be subsidizing a country who won't take care of their own while we become a country that doesn't take care of its own.
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If we were to go and live in another country and find a job, we would easily get a working visa. We would be able to drive and buy that country's health insurance. So if what we see as fair for ourselves when we work in another country, should be fair for those that come here and work, even if it is a super bad job that no one else would take. If a non citizen is willing to work and buy their own health and auto insurance and act like responsible people, then they should be allowed to stay. It would pay into the system, keep emergency rooms clear, keep track of them(same as regular citizens) and create fairness and willingness to work with authorities when laws are broken. This all makes common sense.
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Ironic, I am unable to "Send a Green Star" to Mary B for her perfect interpretation of the valuws we should ALL have. I am not documented within the Care 2 Network. I am needed and recieve Butterflies for the petitions and actions I follow through on. Similar to our country. It is fine to have the so called ILLEGALS do your dirty work or the work YOU wouldn't be caught dead doing. It's funny how you can travel the World and require medical assistance in 90% of the World and it would cost you nothing! However when it comes My Country, it is filled with hatred and bigotry. We are all here illegally, Our ancestors (if you are not Native American Indian and even those from what is now Mexico)all came for a better life and then after arriving changed the rules to limit the rest who would follow. I am tired of people telling Illegals to go home and make there country a better place to live. If you had any understanding of the World, you would understand that it is in big part the cause of actions of YOUR Country , Yes, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, who has caused the need for immigration from around the world to the United States. We created the mess and it is our responability to clean it up.
To the CARE2 Team, You probably need to rethink your policy. The fact that I allow you to send me emails daily and I take action on many issues should be enough to allow me to send "Stars" to another member. Not the fact that I have "Friends" associated to my account.
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Just imagine what the Natural World would be like if animals operated from the limited, judgementle attitudes that most humans do. Remember, we are all mammals and we share this planet without reguard to national bounderies or human laws that presume we have some special right to withhold help from others. The ego/intellect that has become disconnected from the Natural World does not have enough information to be making the assumptions it is making. It becomes paranoid and heartless. A talking head with no empathy or understanding of the condition or actual need of it's fellow creatures. This is not 'bleeding heart liberalism'. This is a call for deeper understanding and co-operation. If you refuse to heed it, eventually you will be brought to a place where you can no longer disassociate from your bodys experience. Remember that phrase, "there but for the Grace of God, go you..."If you wonder how can we pay for it, if you didn't have such disrespect for your own bodys, you would never have let yourselves become so enslaved to an unsustainable life style in the first place that let this gap between the haves and have nots grow to such huge proportions. The 'illegals' remind you of your own fate.
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GO Back Home illegal and change your own country leave our a long!!
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you've got my Vote Sheriff Joe !
keep up the good work- maybe more of the states should take the same course of action as you !
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Donald H and Judith said it all .........
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The United States does NOT owe any ILLEGAL anything. Simple fact: Not everyone on the face of the earth can live in the United States, nor is the United States supposed to 'furnish anything' to everyone in the world, ie., 'rights'...that's partly why the U.S. is in the mess it's in.
Another simple fact: ILLEGAL means the law has been broken. ILLEGAL immigrants disrespect our laws, our country and us, as citizens. Our immigration laws are some of the easiest in the world already. What MUST happen is...ILLEGALs..."GO BACK TO WHERE YOU CAME FROM", file your immigration request, pay your fees...and WAIT...like everyone else...who does it LEGALLY.
La Raza and Racewire are SUBVERSIVE, ANTI-AMERICAN organizations and should be treated as such.
Children of ILLEGAL immigrants should NOT automatically become U.S. citizens.
If ILLEGAL immigrants want to live somewhere like the U.S., let them CHANGE THEIR OWN GOVERNMENTS...THAT would be a good start!
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Ain't it the truth, Judith! Hi!
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