The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a bill that if enacted could make it a felony to assist an undocumented immigrant, even if such assistance might save their life. Called H.R. 4437, the bill could also have other consequences for the even legal immigrants. This bill will deny legal rights and due process to millions. It has many unjust and terribly punative provisions, detailed below:
· The bill makes undocumented status a felony. Even minor immigration violations such as accidentally filling out an immigration form improperly could result in an immigrant being classified as a felon. It would permanently bar all undocumentedimmigrants who are currently in the U.S. from ever being able to apply for citizenship, including 1.6 million children. (more below the fold)
· It authorizes local and state law enforcement authorities to investigate, detain and transfer immigrants they suspect of immigration violations to federal authorities. As a result, immigrants may fear reporting crimes to local and state authorities. Additionally, local and state authorities lack training concerning immigration law and procedures and may be prone to unintentional errors that could violate immigrants' basic rights.
· The bill eliminates or curtails many protections in current law designed to safeguard the legal rights of immigrants and ensure they are afforded due process. For example, the bill would eliminate the ability of immigrants to appeal decisions made by administrative immigration courts to federal courts in many instances and severely limit such appeals in most others. In several recent cases, federal courts have found that these administrative immigration courts have acted improperly.
For a full summary of the bills provisions, please visit http://www.ilrc.org/....
Currently, the U.S. Senate is considering its own version of a bill to reform our immigration system.
Advocates for just treatment of immigrants hope that the Senate may pass legislation that is more comprehensive and that does not include some of the provisions of H.R. 4437 that may be harmful to immigrants. However, there are several competing bills in the Senate and the first proposal from the Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee contains at least some of the same provisions outlined above.
There is no doubt that the U.S. immigration system needs reform. However we must have fair and comprehensive immigration policy reform based upon the folliwng principals:
Reform Must Be Comprehensive: The proposal must simultaneously deal effectively with 1) undocumented immigrants working and living in the United States; 2) the future flow of workers and close family members; 3) the need for tailored, targeted, effective enforcement of more realistic policies; and 4) support for the successful integration of newcomers in the communities where they settle.
Reform Must Provide a Path to Citizenship: Opportunities should be provided for undocumented immigrants currently living in the U.S. to receive work permits and travel permission and access educational opportunities once they undergo background and security checks. Those who want to settle in the United States should be eligible for permanent residence and citizenship.
Reform Must Protect Workers: To replace the deadly, chaotic, and illegal flow of workers to jobs, there need to be wider legal channels so needed workers can be admitted legally to fill available jobs. To avoid the exploitation and abuses of flawed guestworkers programs, the nation needs a "break-the-mold" worker visa program that adequately protects the wages and working conditions of U.S. and immigrant workers. It should also allow workers to change jobs, meaningfully enforce both the program's rules and existing labor laws, protect law-abiding employers from unscrupulous competitors, and provide a path to permanent status.
Reform Must Reunite Families: Immigration reform will not succeed if it does not recognize one of the main factors driving migration as well as one America's most cherished values: family unity. Restrictive laws and bureaucratic delays too often undermine this cornerstone of our legal immigration system. Those waiting in line should have their admission expedited, and those admitted on work visas should be able to keep their nuclear families intact.
Reform Must Restore the Rule of Law and Enhance Security: Enforcement only works when the law is realistic and enforceable. This can best be achieved by a comprehensive overhaul that combines reform - a path to permanent status for immigrants here and wider legal channels for those coming in the future - with effective enforcement. A smart enforcement regime should include smart inspections and screening practices, fair proceedings, efficient processing, as well as strategies that crack down on criminal smugglers, get tough with lawbreaking employers, and reduce illegality. Such a system will better enable the nation to know who is already here and who is coming in the future, and bring our system into line with our tradition as a nation of immigrants and a nation of laws.
Reform Must Promote Citizenship and Civic Participation and Help Local Communities: Immigration to America works because newcomers are encouraged to become new Americans. It is time to renew our nation's commitment to the full integration of newcomers by providing adult immigrants with quality English instruction, promoting and preparing them for citizenship, and providing them with opportunities to move up the economic ladder. The system should also offer support to local communities working to welcome newcomers.
Only comprehensive immigration reforms will protect national security by allowing us to know who is here and why and allowing Department of Homeland Security to track terrorists, not spend outrageous amounts of resources separating immigrant families.
Please help stop the scapegoating of immigrants and demand immigration reform that is fair and comprehensive. Please help halt this election year ploy. Contact your Senators as well as all of the Senators that serve on the Judiciary Committee. The following link provides contact information and tools for doing so: http://www.justiceforimmigrants.org/...