Background facts for consideration of an immigration reform
"Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home - so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm, or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world." Eleanor Roosevelt
Background facts for consideration of an immigration reform
By Maria Cuthbert
- Work visas cannot be requested in U.S. embassies abroad. People can only come to work through a contract with an employer. This employer has to know how the person works, I assume, so it presuposes that the person already worked for the employer (illegally?).
- People can get work permits through residence status which can be obtained through close relatives who are already residents or citizens.
- Temporary workers are recruited by agents in Mexico and other parts of the world. Recruited workers happen to be where the recruiter is; the recruiter is not necessarily where experienced migrant workers are. This wastes time and money for orchards and businesses that make use of the program to bring in workers since they have to train workers every year. (H2A, H2B visas)
- Before 1986/1987 people were able to acquire resident status after 10 years of living in the country.
- Many people argue that all immigrant children in schools are treated as unauthorized foreign visitors.
Watch out!
James Sensenbrenner, a republican from Wisconsin’s 5th District, was responsible for HR-4437, an anti-immigrant bill which proposed:
- a treating immigrants as criminals, as well as anyone who would help, hire, house, or rent to immigrants; (Paritally passed)
- a that police report to immigration, and stop anyone who seems immigrant; (Passed)
- a that children born in US from immigrant parents be taken away their American nationality and be deported with parents to countries of origin. This included no access to education, social assistance, and all medical service; (Partially passed)
- a wall at the border. (Passed)
He and his family own oil. He also owns Kimbery Clark (it is not clear how much of it). Kimberly Clark produces Kleenex, Depend, Kotex, Cottonelle, Huggies, Pull-Ups, GoodNites, Little Swimmers, Scott, VIVA in the U.S.
He owns all Kimberly Clark branches in Mexico, South America, Europe, and Australia.
He is the house representative with most trips, of which most are paid by private enterprises.
The following are committees and subcommittees to which he belongs
Committee on the Judiciary
Subcommittees:
- Commercial and Administrative Law Subcommittee
- Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties Subcommittee
- Courts and Competition Policy Subcommittee
- Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security Subcommittee
- Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law Subcommittee
Committee on Science and Technology
Subcommittees:
- Energy and Environment Subcommittee
- Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee
- Research and Science Education Subcommittee
- Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee
- Technology and Innovation Subcommittee
Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming
THE NATION’S NEEDS
The following are the nation’s needs with respect to immigration:
• To know that most undocumented immigrants want to be documented, not necessarily citizens; (Many tried to enter the country legally, but no worker visas are issued, nor do they exist in U.S. Embassies.)
• work visas to apply for at U.S. embassies abroad;
• to promote in children and youth, whether immigrant or not, a sense of adequacy in order for them to have the best performance in school, and in the future;
• to promote that American children grow with both parents near them;
• to apply all the rights established in the Constitution for all the people in the country;
• to promote the respect toward itself among those who inhabit it;
• to establish a policy of safety that understands the difference between those who commit violations and put others at risk, and those who act in good faith;
• temporary workers in realistic numbers;
• an open number of temporary visas to supply the need in productive years, in order to strengthen the economy;
• a regulating organism which can supervise workers’ conditions;
• to promote better international relations with friend countries;
• to open old crossings at the border with an office that will offer temporary passes.
"Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home - so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm, or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world."
Eleanor Roosevelt
The following are the list of proposals from Reform Immigration FOR America, a branch of OFA:
• Have a rational and humane approach to the undocumented population
• Protect U.S. and immigrant workers
• Allocate sufficient visas to close unlawful migration channels
• Enhance our nation’s security and safety
• Establish a strategic border enforcement policy that reflecs American values
• Keep American families together
• Promote immigrant integration
• Protect fundamental rights for all
