Evan Vucci/AP
Far from being discouraged by Washington’s petty electoral calculations, activists are intensifying their efforts to pressure Speaker John Boehner (above) and House Republicans to take action on immigration reform.
One has to admire those committed immigration leaders who, far from being discouraged by Washington’s petty electoral calculations and — in many cases — underlying racism, stepped up their efforts to pressure Speaker John Boehner and House Republicans to break out of their zombie-like immobility on immigration reform.
One has to admire them — and wish them luck — because as days went by without anything happening in Congress, all signs pointed to a sad reality: Despite the flurry of activity by immigration advocates, religious and business leaders to push Boehner to allow a vote in the House, an immigration reform law — in any shape or form — seemed to have as much chance of being passed this year as Republican candidate Joe Lhota has of being elected mayor of New York.
Yet, immigration reform, like the proverbial phoenix, may have risen from the ashes once again now that three House Republicans — Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Florida), and Jeff Denham and David Valadao, both from California — have signed on to the House Democrats’ comprehensive immigration reform bill.
Angela Fernández, the Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights executive director, a savvy and experienced community leader, believes that such a law could become a reality this year.
“The focus is on keeping up the pressure to show that the majority of people in this country want an immigration reform that is humane and reflects the American values of justice and fairness,” Fernández said. “The civil disobedience action we held yesterday was part of similar activities in Florida, Arizona and across the country.”
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Fernández was referring to an immigration rally held last week outside of the Varick St. immigration detention center in Manhattan to demand that Congress moves on immigration reform. Carrying signs that read “Speaker Boehner, stop your family separation agenda,” she was arrested with nine other people — including a bishop, a nun and a pastor — after blocking traffic on W. Houston St. They were charged with disorderly conduct.
“These actions are a way to show that this issue is one we will not forget or let go,” Fernández said. And they may have weighed heavily on the decision by the three GOP legislators — all of them representing districts with large Latino populations — to abandon the sinking GOP ship and join Democrats in a last-minute effort to approve immigration reform this year.
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Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), and Jeff Denham and David Valadao, both from California — have signed on to the House Democrats’ comprehensive immigration reform bill
But Fernández is also well aware of the human tragedy caused by Obama’s policy of massive deportations.
“Most important of all is stopping deportations,” she said.
Ironically, while Republicans deservedly take the blame for not acting on immigration reform, President Obama has more than earned the title of Deporter in Chief by breaking all records and expelling close to 2 million undocumented immigrants during his tenure. Such cruel practice that has resulted in more than 5,000 U.S.-born children being placed in foster care after their parents were expelled.
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Almost incomprehensibly, despite the hard economic times, more taxpayer dollars ($ 18 billion) were spent last year on immigration enforcement — that is, in persecuting gardeners, nannies and cooks — than on all other federal criminal law enforcement agencies combined, although only 10.8% of immigration detainers issued by local law enforcement agencies in the first half of 2103 were for serious public safety or national security threats.
Obama famously issued an executive order to grant Dreamers a temporary legal status, and could do the same to stop needless deportations. Yet, he refuses to do so.
That’s why immigration activists must work not only for Congress to finally pass humane, workable immigration reform this year, but also for the President to put an end to massive deportations.
“We need to keep pushing,” Fernández said.
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