Thread: Immigration reform bill sparks support, opposition among Mid

Immigration reform bill sparks support, opposition among Midwest activists

Medill Reports - Chicago
by Jessica Binsch
Oct 15, 2009

When U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Chicago) outlined an immigration reform bill in Washington Tuesday, Chicago-area activists were there to hear it. Gutierrez is expected to introduce the bill to Congress soon, but not everyone is happy with it.

Jesus Carlin, youth organizer with the Chicago-based advocacy group Sin Fronteras, went to Washington earlier this week with about 50 others from his group. The rally and Gutierrez’ announcement, Carlin said, proved the push for immigration reform was still there.

“People felt like they were making an impact,â€

The proposals overlap with recommendations made by a roundtable of experts from the Brookings Institution and Duke University earlier this month. The scholars called for improving verifications of workers’ legal status and a legalization program for unauthorized workers who have been in the U.S. for more than five years and meet other criteria.

No excuse! Five years was more than adequate time to establish a stronger financial foundation in their original home country and go back.

This bill cannot even be fairly discussed in the US Congress while millions of non-citizens, illegally in the US, continue to pressure our elected representatives. This is gross interference clouding the representational process---not the democracy we should be having.