Thread: MA: Immigration is focus of S-T forum

Immigration is focus of S-T forum
September 04, 2008 6:00 AM

NEW BEDFORD — The many sides and complexities of the immigration issue — from the separation of families after deportation to the rising number of undocumented workers — were aired Wednesday night at a lively forum sponsored by The Standard-Times' editorial board.

The forum, attended by about 60 people at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational-Technical High School, evolved from last year's immigration raid at Michael Bianco Inc. and Congress' failure to pass comprehensive immigration reform.

Jack Martin, director of special projects at the Federation for American Immigration Reform, based in Washington, D.C., said legal and illegal immigrants are adding about 1.5 million people per year to the U.S. population.

He said the added population is straining existing resources and the infrastructure of many U.S. cities and towns.

While everyone values the country's immigration history, he said, immigration has not always been as intense as it is now.

His organization advocates lowering the number of legal immigrants to about 333,000 people a year and gaining control of the illegal immigration problem.

Lisa Maya Knauer, professor of anthropology at UMass Dartmouth, countered that illegal immigration is nothing new and ships full of immigrants routinely bypassed Ellis Island in the 1920s to enter the country illegally.

These were people, she said, who had no jobs, no apartments and no sponsors.

She added that U.S. immigration policy has always been guided by its political ties.

She said the United States in 1980 welcomed 125 refugees who were fleeing Fidel Castro's Cuba, yet the country turned back Haitians who were escaping death squads in that country.

Eva Millona, interim executive director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition of Boston, said there needs to be a better solution than simply deporting illegal immigrants.

She said it would take an estimated 44 years to deport all of the illegal immigrants currently living in the country.

But attempting to invoke an optimistic note, she said both presidential nominees — Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain — support comprehensive immigration reform.

Anibal Lucas, director of Organization Maya K'iche, a nonprofit organization in New Bedford that serves the local Central American community, said there will be immigration reform only if Sen. Obama is elected.

Sen. McCain's views are the same as those of President Bush, he said, and there will be no change if the Arizona Republican is elected.

A question about whether "anchor babies" — children born to illegal immigrants who enter the U.S. illegally to have a child — should receive U.S. citizenship sparked some comment.

Mr. Martin said the 14th Amendment guarantees the rights of citizenship to those born in the U.S. However, he said, there are some legal scholars who argue it should not apply to those who are "passing through."

He said his organization wants Congress to pass a law so the U.S. Supreme Court can rule on it.

Ms. Knauer said the intent behind the idea of anchor babies is impossible to prove, adding most people have children because they want them.

The Rev. Marc Fallon of Catholic Social Services, who worked closely with New Bedford immigrants following the Michael Bianco raid, said he would like to see reunification of the families separated during the raids.

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She said it would take an estimated 44 years to deport all of the illegal immigrants currently living in the country

Not if you stop the gravy train and jobs. They will deport themselves. I am so tired of hearing we can't deport 12 million illegals. WE CAN

The Rev. Marc Fallon of Catholic Social Services, who worked closely with New Bedford immigrants following the Michael Bianco raid, said he would like to see reunification of the families separated during the raids.

I'd like to see the families reunited too, in their home countries! They MUST all be deported together, after all, minor children belong with their parents.