Thread: Latinos pressuring to make immigration reform next major pri

Latinos pressuring to make immigration reform next major priority
Stephen Wall, Staff Writer
Posted: 03/27/2010 02:36:53 PM PDT

Emboldened by the passage of health care legislation, Latino activists are pressuring the Obama Administration and Congress to tackle immigration reform as its next major priority.

Community leaders are planning three rallies in Riverside and San Bernardino in early April and May to drive home the need to provide a path to citizenship for the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the country.

The local events come on the heels of large gatherings in Washington, D.C., last weekend and Los Angeles and San Francisco on Saturday.

"The fact that Democrats were able to pull through with health care reform, it gave us hope that something can be done this year," said Emilio Amaya, director of the San Bernardino Community Services Center, a nonprofit immigrant assistance organization.

Angela Sanbrano, president of the National Alliance of Latin American and Caribbean Communities, agreed there is new momentum on the issue.

"The march in Washington, D.C., injected some oxygen into the debate and is keeping it on the agenda," said Sanbrano, a La Verne resident. "It's an uphill battle, but I think we will get it done."

Community leaders are encouraged by other recent developments.

A little more than a week ago, Sens. Charles Schumer, D-New York, and Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, laid out a legislative framework for action on immigration.

The blueprint, which has yet to be introduced in the form of a bill, has four components: requiring biometric Social Security cards to ensure illegal workers can't get jobs; strengthening border security and interior enforcement; creating a process for admitting temporary workers; and implementing "a tough but fair path to legalization" for illegal immigrants.

Despite the support of a prominent Republican senator, area GOP lawmakers say they oppose the proposal.

"They put in a few sweeteners, but it's basically just another proposal for amnesty and open borders," said Rep. Gary Miller, R-Brea, whose district includes Chino and Chino Hills. "With 15 million Americans out of work and 8 million employed illegal immigrants, I don't think the American people are going to support this right now."

Miller said he is not worried that Democrats in Congress will try to ram through an immigration bill in the same way they passed health care reform without a single Republican vote.

"If they decide to do this," Miller said, "I think it's the last nail in their coffin. If you think you've seen unhappiness on the part of the health care issue, wait `til you see this one."

Rep. Joe Baca, D-San Bernardino, has no plans to back away from the immigration issue. He called the Schumer-Graham blueprint "a step forward in our goal of creating comprehensive immigration reform."

Baca, a co-sponsor of a bill introduced in the House of Representatives that includes a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, believes that fixing the economy and creating new jobs remain the nation's top priorities.

"But the passage of health care reform sends a powerful message: That this Congress and this administration are capable of finishing the work that needs to be done for the American people," he said in a statement.

President Barack Obama, who received about two-thirds of the nearly 10 million votes cast by Latinos in the 2008 election, remains committed to fulfilling his campaign pledge to fix the broken immigration system, Baca said.

"I am confident that his leadership will ultimately help us move forward on this issue," Baca added, "and I am hopeful that will come this year."

Despite Baca's optimism, political experts question whether Democrats have the stomach for another bruising battle in an election year.

Jack Pitney, a professor of government at Claremont McKenna College, said it would be difficult for Democrats to pass an immigration bill without Republican support because it's unlikely they could make it part of another reconciliation package like they did with health care.

Moreover, Pitney said, Obama and the Democratic leadership in Congress used up a lot of their chips in the health care fight. There would be considerable risk in undertaking another difficult vote on an issue that would generate a lot of opposition, he said.

"With health care, they went out on a limb," Pitney said of Democrats. "With immigration, they'd be sawing if off."

Adrian Pantoja, an associate professor of political studies at Pitzer College in Claremont, said immigration reform is critical to illegal immigrants and people who have family members without documents. But that's a relatively small percentage of the overall population, he said.

"In some ways, health care impacts everyone," Pantoja said. "Immigration does not. People don't necessarily see it in their checkbooks and paystubs."

As a result, most Democratic voters are not going to rally around the need for an immigration overhaul, he said.

"Immigration isn't going to mobilize Democratic voters," Pantoja said. "It's going to mobilize Hispanic voters that are tied to the issue. Beyond those voters, it's not a widespread Democratic issue."

Other Republican lawmakers say it would be mistake for Congress to confront a contentious issue like immigration when there are more pressing problems.

Rep. Jerry Lewis, R-Redlands, is convinced that Congress will not pass an immigration bill this year that creates an amnesty program for millions of illegal immigrants, said Jim Specht, his spokesman.

Public opinion is overwhelmingly opposed to such a bill in most congressional districts outside urban areas like Los Angeles, Specht said.

"I urge Congress to avoid involvement in such divisive issues as immigration and get down to the work of paying the government's bills, reducing our terrible deficit, and finding ways to get Americans back to work," Lewis said in a statement.

Rep. David Dreier, R-San Dimas, said the Schumer-Graham proposal has some good parts, including a provision that seeks to eliminate document fraud from the employment verification system.

"However, it also contains amnesty for illegal immigrants, which I am adamantly opposed to," Dreier said in a statement. "That makes it a non-starter in my book."

Despite the long odds, immigrant activists say they won't give up.

Roman Catholic leaders and other faith, business and labor groups plan to meet with federal lawmakers during the Easter recess to press their case for comprehensive reform.

"California has 3 million undocumented people who want to be fully contributing members of society," said Rev. Patricio Guillen, a priest in the Diocese of San Bernardino. "They want to be part of the mainstream and not be in the shadows."

http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_14770668

"California has 3 million undocumented people who want to be fully contributing members of society," said Rev. Patricio Guillen, a priest in the Diocese of San Bernardino. "They want to be part of the mainstream and not be in the shadows."

Oh well then, by all means Mr. Guillen, if California's illegal alien invaders demand something, we should meet those demands!! Legal American workers and citizens be dam@ed!

I support the L.E.A.V.E. act

Lets Empoly Americans (E) Verify Everyone

Added to Homepage:
http://www.alipac.us/article-5067--0-0.html

ILLEGAL ALIENS MUST NOT PRESSURE THE US GOVERNMENT. NEVER. ENFORCE IMMIGRATION LAWS. NO TO AMNESTY. DEPORT ALL ILLEGAL ALIENS. WE DO NOT WANT THEM HERE.

"California has 3 million undocumented people who want to be fully contributing members of society," said Rev. Patricio Guillen, a priest in the Diocese of San Bernardino. "They want to be part of the mainstream and not be in the shadows."

California's 3 million illegals want to have a fast track to available freebies they aren't getting now, the list is endless. Rev. Guillen needs to take a cruise around her California neighborhoods, lots of hispanic mom's with a double stroller, one kid holding one hand and a swollen belly. Illegal or not, those 4-8 kid producers get it all free thanks to California taxpayers.

Also, I thought I made an unspoken pact with politicians and "poverty pimps" never to use Ted Kennedy's "out of the shadows" phrase.

Emboldened by the passage of health care legislation, Latino activists are pressuring the Obama Administration and Congress to tackle immigration reform as its next major priority.

Just curious...if illegal immigration is not just about latinos as they always claim, then how come they are seemingly the only ones making demands and threats?

I never hear Italian, German, or Swedish rights groups making similiar demands? Why?

NoBueno wrote:

I never hear Italian, German, or Swedish rights groups making similiar demands? Why?

My guess is, because there isn't 12-20 million of them (not even close). Furthermore, I assume the groups you've mentioned are more educated and their skin color makes it easier for them to blend into our society. In other words, they find it easier to remain in the shadows and like it that way. The one group you left out is the Irish. Unfortunately their country does make a little noise for them from time to time (pushing amnesty). Overall, I think the main thing is the numbers and political position on illegal immigration in the illegals home country. We all know our government is coming under constant pressure from some of our southern neighbors, especially Mexico, to amnesty their citizens living here illegally. It's easy to feel embolden when your government and millions of your fellow countrymen got your back.

Latinos pressuring? How about they pressure the illegals to go back to their country?