Thread: NJ: Immigrant Advocates Worried About Reform Proposal

Immigrant advocates worried about reform proposal
Package would hurt families but is 'starting point,' they say

BY TIEN-SHUN LEE
DAILY RECORD
Saturday, May 19, 2007

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Immigrant advocates were concerned Friday about the latest federal immigration bill's lack of emphasis on keeping families together. At the same time they said the bill is at least a "starting point" for dealing with immigration problems.

Others in Morris County called the legislation an amnesty that sanctioned breaking the law.

A bipartisan group of senators agreed Thursday on new immigration reform legislation that calls for a pathway to allow most illegal immigrants who are in the country now to become citizens.

The proposed bill would implement a "merit-based"point system that rewards work skills needed in the U.S., education and language ability, in addition to granting points for having family ties in the country.

"Certainly, it's positive for people to be able to come out of the shadows, but it concerns us that it is at the expense of an overall commitment to family and human rights," said Amy Gottlieb, an immigration lawyer who directs the American Friends Service Committee, a Newark-based immigrant rights program. "The proposed point system disregards the fundamental interest in keeping families together and turns migrants into commodities."

Family limits

While there now is no limit on the number of parents who can be brought in by having ties to children in the U.S., the new legislation would limit parents brought in through that route to 40,000 per fiscal year, Gottlieb noted.

The number of people who could be brought in by having spouses and children in the U.S. would be capped at 87,000 per fiscal year.

Gottlieb is also concerned about the amount of money illegal immigrants would have to pay in fees and fines to obtain permanent legal status.

The bill says that illegal immigrants who were in the country before Jan. 1 would have six months to a year to apply for probationary status. However, once increased border and employment security measures are in place, the immigrants could apply for a "Z visa"that would be good for four years and renewable once.

Z visa applicants would have to pay a $1,000 fine plus a $1,500 processing fee, and visa renewals would cost $500.

After holding a Z visa, immigrants who met a set of criteria, including having a good work history and passing an English proficiency test, could apply for a green card. After five years with a green card, they could then apply for citizenship. Heads of households would have to return to their home country before being allowed to become citizens.

The process to obtain permanent residency would take about eight to 13 years.

Morristown reactions


"The process is too long, and to require the people to apply and reapply, and to pay every time makes this a money-making proposal," said Diana Mejia, founder of the Wind of the Spirit, a Morristown-based immigrant advocacy group. "If there are already not enough people working in immigration, why make the process so complex?"

Morristown Mayor Donald Cresitello called the proposed reform bill an "amnesty program," and said the federal government must consider the increased demand on housing, health care, welfare and other social services that would be created if millions of people suddenly gain legal status.

"Charity care (funding) at the state level will be have to be increased by hundreds of millions of dollars. There will be no hesitation to demand social services," the mayor said. "If Congress is going to do this, they need to be able to fund the implications of the law."


Cresitello added that local officials should be granted enforcement power, and that he personally does not support amnesty.

"I support work visas, and I absolutely support immigration into this country, but I don't think we should reward those people who did not follow the rules," he said.

The mayor believes that illegals should be required to return to their home countries and to "get in line with everyone else" in applying for citizenship.

Tien-Shun Lee can be reached at (973) 989-0652 or tslee@gannett.com.

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The process is too long, and to require the people to apply and reapply, and to pay every time makes this a money-making proposal," said Diana Mejia, founder of the Wind of the Spirit, a Morristown-based immigrant advocacy group. "If there are already not enough people working in immigration, why make the process so complex?"

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