Thread: MA- A lesson in effecting change on immigration

A lesson in effecting change — and compassion — on immigration

November 03, 2009 12:00 AM

It was like a high school civics class except that the pupils were Mayan families from Guatemala and the teacher was their longtime New Bedford leader.

Anibal Lucas pasted some charts on a blackboard at the front of the room.

At the top of one chart was the word "Presidente" (president); at the next level were the words "Senado" (Senate) and "Casa de R." (House of Representatives); and at the level below that was the word "Congresso" (Congress).

Vertical lines connected the three branches of government. And below the diagram of the American system was the word "Leyes," or laws.

Lucas and John Willshire-Carrerra, a lawyer with Greater Boston Legal Services, were explaining in Spanish the American governmental system to the Mayan families. The class took place at the North End's Maya K'iche center Sunday afternoon and was designed to reach the women and their families who were caught in the immigration raid at the former Michael Bianco factory 2½ years ago, when 351 illegal immigrants were detained.

In America, Annibal told them, people can change the laws by writing to the president and Congress. Congress makes the laws and the president signs them.

Organizacion Maya K'iche is preparing a petition that the women and their friends and family members can put their names to, if they decide that's what they want to do.

The petition asks President Barack Obama and the Bay State congressmen to enact a new immigration law that will provide them with a pathway to citizenship.

"We fled our homes in Central America seeking safety from the wars and violence that have plagued our families and our communities," the petition said.

"We cannot return."

The petition goes on to state that the signers understand that their responsibility is to work hard, and to not only provide for themselves but for the "common good" in America.

It says that America is a country of laws, and those laws are to be respected. It notes that some of them have been mistreated and detained under the current laws.

"We ask that you pass a new law that allows us to remain living in the safety of our new home, that respects the fact that we, like everyone, deserve due process rights, including when detained."

Fifty or so women and many of their husbands listened patiently.

Their children, from toddlers up to the age of 10 or 11, ran around the room, all of them chattering in a flawless, American-accented English that their parents cannot speak. They played with their American toys; they have never known any other life but their life in this country.

"The legislation (revamping the McCain-Kennedy immigration law) is important for the community so they can get back on their feet and work," Willshire-Carrera said.

The Bianco women, who sewed military backpacks at the defense contractor, have been doing whatever they can to get by these last 2½ years — child care, other clothing mill work, if they can get it.

A few of them and their children have been granted permanent asylum, but the cases of the rest are still working their way through the legal system.

Willshire-Carrera estimated that of the immigrants his "pro bono" legal service represents, 14 or 15 have been granted green cards; some 99 are still waiting. Other legal services are representing other Bianco workers.

The Mayans, a Native American people, were often discriminated against in war-torn Guatemala. Many of them fled because they were vulnerable to government and gang forces in their own country, where "Ladinos," Central Americans of European origin, dominate.

As I write this column Monday afternoon, Mayor Scott Lang is on the radio for his campaign interview. He's telling anti-illegal immigrant host Ken Pittman that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service is "still doing a fair amount of auditing on the waterfront."

The mayor dares not be on the wrong side of this emotional issue, and Pittman has prefaced his question by saying that the immigrants are taking American jobs.

Now, I understand that, in a forgotten, blue-collar city like New Bedford, the concerns of everyone are first with the many local workers without jobs. However, well-respected local employers, people you would recognize if I wrote their names, have told me they cannot get city natives to do much of the low-end New Bedford work.

And though I'm sure ICE has stepped up its enforcement on the waterfront, both the mayor and Ken Pittman know as well as I do that there are thousands of undocumented immigrants in this city that neither the state, local nor national government is moving assiduously to return to Central America.

What we have here then is a bunch of Americanized kids and their hard-working parents who are looking for a way to be legal after having spent many, many years in the country, most just trying to eke out a living.

These are people, in many cases, who are scorned by many in New Bedford, feared by Americans who believe, rightly or wrongly, that they are taking their jobs.

In the Bible, Jesus talks about consigning to hell people who encountered strangers and did not take them in. Few of us, of course, can live up to that standard.

But I think most of my fellow residents of New Bedford, if they had the chance to sit in that room at the Maya K'iche center Sunday afternoon and watch these Mayan women and their loved ones sit patiently listening to their leaders, would not talk so blithely about sending them all home or making it impossible for them to stay.

Contact Jack Spillane at jspillane@s-t.com


http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbc ... -1/NEWSMAP

But I think most of my fellow residents of New Bedford, if they had the chance to sit in that room at the Maya K'iche center Sunday afternoon and watch these Mayan women and their loved ones sit patiently listening to their leaders, would not talk so blithely about sending them all home or making it impossible for them to stay.

Not buying it, what I'd see is a bunch of people who have no respect for our country's laws and their feelings of entitlement. It's up to them to effect change in Guatemala, not to run away with their tails between their legs.

DEPORT!

Not buying it either. When they start using Jesus to try to justify illegal immigration and amnesty, then they're at the bottom of their barrel of arguments.

DEPORT.

Originally Posted by Judy

Not buying it either. When they start using Jesus to try to justify illegal immigration and amnesty, then they're at the bottom of their barrel of arguments.

DEPORT.

Using the kids is still the lowest sob story for this agnostic.
All due respect to the religious among us.

I'm Catholic. (Ok. Conservative, Republican Catholic).

I do believe in my religion and my faith.

I'm not buying this either.

I ran a "school" at a detention (jail) facility. One of the classes was "power sewing". They sewed the inmate jumpsuits, etc.

No reason they cannot be the ones to sew military backpacks and why is a DOD contractor hiring illegal aliens and getting away with it?

American toys? As if those same toys aren't marketed in thier own country in their own language?

I could go on. No. Not buying this at all.

Deport. They're already criminals and are making criminals of their children too young to understand what "criminal" even means.

What upsets me is that they think they can influence OUR government leaders - well, I guess they do, but . . .

What we have here then is a bunch of Americanized kids and their hard-working parents who are looking for a way to be legal after having spent many, many years in the country, most just trying to eke out a living.

Too bad. What we have here are a bunch of illegal aliens and their kids who all need to be deported. Enough already.

"We fled our homes in Central America seeking safety from the wars and violence that have plagued our families and our communities," the petition said. "We cannot return."

What a load, those wars were over 20 years ago, they can all return safely.
Heck, Americans are retiring in these countries!!!

Why are we spending any money teaching them when instead we should be deporting them.

Originally Posted by Ratbstard

Originally Posted by Judy

Not buying it either. When they start using Jesus to try to justify illegal immigration and amnesty, then they're at the bottom of their barrel of arguments.

DEPORT.

Using the kids is still the lowest sob story for this agnostic.
All due respect to the religious among us.

I agree, Ratbastard. Using the kids to try to justify illegal immigration and amnesty IS the bottom of the barrel.

DEPORT.