CA-Forum discusses immigration reform

[American-ized]

Forum discusses immigration reform

Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
By Sandra Emerson, Staff Writer
Posted: 10/05/2009 05:44:16 PM PDT

CLAREMONT - A group of immigration reform supporters gathered at Our Lady of the Assumption Church to motivate people to start pushing for law changes.

The Latino/Latina Roundtable held the forum on Sept. 30 to get a head start on mobilizing the community and encouraging them to communicate their desire for immigration reform to elected officials.

If immigration reform does not get passed by the government, it is the country as a whole that will be at a loss, said Esther Lopez of United Food and Commercial Workers.

"It is in fact who we are in this country and what we stand for because what it means is the extreme right wing has beaten us," Lopez said. "It means that those that are hanging to preserve the legacy of slavery have won."

The need for immigration reform is critical to keep workers from being exploited for their lack of legal status, Lopez said.

"The consequences of not moving and not succeeding in moving comprehensive immigration reform are dire, and frankly, from labor's perspective, they're dire for workers," Lopez said.

Many of the immigration reform details didn't sit well with some attendees who disagreed with some of Lopez' comments.

"We surely do need immigration reform. We need something that will put a damper on the things that are going on," Upland resident Dee Barrow said.

"Even if they have to stop (immigration) for a short time and get everything caught up and figure out a way that's not going to cause all this dissension between people in this country. We need it all right, but not in the way (Lopez) is talking about."

The idea of increasing workers' wages while allowing more workers to keep coming into the country didn't sit well with Claremont resident Minor Collinsworth.

"If you increase the supply of anything all things being equal, the price is going to go down," Collinsworth said. "If you increase the amount of workers, all things being equal, the wages will go down."

Angelica Salaz of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights for Los Angeles discussed difficulties associated with becoming a legal resident of the United States.

Getting a green card, or legal permanent residence, "Is one of the hardest, hardest things for a person, for an immigrant, to get," Salaz said.

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[ELE]

The reform that is needed to for us to enforce our laws and get them out of OUR country.