Thread: Another Immigration Lawyer Tries to Deceive

A repeated call for action: Congress should pass partial immigration reform

Allan Wernick

Tuesday, June 15th 2010, 4:00 AM
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Eighteen months ago I called for a partial legalization program for undocumented immigrants.

"With unemployment rising and the economy continuing a downward spiral, this is a politically dangerous, if not impossible, time to overhaul decades of failed law and policy," I reasoned, suggesting comprehensive immigration reform would need to wait until a second Obama administration.

I repeat my call for partial reform because it is time to admit that comprehensive reform is dead for this year - it's time to move on.

A key element of my proposal was passage of the DREAM Act - a law that would legalize students here for at least five years who were brought here by their parents before age 16.

Some immigrant's rights activists sharply criticized my approach. "It's too early to compromise," they said.

Now, it is clear that Congress won't seriously consider comprehensive reform until at least 2012.

But partial reform has a chance. Let's legalize a portion of our nation's undocumented immigrants, particularly the young and ambitious. Congress should pass the DREAM Act as a first step toward comprehensive reform.

In the absence of Congressional efforts to address immigration, the Obama administration is continuing its "enforcement first" approach.

As I wrote 18 months ago, "Increasingly, Obama's approach to immigration reform seems to be to get control over the border in the first term, and pass a broad legalization program - let's hope - in the second."

Responding to Arizona's "arrest 'em and deport 'em" approach, Obama ordered 1,200 National Guard troops to the border.

That might reduce some undocumented immigration. But if the economy improves, undocumented immigration will begin to grow despite increased border enforcement.

Immigrants come here to work. No work means less immigration. More jobs, more undocumented immigration.

Comprehensive immigration reform is far down the road. Meanwhile, undocumented students, many brought here as infants, remain facing a life without hope of achieving the American Dream they learned of in our schools.

With the American people and Congress in no mood to legalize the 12million undocumented workers in the United States, partial reform makes sense.

My original proposal called for three reforms including the recapture of 500,000 unused immigrant visas.

Now let's keep it simple and pass two, the DREAM Act and the AgJobs bill.

AgJobs legalizes about 1.5million farm workers. The major agricultural owners associations and the leading unions including the United Farm Workers, support the bill. Agricultural work is one area where few U.S. workers will complain that immigrants are taking their jobs.

The DREAM Act will legalize about 1 million young people.

To get permanent status, young immigrants will need to either study in college for two years or serve two years in the military. The latter rule is one reason the U.S. military favors passage.

Both Democratic and Republican party leaders have spoken favorably about the DREAM Act and AgJobs.

So what's the problem? One is opposition to partial reform from the major immigrants advocacy organizations, particularly those with headquarters in Washington. They see passage as hurting the chances for comprehensive reform.

But I view a partial reform as a partial victory.

By enacting the DREAM Act, we'll show Americans and the world that we value immigrants and immigration and provide activists with a long-awaited win to muffle the growing anti-immigrant voices.

Sen. Chuck Schumer, chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Immigration, supports comprehensive reform including the DREAM Act. He has yet to introduce a bill, hoping to get at least a bit of GOP support. That's not going to happen. If anything, Republican leaders are moving further away from supporting reform as the 2012 elections near.

But DREAM and AgJobs have broad bipartisan support. Why not push those bills? I doubt Schumer or any Congressional leaders will move in that direction, so long as the Washington immigrant "leaders" treat partial reform as a sellout.

Let's create some space for Schumer and other friends in Congress by calling for passing the DREAM Act. Now!

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/201 ... #community#ixzz0qwZeK6r8

I reasoned, suggesting comprehensive immigration reform would need to wait until a second Obama administration.

I seriously believe this will be a one term president!

It is too early to compromise

... it will ALWAYS be to early to compromise!
NO COMPROMISE EVER on our immigration laws...ENFORCE THEM! Take away ALL benefits... housing, medical, bank accounts, food stamps, EDUCATION and JOBS and let these people SELF DEPORT! PERIOD!

I posted this to the comment section:

ratbstard

1:23 PM
Jun 15, 2010

Sure, lets give an IA kid that goes to college or serves in the armed forces citizenship. Then that kid can sponsor his/her parents, siblings, Aunts, Uncles, cousins and grandparents each of which can do the same for any relatives not directly related to the IA kid first mentioned. That's not a DREAM ACT, it's just another attempt at a BACKDOOR AMNESTY!

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/forums/threa ... z0qwgvoPkk

He states, in part...

"By enacting the DREAM Act, we'll show Americans and the world that we value immigrants and immigration and provide activists with a long-awaited win to muffle the growing anti-immigrant voices."

Say rather...

By rejecting the DREAM act we'll show Americans and the world that we value our laws and our borders and provide activists with the hard reality that if you want to come here, do it legally.

AMEN!

What the heck? Pass nothing, deport all who don't belong here. Most don't want citizenship anyway, and they say that at every turn. Secure the border, deport illegal felons, nuff said!

The DREAM Act will legalize about 1 million young people.

Who will immediate sponsor 50 of their closest relatives. This is not a solution to our immigration problems.