Sanity needed for Immigration
Chloe Johnson
Issue date: 5/20/10 Last update: 5/20/10 at 7:40 AM PST
Section: OpEd
If there's one good thing about the draconian new immigration law that Arizona recently passed, it's that the law will probably be shot down by the Supreme Court as unconstitutional. However, what no one's talking about is that we need a real solution to fix our broken immigration system, and that fact won't change after the fuss about the Arizona law dies down.
The current immigration system isn't good for anyone, whether they are U.S. citizens, legal immigrants, or the undocumented immigrants themselves, and the Obama Administration should start focusing on moderate solutions to an issue that seems to have been hijacked by extremists.
The first problem with the way this debate has been framed is the fact that people now associate "illegal immigrants" with Latinos, Mexicans in particular. The Arizona law is obviously encouraging racial profiling, and is a symptom of the thinly veiled anti-Mexican bigotry that has been prevalent in Arizona for decades.
What people forget is that there are plenty of undocumented immigrants (as well as documented immigrants) from every part of the world, and to frame this as only a Mexican problem is not only racist, it also makes anyone who brings up this issue look like a potential racist. By not framing this debate in racial terms, we could finally come to a sane solution.
Most people on both sides of the immigration debate focus on the immigrants themselves, rather than those who employ them. "Lawless employers," as President Obama calls them, are not only providing an incentive, they are often breaking several other labor and tax laws.
By focusing only on the immigrants, we are placing the entire burden on those who have committed a misdemeanor and ignoring those who have habitually broken several laws without fear of punishment. If we really cared about stopping illegal immigration, our focus would be on these employers who are still largely peripheral to the debate.
The system we have now is unsustainable; we need to focus on solutions that are humane and start treating people as people rather than as "aliens." If we don't, 50 years from now we will still be wrestling with these same problems.
The current immigration system isn't good for anyone, whether they are U.S. citizens, legal immigrants, or the undocumented immigrants themselves, and the Obama Administration should start focusing on moderate solutions to an issue that seems to have been hijacked by extremists.
The first problem with the way this debate has been framed is the fact that people now associate "illegal immigrants" with Latinos, Mexicans in particular. The Arizona law is obviously encouraging racial profiling, and is a symptom of the thinly veiled anti-Mexican bigotry that has been prevalent in Arizona for decades.
What people forget is that there are plenty of undocumented immigrants (as well as documented immigrants) from every part of the world, and to frame this as only a Mexican problem is not only racist, it also makes anyone who brings up this issue look like a potential racist. By not framing this debate in racial terms, we could finally come to a sane solution.
Most people on both sides of the immigration debate focus on the immigrants themselves, rather than those who employ them. "Lawless employers," as President Obama calls them, are not only providing an incentive, they are often breaking several other labor and tax laws.
By focusing only on the immigrants, we are placing the entire burden on those who have committed a misdemeanor and ignoring those who have habitually broken several laws without fear of punishment. If we really cared about stopping illegal immigration, our focus would be on these employers who are still largely peripheral to the debate.
The system we have now is unsustainable; we need to focus on solutions that are humane and start treating people as people rather than as "aliens." If we don't, 50 years from now we will still be wrestling with these same problems.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
GTurner
posted 5/21/10 @ 12:11 AM PST
"Obviously encouraging racial profiling"? REALLY?? Have you read the law? It EXRESSLY PROHIBITS such profiling, and carries severe penalties for officers who do so!
"The debate" has been "framed" by folks, like YOU, who have not READ the law. (Continued…)
harold bryant
posted 5/21/10 @ 3:35 PM PST
every person should carry Identification law enforcement and emergency services need this information. if you are in the country illegally that means you cut infront of the line and snuck over or overstayed your visa with that said the consequences are plain for breaking the law usually deportation take for instance the crack epidemic that hit mostly lower class african americans stuck in ghettoes many a family was broken up and many innocent victims paid the ultimate price but thats the consequence of breaking the law you cant pick and choose what laws to obey all laws should be followed its for everyones safety i give you one example the entire Bologna family of san francisco gunned down by a illegal immigrant this person should have never been here jamiel shaw whose mother was in Iraq countless drunk driving deaths and many law enforcement have paid the ultimate price if you do not like the law get it changed like blacks are trying to do with the ufair crack to powder laws many a la
Laney Smith
posted 6/08/10 @ 4:51 PM PST
Is anyone interested in starting a laney blog site which was mostly non political, non ideological. Where the people who self indulge in thier own goodness are subordinated to students who might want help figuring out how to navigate the Laney system and classes, teachers, counseling, financial aid, maybe have live discussion on one of the existing irc servers out there? I just read of a laney associated blog with I think "world press"? Or somethign similar where they said they will basically not observer peoples desire for privacy when posting. (Continued…)
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