Galveston, TX, 77553
Immigration Reform
Immigration Reform June 25 - The White House President Obama met members of congress in the State Dinning Room to discuss immigration. The president addressed members of congress on what he considers a critical issue this nation faces and that is an immigration system in great need of resolution. He met with a bipartisan members who participated in a meeting sharing an array of views and reaching a consensus that in spite of past differences, Americans want to see a solution for tightening down our borders and one that would deal with employers who use undocumented workers in unfair business practices and often mistreat those workers. “We need an effective way to recognize and legalize the status of undocumented workers who are here,” he said to the guests in the dinning room. He warned that is was not a general consensus but that the congressmen in the meeting agreed that immediate action was of the essence. The President further affirmed that his administration sought to achieve comprehensive immigration reform. He asked the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Secretary Janet Napolitano to lead a leadership group from both the House and the Senate to start working through relevant issues. The FBI has already cleared much of the backlog of immigration background checks to expedite the legal immigration process and DHS is now cracking down on unscrupulous employers, and in cooperation with the Department of Labor, poised to protect workers from exploitation. The President also announced that in the next 90 days, the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services Office (USCIS) will be launching a revamped Web site which will streamline inquiries from applicants on the status of their applications via e-mail and text message on line. This will reduce long lines at USCIS offices and being put on terminal hold when calling by phone. He added that as president he is committed to ensure that the some 12 million or so undocumented who may not be paying taxes and who are living in the shadows will be dealt with in “practical, common-sense way.” Finally, he commended John McCain, “because along with folks like Lindsey Graham, he has already paid the political cost for doing the right thing.” Then he recognized Congresswoman Nydia Velasquez (D) N.Y. , Chair Woman of the House Committee of Small Business for taking the leadership in the immigration reform issue.
Comments
Hey Twinkie,
Glad you appreciate the quotes.
We must reamain alert of the social climate which affects our lives.
I love those quotes you used in your last comment! I'm gonna make a note of them
Maricela,
I'm a firm believer that there are only three types of people in the U.S.: There are those who make things happen, those who are part of whats happening, and there are those who wonder what happened?
We should strive to be in one of the first two categories.
I'm sure you are aware that there are those who will organize to oppose all immigration.
One of the concerns of the Krikorians of this country is national security; or insecurity since the 9/11 attacks.
(Krikorian the guy who attacked Judge Sonia Sotomayor for not pronouncing her name like an "americun".)
Another is a certain xenophobia that immigrants don't assimilate or become like other Americans.
Stanley Renshon, of the Center of Immigratin Studies, founded by Krikorian and whose goals is to eliminate all immigraion (specially illegal), wrote the folowing:
"This paper argues that our current laissez faire policy regarding the incorporation of citizens and immigrants alike, our failures to enforce immigration laws, and the doublespeak that characterizes our responses to illegal immigration are deeply corrosive to the fabric of the American national community.
This country faces catastrophic dangers from abroad and major policy issues at home. In such circumstances, pervasive public feelings that reflect instrumental, shallow, or ambivalent emotional national attachments are not only undesirable, but also dangerous. But what can be done? Feelings of attachment cannot be mandated by legislation or instilled by clarion calls to patriotism."
One great concern of the CIS is that immigrants, (specially Hispanics) don't become americanized fast enough. We should eat huebos con catchup, (¡huacala!) instead of con salsa. We are one of the few ethinic groups that holds traditions with great tenasity; Our folklóricos, our fiestas, quinceañera, etc.
"If a race has no history; if a race has no worthwhile traditions, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world and it stands in danger of being exterminated." Carter G. Woodson - Father of Afro American history.
I'm sure that the Obama administration will produce an equitable immigration reform. But we must do our part. Know who your congressman is; better yet, let him know who you are.
J.L. Borges said: " Todas las teorías son legitimas y ninguna tiene importancia, lo que importa es lo que se hace con ellas.
It's great to see that something is being done to at least attempt to correct our broken immigration system.... Yes, the FBI clearances have helped because there are people that submitted waiver applications since January-February 2008 that are now getting their cases resolved. As far as I know they've got backlogs from Jan, Feb, March, April, and June cleared up and are in the process of finalizing decisions on these cases... but we need more done. Families are being separated, children left without parents, mothers left to deal with foreclosed home because their spouse has been out of the country for months on end and they cant make home payments with their single income, not to mention the cost of the immigration process itself.
As a survivor of the Pilot Program of the US Consulate in Cd Juarez I am thankful to see that these backlogs are being cleared, but I also know what suffering everyone goes through during this process: emotional, financial, and otherwise. More needs to be done to correct this broken system.... but at least it's being address and something's being done about it. There's still a long way to go, but I'm glad to see at least a little glimmer of hope for everyone going through this.