Immigrant Advocates Want Action from Obama

Julianne Hing

Immigrant Advocates Want Action from Obama

Over eight thousand people gathered in Phoenix this weekend to demand an end to the raids, mass detention and deportation of thousands of immigrants that have swept across the country. The demonstration was touted as a protest against Maricopa County’s Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who’s made a name for himself with his special brand of vigilante racism. The multiracial and multi-generational crowd carried signs that read, “We Are Human,” and “Arpaio Is Not My America.”

But the protesters didn’t pin all the blame on Arpaio. They issued a call to President Obama and DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano, echoed by a powerful op-ed published in the Times, to step up and take responsibility for ending the inhumane policies and terror practices that have become all too commonplace in this country.

From the op-ed:

Americans who might applaud any crackdown on illegal immigrants, particularly in a recession, should know that scattershot raids and rampaging sheriffs are not the answer. The idea that enforcement alone will eliminate the underground economy is a great delusion. It runs up against the impossible arithmetic of mass expulsion — no conceivable regime of raids will wrench 12 million illegal immigrants from their jobs and homes.

The country is not a safer or better place because one more business and two dozen more families are torn apart outside Seattle or because Sheriff Arpaio has much of Maricopa County terrified. The system under which illegal immigrants labor, without hope of assimilation, is not any less broken. A new report from the Government Accountability Office shows that federal oversight of the 287(g) program has been sorely lacking.
So, a question: Are Mr. Obama and Ms. Napolitano in charge or not? Let them show it by ending the raids and Sheriff Arpaio’s abuses. Something has to be done about immigration, but it has to be smarter than this.

It's time to see if the Obama administration can fulfill the promise of the movement that put them into power.

Posted at 5:20 PM, Mar 04, 2009 in Immigration | Permalink | View Comments

Comments

One politician is as good as another. Its the vote bank only that spurs any action/ or inaction !Despite campaign promises, even Obama's consideration would be if he can ride the 'status quo' without stirring the 'hornets nest.' In the event he can maintain or gain popularity via implementing other programs; Obama will put the immigration issue on the back burner faster than any Bush. He's too astute a politician to buck the republicans he has been trying to win over for the next wave of elections.

We all know by now Barack Obama is as smooth as they come. He will be weighing the vote banks to determine policy. The campaign promise was elicited due to the need of the time and to overcome the GOP and Clinton for edge.

And now, like any other politician his right hand doesn't know what the left is enforcing. Knowing Obama's character through the brief history, I very much doubt he can lay claim to oversight or innocence when fully aware of his campaign stance.

Economically, it makes all the sense to integrate and enforce comprehensive immigration reform. The immigrants will not be making much of a dent in the job market; they do earn a livelihood even without the documentation. With documentation the 11.6 million will be contributing to society and business by way of:
1. Paying taxes
2. Buying medical insurance
3. Travel by air
4. Opening businesses and creating additional jobs.
5. Buying automobiles
6. Buying houses
7. Making permanent long term investments within the USA.
8. Lesser transfer of wealth to their countries due to present uncertain circumstances.
9. Higher capital purchases
10.Higher consumer expenditure/ retail purchases.

The immigrants of the shadows are a parallel economy waiting to be tapped. Till such time their earning power will be invested in trusted and ascertained havens.