A brief comment on immigration reform
Just a brief note on the immigration news from today:
C.S. Lewis once wrote about patriotism in The Four Loves:
Of course patriotism of this kind (love of home) is not in the least aggressive. It asks only to be let alone. It becomes militant only to protect what it loves. In any mind with a pennyworth of imagination it produces a good attitude towards foreigners. How can I love my home without coming to realize that other men, no less rightly, love theirs?… The last thing we want is to make everywhere else just like our own home. It would not be home unless it were different.
The above comment prompted me to write in the margins of my book, “Then America has little imagination.” My perception of the growing hostility towards illegal immigration (and immigrants in general, even if legal) is that many Americans cannot imagine that they have their own homes too and are people like us. At the same time, if we can imagine those homes, we want these people to stay in them. Often the impression I have had in the South at least is the idea that people from other countries should become like Americans, but they should do so outside of America. They should make their homes like ours, but not come here and make themselves at home.
Today’s ruling is bound to cause waves again even within the Catholic world. These may not rise to the height of Health Care Debate waves, but many Catholics will find themselves at odds with other Catholics. Just yesterday at a retreat with Juniors in high school, I found myself at odds with the entire table of five on this issue. They all believed the Arizona law to be rational and necessary, while I find it irrational and fear-mongering.
I suppose I only hope that discussion can be more civil as we strive to achieve solutions than the was the discussion of health care. When I discuss the topic, I tend to focus on the reasons for coming “north,” American imperialism, the universal destination of goods, the Church’s teaching on stealing, the nature of nation states, relational metaphysics, etc. However, I also recognize the dangers of the journey north (having spoken before with “coyotes” in El Salvador) and that not everyone comes north because their family is starving. This summer while down in Mexico, I spoke with a man who planned on leaving the small Mayan village in which we were working in order to come north for no other reason that his own pleasure. He was quite willing to leave his wife and daughter, and she, he informed me, if she “really loved him” should not mind him going north, possibly never to return. Also, if she “really loved him,” she wouldn’t mind if he met and married another woman.
Motivations are hard to read. But I don’t think the solution is the 20 foot fence along the border where I grew up outside El Paso.
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The owner of the Phoenix Suns basketball team, Robert Sarver, opposes AZ’s new immigration laws. Arizona’s Governor, Jan Brewer, released the following statement in response to Sarver’s criticism of the new law:
“What if the owners of the Suns discovered that hordes of people were sneaking into games without paying? What if they had a good idea who the gate-crashers are, but the ushers and security personnel were not allowed to ask these folks to produce their ticket stubs, thus non-paying attendees couldn’t be ejected. Furthermore, what if Suns’ ownership was expected to provide those who sneaked in with complimentary eats and drink? And what if, on those days when a gate-crasher became ill or injured, the Suns had to provide free medical care and shelter?”
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer
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Robert Witt to tony
show details 10:24 AM (11 hours ago)
To Governor Brewer,
Robert Saver made an interesting comparison to his business and Arizona’s new immigration law.
To completely agree with him I would like some definitions defined.
‘hordes” – there have been 6 million illegals enter the USA since 2000, about 600000 a year or about .02 % of USA population.
– if that same horde,% wise, that would mean about 37 fans would be illegally entering the Suns Arena every night.
– with that horde, and the 17000 fans that cheer on their heroes every night, that would still leave about 763 seats empty every night. So the term horde , a troop or tribe of Asian nomads,may not be a good term to use,
But of course this is not a game. I assume the ushers and security personnel would have little problem with .02% of new fans.
But of course this is not a game.Yes their are those who drain the US economy, but most are like you and I,
-They want a better life for their children
– a chance, just a chance, for life to be a little better
– with the clothes on their back they came
– with a homemade 56 Chevy, they made into a boat, and crossed the Florida straight
– with a strong back and young age they left their parents to come to the home of the brave and the land of the ….
I wonder how many living in the US are original Americans? But we know what everyone, all since the Mayflower, have done to them.
I know the Governor what not exclude medical care to some that was injured or sick in his arena. Who would want to be sheltered in his arena anyway.
So the comparison stops with the horde but really continues with who will pay for those 37 illegals. A billion a year to Pakistan would be a good start. Or maybe not so many, over 1700, Lockhead F-35 fighters at 89 million a pop.
Saint Augustine always called the Catholic Church that, ‘Shining City on a Hill”, I always thought of the US the same way.
“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. The wretched refuse of you teamming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
Ok, maybe not a hill, a shining beacon to the golden door.
bob witt Go Irish
Amalia Avila never supported the war. But after her first son, Victor Gonzalez, told her he wanted to join the Marines, she felt a mixture of fear, concern and, finally, pride.
“This war makes no sense to me,” Avila said last week in her Watsonville home. “I’d ask him why he wanted to go, and he’d just say his brothers needed his help. … But when Victor did get into the Marines, when that day came, I was so proud of him.”
Avila paused to allow her tears. “It was a beautiful day.”
It was also one of the last days Avila saw her son. Gonzalez, 19, who was born in Salinas shortly after Avila immigrated from Mexico, served a little more than a month in Anbar province before he was killed by a roadside mortar explosion in October 2003.
The discord between Avila’s unsettled feelings toward the war and her son’s sacrifice reflects a growing paradox within the Latino community. A majority of Latinos believe the troops should come home as soon as possible, according to Pew Hispanic Center surveys, yet enlistment of Latinos has steadily risen in the past decade.
According to the Department of Defense, in 2004, the most recent year of confirmed data, Latinos made up 13 percent of new recruits. This is an all-time high, nearly twice the percentage of 10 years earlier. Latinos’ presence in the military still does not match their 17 percent share of the overall population ages 18 to 24. And African Americans continue to be overrepresented in the military, making up about 18 percent of active duty personnel but only 13 percent of the U.S. population. Nonetheless, the absolute number of Latinos entering the armed forces continues to grow.
I totally agree with you that effort must be made to keep this conversation civil. In reality the views on this issue are much more complex and diverse on all political sides than is shown in the media.
I do disagree that American have become more hostile to legal immigration. Even in these hard economic times I don’t think the radical agenda of such groups as FAIR , CIS, and other Tanton groups have made much headway. Their goal of course is immigration period and the illegal issue is just a sideshow.
One would hope that in the days to come the Church’s position becomes a lot clearer. Sadly I think the general public has a misconception of it as they view it as “open borders”. It does not help some of the point people fro the Church on this issue have done some bombastic statements of their own that have clouded that.
I think people are open to Pathway to Citzenship for people that wish to be Americans as long as they have assurances that the border will be secure and we will be not be facing this problem again in twenty years. It does seem we could learn that from the polling when he last went through this issue in 2007.
Of course the issue is complicated and all facets of the political spectrum have to give something.
That includes Pathway (many will not like that), a hard line on future violations (the Chamber of Commerce and those that view deportations as a horrid sin will not like that), and of course the real problem internal controls which involves E verify and worker ID(the Libertarians will not like that) and of course some procedure that involves some Temp worker program that allows circular migration ( The Unions will hate that), and yes Fencing and other security measures (many will not like that) on the border. However I do think the vast American people for the most part would be fine with all this.
As to the AZ law I was not thrilled with it and I have some legit 4th amendment concerns with it. However I understand why they passed it. This state by the way shows the complexity of the issue. They vote for some things that look like they are anti immigration yet for the most part they seem to vote for polticos at the Federal level (and at the State level at times see their past Governor) that are open to Pathway but are firm on enforcement. So they are a perfect example of the rather complex but consistent view of what I think represents what the people want.
However reaching and trying to understand and represent these views is going to require a lot of effort to battle the extremes. It will also involve having Coalitions with folks that often view themselves at odds with each other but share a common bond on this issue.
Now I have no doubt that what we are seeing in D.C. is political theatre on all sides. There will be no immigratio bill this year and every one knows it. It will not likely happen while we are in recession However we can set the groundwork
Bob,
That is a interesting comparison but it leaves out that half the illegal border crossing occur in AZ and needless to say because of economic factors many stay in AZ. All States are effected by illegal immigration differently.
The problem is and this is the true pickle is what do we do about current laws.
There is the option of not enforcing the deportations laws but I think that would produce some considerable outrage. Further the Executive on his own just deciding no enforcement of a Congressional law would be troublesome.
In my conversations with people they seem to think they got burned after the last Amnesty. An Amnesty that went on by the way well into the Clinton Admin as people were allowed to qualify under it in special deals.
Now the fact that the great immigration deal of the 80′s did not work should have been obvious, The key components of real employer sanctions ,a lack of a verfifcation system , and the touchy issue of a ID card were not included. As I try to explain to my friends that want to build the Great Wall of China on the Border much of the problem are people that entered legally and just stayed around after their Visas expired.
So people are jaded. I have just come to the belief if the Govt does not show to the American people that ENFORCEMENT and Border security is in fact a priority and WE really mean it this time then they will not support Pathway and /or a truly workable Guest worker program that would return us the sane days of circular migration at lest to a degree. I think there is support for Pathway to Citizenship I think if that happens. We sort of see this dynamic play out even with AZ Citizens themselves.
Comprehensive Immigration Reform is dead this year. Not going to happen and in fact we knew it was not going happen late last year.
There could be a argument of going ahead and doing the funding and setting up of increased border enforcement as well as the internal controls now. Therefore when the Economy sorts of heat up again the public might be in a much more Charitable mood.
If it was up too me I would pass Comprehensive reform today. But that appears not to be in the cards.
The other way the Church can get support for Comprehensive Immigration Reform during this waiting period is really gear up and start devoting serious resources to the “Assimilation” issue.
I personally think Assimilation to most folks mean speaking English. A huge public relations effort by the Church that it Parishes and various assorted Catholic groups like the Knights of Columbus(that support Comprehensive Reform) would be devoting time , bodies , and money in providing classes to people that would be in the Pathway system to Citizenship as well as providing other needed services I think that would be productive. Such a program was really not highlighted in 2007. It also has the result of giving Catholics a sort of ownership and responsibilty in making this work on a personal level and not just leaving up to some Govt agency or the few tired overworked souls at the Catholic Charities Office.
I know folks want something this year but is that going to happen so I think we better just get our ducks in a row for next for 2012/13 in which I think will be the soonest this will be visited again in a serious matter.
This C.S. Lewis quote you provide really doesn’t support your position that America has no imagination. CS Lewis like GK Chesterston before him, were concerned with defining true patriotism. True patriotism is loving your country because it’s the place of your home. This doesn’t exclude the fact that people of other nations also love their country for the same reason. It’s not xenophobic or unpatriotic to love the country of your home and protect it based on a system of law.
Supreme ironies regarding this post: I am presently sitting in my brother’s mansion in suburban Greensboro, North Carolina, listening to his maids converse with each other in Spanish. Both of them entered this country illegally, both are now “legals,” and both are hard-working, upstanding and loyal citizens of the United States. A further irony is the reason why I’m still here, when I should have been at my new job in India a month ago: I am an international school teacher, and I am awaiting the (probable “bakshish”-demanding) Indian Ministry of Labour’s approval of my “one-year, multiple-entry” employment visa, which I applied for about two months ago. The “Human Resources” division of that Labour Ministry finally approved the “teacher permit” a few days ago, but there are still approvals needed from “Security” and “Politics”–if you can imagine what a high school teacher has to do with “national security” or local “politics”!
Here’s the rub for all of nasty right-wing xenophobes who can’t stand the idea of “amnesty” or “assimilation” of aliens: It is the GLOBAL ECONOMY that is making borders “porous”–that same “global economy” that, for so many years during the last quarter of the last century made so many of you Americans so much RICHER than the working poor of other nations. And I am living proof of it; I HAVE to go overseas to find international school employment because that’s what I do. (I am over-qualified right now to work in some lacklustre, grade-inflating American high school, and I’m also not interested in putting up with the rampaging discipline problems that populate one of them. Besides, right now I couldn’t find a job in North Carolina because of all the lay-offs, and my salary in India will be double what it would be in one of the American states whose teaching licensures I hold.)
My point, to make it transparently clear to any of you xenophobes who are willing to give your own long-term economic interests in this immigration issue some consideration (my bro. does it by carrying dvds of “A Day Without a Mexican” to impress his agri-business clients with what so much of their extra income derives from): IF your lazy progeny will get off their asses and do some schoolwork, there is a great likelihood that some day, like me, they will HAVE to go “abroad” to stay employed in their chosen fields, so just MAYBE it might behove you avoid the bad karma of having them live under your roofs until they’re in their thirties, by SUPPORTING the idea of some hard-working, devoutly Catholic and patriotic Mexicans being FORGIVEN for entering a country they LOVE in order to support their families!
Gordie,
True, Lewis doesn’t speak directly to our situation here. However, as soon as we start imagining the home’s of others, which is not too difficult these days with the internet and television, we can begin to understand much more easily than other generations why people are trying to get in. If we realize what their homes look like, we can hardly grudge them a new one.
I have now had a lot of discussions with my conservative friends that support the AZ law and just can’t understand why it the Injunction was granted,
A few observations that I think is relevant to this thread
First- as always reporting of legal matters in themedia is awful
Second -The biggest impediment to progress on this issue is lets say the most vocal assume the worst motives of each other.I think that is what is causing a lot of the problems
Third- People seem on the most part as to the l Law in question seem ignorant or have popular TV views of what certain terms means mean. For instance they do’t realize Detention or arrest does not always mean and often does not mean a Book em DANO in the jail. So I think partly because of that they don’t see the complaint that American Latinos have to this.
Fourth- Everyone seems to have magic faith in technology and think somewhere after a cop talks into radio some magic machine can confirm if a person is a Citizen or not in just seconds!!.
My main beef with the current immigration rhetoric centers on the whole “Mexico is a mess. We have to build a wall to keep their problems out”. Now, I am no one to hide the sins of my ancestral country, but hasn’t it occured to anyone that the United States IS Mexico’s problem? Think about it for a sec: we say Mexico is a failed state because the drug cartels are taking over. But who do the drug cartels sell to? Other Mexicans? They’re not getting rich that way.
The customers are the depressed people in the post-industrial urban ghettos, the people in the clubs who just want to have a good time, the businessman between meetings… Do you seriously think that building a wall, limiting the supply, and just jacking up the prices is somehow going to make everything better overnight? If we care so much about border security, maybe we should reflect that we are the ones making the border dangerous. It’s been that way since my father was a kid. First it was the bars and brothels, then NAFTA and the maquiladoras, then narcoanarchy, Jesus Malverde, and la Santa Muerte.
The United States has the habit of creating problems for everyone else while seeing itself as a self-enclosed, independent entity. The problems are always “over there”, and God forbid that they should come here. Maybe if the United States does build a wall, Mexico should just legalize the drug trade. That would break up the cartels overnight. Imagine if the price of cocaine went through the roof in the U.S., people are stewing in poor neighborhoods because they can’t find work, AND drugs would just be pushing up against the border waiting to get in… Violence? You haven’t seen nothing yet.
I think all of ya’ll who oppose “amnesty” or a clear path to citizenship for those who came here illegally had better read this—and then you’d better change your tune, unless you LIKE having these folks’ blood on your hands:
Until changes are made at a federal level—not with a patchwork of rules that merely shift illegal immigrants from state to state—the opportunities that the United States offers immigrants will be too strong a force for border agents to overcome, critics of U.S. border policy like Phoenix immigration attorney Jared Leung believe.
“People are going to search for a way to feed their families, for work to support their families,” he says. “A poor father from Guatemala will find a way to support his family. If he has to choose between breaking the law and putting food on the table, he’s going to put food on the table. Any father would choose to put food on the table.”
http://www.villagevoice.com/2010-08-11/news/inside-the-brutal-world-of-america-s-kidnapping-capital/1/