It is easy these days to lose faith or hope: when our nation is deporting more than 1,000 people per day; when the Congress seems further away from passing sensible immigration reform than ever; when all of the legislative proposals being offered by Republicans call for making things worse for bread-winners, students and families both inside and outside of immigrant communities; and when the attention of the news media is paid mostly to the latest state or federal scheme to deport more people or drive them further underground.
Despite the significant challenges we face in Washington, your support of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus’ advocacy on behalf of Latinos is having an impact and is greatly appreciated.
Likewise, your hard work in pushing your state and local governments is critically important to winning fair and just treatment of immigrants and families and vital to the work of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. We want to take this opportunity to thank you for your dedication to making America a better and more welcoming country.
Some recent examples where pro-immigrant and pro-Latino policies are advancing include:
o Bills to expand opportunity and access to higher education have passed in Connecticut, Maryland and Illinois and bills are advancing in California, New York, Rhode Island and other states. Like the federal DREAM Act, these laws would broaden the options for undocumented youth who are coming of age in the United States, the only country many of them have ever known.
o Governors in Massachusetts, Illinois, and New York are pushing back forcefully against the so-called “Secure Communities” program, which enlists state and local law enforcement resources in enforcing federal immigration law. Additional state and local bills and resolutions are also in the works in numerous states. Our Congressional Hispanic Caucus has consistently opposed this program that blurs the line between state and local police, who are sworn to protect and serve their communities, and federal immigration agents whose main job is to remove people from communities.
o Bills to expand access to state and local services, legal protections, and basic services that other taxpayers can access are also under consideration. Bills related to driver’s licenses in Oregon, workmen’s compensation in Michigan, emergency services in New Mexico, and other integration, law-enforcement, and education measures are just some of the examples. The fact that millions of immigrants are here and contributing to our society, despite the absence of a functioning legal immigration system, is a reality that states and localities are grappling with in numerous, often innovative ways.
o To be sure, bills in numerous state houses play on the wedge politics of division and fear. Bills to piggy-back on Arizona’s unfortunate example of legalizing racial profiling have advanced in Georgia and Indiana and numerous bills around the country seek to restrict access to elementary, secondary and higher education, among other essential services. However, most often, these types of bills have failed to reach the finish line because of stiff opposition from voters and residents.
At least thirteen states have rejected Arizona-style bills this year. The coalitions fighting restrictive legislation state by state and city by city go well beyond the Latino and immigrant community to encompass a broad array of allies in all sectors of society, including law enforcement, business leaders, labor unions, clergy, civil rights advocates, and educators.
Now, more than ever, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus needs your support to advance a positive agenda while playing defense against further scapegoating of immigrants and Latinos on Capitol Hill. In the legislative and appropriations process, we can expect leaders in the
Republican Party to advance more punitive and mean-spirited measures to put further mandates on states, localities, businesses, health care providers, law-enforcement, and others.
We take solace in knowing that reestablishing the rule of law is possible through federal immigration reform. The outdated notion that more than 10 million undocumented immigrants and their families will leave or be forced out of the country is pure fantasy. Only by getting these residents into the system and on-the-books while creating avenues for legal immigration and cutting off smuggling and exploitation can we hope to solve the problems we face in the long run. We, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, remain committed to reform and supporting leaders at all levels of government who join us in that effort. One national immigration policy is what our Constitution requires and what practicality dictates. This is a country of immigrants.
The American people are deeply committed to racial and ethnic equality, legal and orderly immigration, and fair and dignified treatment of immigrants. As we continue working towards fair and just immigration solutions at the federal level, your efforts to relieve suffering, address discrimination, alleviate mistreatment and erase inequality at the state and local level are deeply appreciated.
Let us move forward together towards a stronger and more prosperous nation. We will persevere ¡Juntos, adelante!
Sincerely,
Charles Gonzalez Chairman
Congressional Hispanic Caucus
Luis V. Gutierrez Chair
CHC Immigration Task Force