MyrtleBeachOnline.com | 12/20/2009 | Deported adults leave U.S. citizen children behind

MyrtleBeachOnline.com | 12/20/2009 | Deported adults leave U.S. citizen children behind


Here's an all too typical story of how Congress (in an effort to look tough on illegal immigration) made poor public policy by removing discretion from immigration enforcement and immigration judges.

It happens all the time - not just in the immigration context. The war on drugs with its diparate treatment of "crack" cocaine offenders; the federal "three strikes" policy; mandatory federal sentencing guidelines. All of these expressions of Congressional bravado have been revisited over time because of their unfair or self-defeating effects in the real world outside Washington, D.C.

Law enforcement and judges need to have the ability (known as discretion) to decide how to apply and enforce the law under differing circumstances. This article discusses parents who have lived in the United States for close to 30 years raising a family of two U.S. born children (one heading off to college) - there is no discussion of these people being criminals or on welfare or not paying taxes or running up bills at the emergency room. They even have other family who have filed papers to get them legal status more than 10 years ago.

This should be an easy case...where the factors in favor of letting the family stay together outweigh the harms of the violation of the immigration law. Other cases may not be so easy, but the law gives the enforcement officers and the immigration judge's almost no ability to take each such case on its own merits. It's time to rethink that policy as well.

It is time for Congress to stop trying to look like tough guys and to give the people who actually do the work of immigration back the tools they need to do their jobs wisely.

All I want for Christmas is Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR)

Here is a summary (by the Immigration Policy Institute) of the Gutierrez bill on CIR. Of course it is a long way from the introduction of this bill to a completed new immigration law (just look at health reform). But it is a start!

http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/sites/default/files/docs/CIR_ASAP_2009_Summary.pdf

Over 100 Democrats Push Obama on Immigration Reform - NAM

Over 100 Democrats Push Obama on Immigration Reform - NAM

A report from New American Media on Congressional Support for Comprehensive Immigration Reform.

AgJobs 2009 Bill

If you follow this link to the AgJobs 2009 Bill -- you might be seeing a part of the upcoming Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill that Sen. Schumer of NY was expecting to finish by Labor Day (so much for that plan, maybe Groundhog Day).

This bill would allow the legalization of Farm workers, who meet the days worked criteria and who have no disqualifying criminal history, by giving them a "BlueCard" status.  This would give them the right to enter the US everyday as a commuter worker or to remain and work in the United States like a permanent resident or "GreenCard" holder.  However, there is no direct path to US citizenship.  After 3-5 years in BlueCard a worker and the family could apply for GreenCard status.  After five years of GreenCard status (LPR) then they could apply for citizenship.

Health Insurance for Immigrants -- even "Illegal" Immigrants?

I can promise my readers that I will jump into the icy waters of the mighty Merrimack river in the dead of winter in a penguin costume if the Congress of the United States ever votes to allow "illegal" immigrants to purchase government subsidized health insurance. Nevermind these studies from the Immigration Policy Center that show we would probably save tax payer money by doing so and would certainly have a healthier, more productive workforce.

Here's the link
http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/

And so it begins...

President Obama met with Congressional leaders yesterday to discuss the way forward on immigration reform in the United States. It is an important first step because it emphasizes two principles that have often been overlooked. First, that a solution is needed sooner rather than later...meaning that it is not prudent to wait until the recession is over or until after the mid-term elections to bring reform; and second that common sense and practical solutions are what this country needs as opposed to more political grandstanding, manufactured outrage, and draconian enforcement.

Here is a link to the Presidents post meeting comments --

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-after-meeting-with-members-of-Congress-to-discuss-immigration/