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Congress should restart immigration reform process |
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By Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.)
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Posted: 07/26/07 07:49 PM [ET] |
Rep. Luis Guiterrez (D-Ill.)
Photo by Benjamin J. Myers |
In recent weeks, we have heard a lot of tough talk from those who worked to stop immigration reform in the Senate. What we haven’t heard are any solutions. What do they propose we do now?
As most people who are familiar with the legislative process understand, being against something is easy. Embracing heated political rhetoric is easy.
Pandering to conservative radio hosts and playing into people’s fears is easy.
You know what is not easy, and what was often overlooked during the debate, is the struggle and sacrifice of the immigrant who gets up at the crack of dawn each morning to go take care of someone else’s kids, or the young father working the midnight shift on a cleaning crew, or the woman picking vegetables in oppressive heat for 12 hours a day. You know what is not easy is worrying each day that your husband will not come home from work or that you will be swept up in a raid and your U.S. citizen children will be left helpless and alone.
At the end of the day, that is what the immigration debate is all about, and why I believe it so is important that we keep fighting.
Because with a little distance from the emotion of the Senate debate, and in light of recent events, we are seeing even more clearly the absolute absurdity of the opposition’s position.
Let’s start with Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.). He is on record as saying “if it hurts the bill, I’m for it.” Let’s put aside the fact that he was trying to hurt our efforts to add thousands of additional border agents and create the most robust employment verification system in our nation’s history, and that he was effectively advocating for the horrific status quo of porous borders, workplace discrimination and exploitation and the continued destruction of families.
Based on his actions, it would probably be more realistic for him to say, if it hurts America, our workforce, our families or our ability to protect our homeland, I’m for it.
But it doesn’t stop there. Leading anti-immigrant advocate Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) and his allies have spent a great deal of time in recent days talking about forgiveness and redemption, but for some reason they believe that this forgiveness should not extend to the devoted husband who leaves his wife and children each day to work in pesticide-ridden fields.
And then there is the growing swell of support for complete amnesty for convicted felon Scooter Libby. Yet, for some reason, these same individuals cry foul when a system of harsh fines and penalties is proposed for the dishwasher whose only crime is working to support his family. Not exactly equal justice under the law.
In the past months, those of us who were committed to passing comprehensive immigration reform have extended every olive branch, explored every compromise, listened to every concern, taken every meeting and worked hard to understand every viewpoint.
I think history will show that there were true heroes on both sides of the aisle on this issue — leaders who put a lot on the line and showed great courage. But, sadly, for those of us who tried to search for common ground, the lesson here is that the voices of intolerance sometimes speak more loudly than the voices of reason. But that certainly does not mean we can give in or give up.
So I believe two things must happen now.
First, we must better organize and mobilize our immigrant community and our true allies. We need to redouble our efforts to naturalize immigrants, register them to vote and turn them out on Election Day. Immigrants will remember who stood with them for fairness and justice and will elect leaders and representatives who stand for border security, economic vitality and family unity.
Second, we should begin to take up comprehensive immigration reform legislation in the House Judiciary Committee. Let’s work on a good bipartisan bill. We can draw from the STRIVE Act, which I introduced with Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), and other legislative ideas.
And let’s use this as an opportunity to educate and build support on both sides of the aisle and across the country. Will there be people in the House who espouse the same views as the Senator Vitters of the world? Absolutely. But there will also be those who are ready to embrace this historic opportunity to do what is right — and what is necessary.
Let’s get this process moving again, and let’s show the American people what we are capable of achieving.
Gutierrez is a member of the House Judiciary Committee.
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