THE AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE SAYS ADMINISTRATION MEASURES CIRCUMVENT LONG-TERM IMMIGRATION REFORM
International social justice organization claims political expediency is at the core of flawed border policy
For more information, contact Janis D. Shields, (215) 241-7060, (302) 545-6596 (cell) or Esther Nieves, (215) 241- 7131, or (215) 939-0676 (cell)
Philadelphia (May 16) - President Bush's national speech on immigration reform and the measures that he proposes continue a downward spiral on the critical national issue of immigration.
"Comprehensive immigration reform and long-term solutions to address the plight of 12 million undocumented workers took a back seat in the Bush administration's quest to appease political allies and congressional leaders," states Esther Nieves, interim director of Project VOICE, the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) immigrant rights initiative. "They have called for increased enforcement, detaining and summarily deporting undocumented immigrants, the increased militarization of the southern border, and quick-fix remedies such as a temporary guest worker program."
"The President spoke about the U.S. being a welcoming nation - a nation of immigrants. Yet his call for a national identification card for immigrant workers, a time-limited temporary work program, and 6,000 National Guard troops at the border avoid addressing the real problem," observes Joyce Miller, AFSC assistant general secretary for justice and human rights. "These actions overlook the root causes of immigration."
"If immigrants are to contribute to our nation's economic growth and ongoing development, substantive policy shifts must occur," she concludes.
The administration's attention to the nation's southern border and increased enforcement heightens the precarious nature of safety and quality of life of border communities.
For years border communities have grappled with the increased militarization of their surroundings that compromises civil and human rights. In addition, vigilante groups and "get tough" voices ignore the daily intrusion in which these communities already live.
Border communities have repeatedly expressed their opposition to the placement of troops in their communities. Residents already face abuse, racial profiling, the use of unwarranted force, arbitrary detention and arrests by the Border Patrol. With the placement of National Guard troops at the U.S./Mexico border, the administration has added to the low-intensity conflict already in the zone.
Saddled with low approval ratings, public opinion that disagrees with the ongoing war in Iraq, and a fragile economy, the administration has opted to focus its remaining tenure on an already vulnerable population: undocumented workers and their families.
"When policing is done by soldiers, our communities become the enemy," comments Pedro Rios, interim co-director of the AFSC San Diego office. "Individuals such as 17-year old Ezequiel Hernandez, who was killed by U.S. Marines conducting drug enforcement activities along the border, become the victims of these poorly conceived policies. Moreover, the President's proposed actions continue to whittle away at the Posse Comitatus Act, which prevents the use of U.S. military on domestic soil."
Hernandez, a U.S. citizen, had been herding his family's goats near the town of Redford, Texas when he was mistakenly shot in May, 1997.
The American Friends Service Committee presses for comprehensive immigration reform that does not diminish the civil and human rights of border communities and of undocumented immigrants. The administration's latest proposals do nothing more than placate calls for retaliatory actions that undermine the moral character and history of the United States. A crackdown on immigrants is neither a genuine nor comprehensive response to the immigration challenge the nation confronts.
The American Friends Service Committee supports the rights and dignity of all people, regardless of their immigration status. AFSC's Project VOICE works to uplift immigrant voices and strengthen efforts of immigrant-led organizations to set an agenda for fair and human national public policies. Backed by an 89-year history working for peace, justice and reconciliation in troubled areas of the world, the American Friends Service Committee is a faith-based organization grounded in Quaker beliefs respecting the dignity and worth of every person. AFSC has worked in Mexico on rural and urban development projects and with migrant farm workers in California since 1940. In 1977, the AFSC U.S./Mexico Border Program was created.
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The American Friends Service Committee is a Quaker organization that includes people of various faiths who are committed to social justice, peace and humanitarian service. Its work is based on the belief in the worth of every person and faith in the power of love to overcome violence and injustice.