Amnesty = Anything but Mass Deportation

Andrew Friedman

Amnesty = Anything but Mass Deportation

Many of us were relieved earlier this week when the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to pass a proposal for immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship for millions of undocumented workers currently living in the United States.

Now the debate moves to the full Senate, and the anti-immigrant wing of the Republican Party is digging in their heels. They seem to have done their research and to have their talking points down. If they can equate immigration and terrorism and confine the discussion to issues of law enforcement, they think they can carry the day. That's why all the right-wing talking heads are condemning the Senate Judiciary Committee's proposal as an "amnesty" that "rewards people for breaking the law."

The anti-immigrant folks have a problem, though. There is simply no amnesty for undocumented people living in the United States. Everyone who has entered the country unlawfully would have to pay a hefty fine, pay back taxes, if they owe them, and begin a six year process of steady work and learning English before they could become legal permanent residents. It would require an additional five years before folks could become citizens. Civil penalties for civil law violations and an eleven year year path to citizenship. So, where's the amnesty?

It seems that any punishment shy of mass deportation will be called an amnesty. But, just like weapons of mass destruction, or the Saddam-Osama connection, saying it so don't make it so.

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Posted at 9:07 AM, Mar 30, 2006 in Immigration
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The immigration system is broken. Undocumented immigrants are essential to the US economy. Their presence in the US violates the law. As I read the DMI report and other studies -- current immigration law is unjust and wrong. Not a day goes by without reminders in court and in the press of the irrational system undocumented workers are subject to.

Amensty for those violating an unjust law is a good idea. Those committed to justice should not avoid the concept even if some view it as impolitic.

It is true the Senate proposal is not amnesty: it proposes a difficult series of hurdles for undocumented workers. But wouldn't amnesty be simpler and better?

Having watched senate debate this past week, one can tell that the influence of the anti-immigrant lobby has permeated through to the anti-immigrant wing of the Republican party. Anti Immigrant Organizations such as Numbers USA have mobilized their supporters to bombard congress with faxes and phone calls. In 3 days alone, as of Friday according to a message intended for its supporters, Numbers USA members had sent 120,000 faxes to Congress urging extreme anti-immigration measures. While Numbers USA members continue their campaign, Numbers USA charts bearing strong similarity to those created by Numbers USA have been used in Senate Debate by Jeff Sessions (R - Alabama). The Numbers USA charts show an unlikely perspective, one that is unrealistic. For instance to make their projections they have claimed that a US legal permanent resident would bring to the US an additional 80 (eighty) family members, this is simply unrealistic and as a result members of congress may not be getting a true and realistic picture. Numbers USA's affiliation (see link above) with disturbing anti immigrant groups such as FAIR is cause for great concern.

It is important that pro-immigrant groups and those for realistic immigration reform similarly contact members of the Senate and tell their side of the story to avoid organizations such as Numbers USA from misinforming members of the Senate through exaggerated representations.

Information from reliable but unconfirmed sources indicates that the comprehensive immigration reform bill will be closed for amendments on Wednesday. Given that time line, that leaves only Monday and Tuesday for any contact with the Senate. It is important that every effort be made to contact members of the Senate given the foregoing.