Weekly Immigration Wire: Obama’s Hard Line on Immigration
In the modern world, borders do not separate families, nor commerce, nor soldiers, nor bank accounts and their owners. And NAFTA has allowed Mexico’s corn crop to be so devalued that Mexico—the land where the plant was born roughly 5,000 years ago—now imports corn, forcing streams of campesinos to migrate north…where we lock them up.
by Nezua, TMC MediaWire Blogger
Last week, President Obama announced his intention to address immigration reform in the next few months in a meeting with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. The statement came as a relief to many, especially with recent reports of human rights abuses within the U.S. detention system. But, as most of the President’s statements seem crafted to appeal to warring political constituencies, his actual intentions are still elusive.
Jorge Rivas of RaceWire, for one, wasn’t wholly won over by the President’s speech during a town hall meeting in California, and noted that Obama got “a little nasty.” Stressing ethnocentric arguments such as “You will learn English” while pointedly avoiding any comment on the suffering tied to the detention process makes for a poor juxtaposition:
You’ve got to..say to the undocumented workers, you have to say, look, you’ve broken the law; you didn’t come here the way you were supposed to. So this is not going to be a free ride. It’s not going to be some instant amnesty.
What’s going to happen is you are going to pay a significant fine. You are going to learn English. You are going to — you are going to go to the back of the line so that you don’t get ahead of somebody who was in Mexico City applying legally.
—March 18, President Barack Obama, Orange County, California
Perhaps his strategy is to soften opposition to migrant rights, but lines about language fuel the anti-immigration culture war. Do all immigrants have a problem with English? Or is he talking specifically about the demographic that Sheriff Joe Arpaio targets? If so, why?
President Obama is no Joe Arpaio. But, in this climate, anti-immigrant sentiment does not need to be fed. Our President is a smart and oratorically gifted man. In light of the current economic crisis, he could speak about how the current immigration crisis is tied directly to our trade practices.
Obama also spoke about joining militarily with Mexican President Calderón in efforts to stamp out the violence flaring up since his attacks against the deeply entrenched Cartel families. Democracy Now! has a roundtable discussion on the implications of further militarizing the border.
But the implications aren’t fully drawn out for the American public. In the modern world, borders do not separate families, nor commerce, nor soldiers, nor bank accounts and their owners. We need to begin addressing cross-border issues. For example, if NAFTA is supposed to help Mexico’s economy, why are Mexican farmers on tractors in the streets protesting the policy, as Michelle Chen reports. NAFTA has allowed Mexico’s corn crop to be so devalued that Mexico—the land where the plant was born roughly 5,000 years ago—now imports corn. Streams of campesinos have migrated north…where we lock them up.
Just as the economic crisis is very real to the people losing jobs, the Immigrations Customs and Enforcement (ICE) raids are very real for a large faction of America. New America Media reports on the President’s second town hall meeting in California, where immigration reform activists showed up to “remind him we’re still here,” according to Nativo Lopez, state and national president of the Mexican-American Political Association. The President did not address immigration issues at this event, however.
President Obama speaks of beefing up security on our border, but avoids the growing immigrant detention industry and the problems that accompany it. At the same time, Mexico is flooding the country and its border cities with troops. But what does all the enforcement get us?
Mother Jones covers the resurrection and subsequent destruction of one town’s economy due to ICE raids in A Year Without A Mexican:
The 389 arrests [in Postville, IA] eliminated more than one-third of the meatpacker’s workforce and nearly one-fifth of the town’s population. It also prompted an exodus of hundreds more Hispanic residents who were either afraid of being targeted or simply opted to escape the town’s inevitable tailspin. Postville’s businesses began to suffer almost immediately.
The article paints a grim picture of a warm, thriving community that is decimated. Postville is now a strange, “open-air prison,” with various residents wearing visible electronic shackles. Rowdy citizens have been bused in to fill the place of the deported workers.
The Nation highlights a documentary on detention called “The Least of These.” The video explores the T. Don Hutto Residential Facility, “a for-profit prison”, where Latin American families live in a converted prison environment. They don’t get enough sun, they don’t get enough exercse, and the children draw crayon pictures of the American flag, with tiny, fragile letters spelling out Please help us. How long should they wait?
In Up Against The Wall, RaceWire reports on the growing indications that the Obama Administration may not break with Bush policies regarding immigration. In fact, it may increase enforcement measures while siphoning money away from worker protections in the U.S.
And all this “just days after huddling with Latino members of Congress on immigration issues.” If Obama isn’t careful, he will give the Republican party a foothold to regain trust with Latino voters. I suspect that in any approach to Immigration, compromise is inevitable. But, if the Latino community feels used or betrayed by unkept promises, it could be disastrous for Democrats.
Tags: Agriprocessors, Democracy Now!, Enforcement, FBI, Hutto, ICE, Jorge Rivas, Mexican-American Political Association, Michelle Chen, mother jones, NAFTA, NAM, Obama, Postville, RACEWIRE, Raids, The Nation, TRUTHDIG
Posted in Blogs, Borders, Criminal Justice System, Cultura, Economy, Human Rights, ICE, Immigration, Latinos, Mexico, Politics, Prison for Profit, TMC Weekly Immigration Wire, U.S.A., United States Politics
Good points once again Nezua.
From Obama’s 3/18 commments on what we need to tell undocumented workers one part reallly concerns me:
“You’re going to go to the back of the line.”
If going to the end of the that line is metaphorical, and they can wait in line for documentation while living and working here in America — with their families already here, I’m a little warmer to the comment.
If they are deported, then told to enter that line in Mexico. We’ll likely never see our loved ones again. I’m guessing.
Ah I forgot to submit my DREAM Act posts this week. Genius.
so much to do, eh? i hear you kyle. put ‘em in tho, i can try to weave them in next week.
true, mimi. i wish i knew what lines were meat for the anti-factions. and what lines are going to translate into action. time will tell.
Hey, I just read you on the Huff Post… congrats
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-media-consortium/weekly-immigration-wire-o_b_179623.html
In case they delete me, jajaja, here is my response:
This comment is pending approval and won’t be displayed until it is approved.
Total que dijo?
Did you think Obama would be our Messiah?
You only have to learn enough English to take and pass the test.
Things would be worse (on the immigration front) for us if McCain had won.
Or would they?
Obama just said no (Nancy Reagan style) to legalizing something we’ve been doing for 10,000 years.
As for the the sacred Maize, the U.S. saw NAFTA coming and subsidized their farmers, Mexico saw NAFTA coming and did nada.
Other than that, NAFTA did to the “Americans” the same thing it did to the Mexicanos – make the already rich – filthy rich. While the lowest most unskilled workers became displaced.
Obama is playing craps with the U.S. economy. An economy that is resilient and was already poised to recover had the cycle been allowed to ride itself out.
Now, if Obama craps out we’ll all be looking for employment at the local taco bell, if his policies don’t bankrupt them too.
If he wins, you get your Messiah.
Does that change the colonization?
Do you really think that’s going to change?
###
Trust me, I watered it down for the gringos but I wanted to repost it here verbatim.
Study ALL revolutions. Especially political biographies. Left and right alike.
Wait until you see the signs, then bust a move. Take it don’t fake it.
And don’t be a commie. That’s worse. Our future generations need opportunity. Socialism and communism (if can ever be achieved) sucks the life out of young people. Don’t let them B.S. you.
The Mexica’s had free markets. Tlaltelolco was one. 20k trades per day according to Cortez. Cortez noted that it was bigger than any market in Madrid.
Keep up the good work.
Un saludo,
Daniel
it is a true sickness of this country that turns social/economic issues into criminal judgments, prosecutions, and profit.
obama is no messiah, but a man with a promise to work for and represent those who showed faith in his abilities, to facilitate the discussed changes in direction the united states has to make, to be a better country for the people of this world. the talents of obama are advocated to be sound reasoning followed by ethical action of merit, not miracles. during the campaign all he could do is promise “change we can believe in”. now he is in the position he can/has to prove change we can believe in. i think the key word here is change.
i would be more reassured of his intentions if he was more attentive to solutions for the existing problems created by immigration enforcement, than looking at increasing immigration patrol or enforcing existing policy that creates more problems than it solves. that is not the change i thought he, or anybody else was talking about.
when and why has locking people up for non-violent crimes become a solution for anything? when did this become an acceptable practice? why is there not more outrage shown by the people of this country, that this is taking place. i too wonder why obama does not discuss the objectionable practice of locking people up who are just trying to find a better way for their family? why does he not address the need to stop this, or that he at least recognizes the injustice of this practice. the law being broken here does not justify the punishment. (ie the punishment does not fit the crime)
for profit prisons are wrong period. profit made by imprisoning anyone is wrong. it convolutes motive and intention. lock down detention facilities for immigrants is wrong. not acceptable. how about this for change – get rid of ice.
where is the peta for the people?
Again, no distinction here between anti-immigrant and anti-illegal-immigrant sentiment. Legal immigrants helped build this country and we “gringos” celebrate that. Illegal immigrants, on the other hand, are breaking our laws by being here. As well intentioned as some of them may be, that does not change the fact that they are here in violation of US law, making them subject to arrest, detention, and deportation.
Perhaps you can explain to this grandmother why Latinos or any foreign nationals would think it is okay to ignore the law and cross the border into the US just because they want to?
So you are against breaking the law, right? That really riles you. You are a true believer in law, right? Can we agree that you think breaking the law is wrong and must be redressed before we move forward with our dialogue here?
Also, please tell me how legal immigrants helped build this country. That is a very broad statement, and I’d like to make sure our understandings of history jibe before I assume they do and move forward with discussion. Thank you, and looking forward to your responses.
Oh, also, if you don’t mind, how did the “border” come to be and why is that defensible by all and any means today? Thanks.
Great job, Nez. This whole series is great, you’re killin this gig.
PiedType, would you agree that when Susan B. Anthony “broke the law” by registering to vote when it was illegal for women to do so, what she did was wrong and she deserved to go to jail? If “upholding law” is always the top priority, then there would be no social progress whatsoever in US history. Truth is, sometimes laws are wrong and need to be challenged.
I hope you come back and answer Nez’s queries. Because I’m not sure either what you mean when you say, “Legal immigrants helped build this country and we ‘gringos’ celebrate that.” I guess we could say that West African slaves were “legal immigrants” who built this country in a manner celebrated by gringos; is this what you mean? Maybe not. Maybe you mean immigrants from across the Pacific? Oh wait, that migration was deemed “illegal” by Chinese Exclusion laws and you believe in The Law. So I guess that kinda leaves us with gringos themselves as the “legal immigrants” celebrated by gringos who write the laws and draw lines in the ground with bayonets. Okay I think I get it now.
Cheers.
i’m sorry. did i miss PiedType’s response? i’m laughing too hard over here.
Yes, I’m against breaking the law. Without laws, we’d have anarchy. I’d be the first to admit, however, that it’s a flawed system, constantly in flux, but I support a system of laws over nothing. There are legitimate ways to redress bad laws; it happens every day in courts and legislatures across the country. If someone breaks a “bad law” to make a point, fine; maybe the publicity will advance their cause and ultimately get the law changed. But in the meantime, they should be prepared to pay the price for breaking that law.(Yep, Kai, if Susie B. broke the law by registering, and jail was the penalty back then, lock her up.)
Sorry, I should have said “immigrants built this country,” not “legal immigrants.” Arguably, all Americans are immigrants.
As for the question about the border, I assume you refer to the US-Mexican border and the Mexican-American War. That was the last time it changed.
Glad you guys got a good laugh out of my comments. I wasn’t trying to be funny, but so be it.
Oh? So why dont we go back to your original statement then and the words to which you initially retorted to my post.
You admit to a fact that destroys your thesis and then go on as if you are right anyway with a short “Sorry.” You are incoherent in this argument. And you need education on the matter at hand.
Peace.
I wasn’t gonna say anything more but now that you bring it up, Nez, I need address this:
This kinda boils down a fundamental problem with the way many gringos view immigration, doesn’t it? They don’t recognize that America was populated with numerous peoples, nations, and civilizations before Europeans began arriving. So they don’t realize that most of the folks crossing the southern border are descendants of people who have lived on this continent for thousands of years.
jeje. yes. that’s right, hermano. i tire of telling peeps stuff they arent even listening to and dont want to hear (which i bet is why you werent even gonna bother replying anymore, cuz why?!) but you are on the money. the map could even have tribes written south of that “border” because from Amuzgo to Zoque, many tribes are indigenous to this continent, long before folks began etching barbed wire across it in the name of conquest and greed. Piedmont up there is living in a very convenient and fake world that began a few years ago and has all kinds of lines drawn over it to corral in their goods and keep out the fear.
Not workin’.
Again, no distinction here between anti-immigrant and anti-illegal-immigrant sentiment.
you’re not a real human being, are you? i mean, the kind that thinks and makes sense and stuff. it’s actually comical at this point!
At first I thought this was simply a bot-like automatic spew irrelevant to anything we’re discussing in this thread. But then I realized that PiedType actually thinks this thread is about her, so the top priority, the center and foreground, is elaborating a clear distinction between her contemptible anti-immigrant conservative political rivals and her own reasonable liberal principled nuanced anti-illegal-immigrant view. That is what this discussion is supposed to be about: white liberal goodness. Because it’s always about them.
PiedType, trust me, we in the pro-migrant sphere understand the nuanced philosophical, political, moral, and legislative distinctions better than you do. But that’s not the subject of this post. Buh-bye.
yeah, buh bye is right because talking to people like this for too long is a waste of time. as you say, they are either here to make sure we understand they are Good Souls Who Only Hate the Illegulz, or they want to simply stir shit up so they can feel better abougt the knot that rises up in their belly when they read stuff here and feel the world has gone off course, off the path that they mistakenly believe it should be on, one with walls, gates, lasers and troops “protecting” the “border” and lots of mexicans and asians and other immigrants being scooped into jails cuz They Deserve It.
and after the last comment (not shown here now) i’ve simply spammed this character, i wont put up with this illogic anymore. i dont mind conversation, but when people ignore the flaws in their arguments and the history you lay down and just keep coming with hydraheads of new “nonpoints” well, i know the dialogue is done and i won’t waste my adrenaline. i’m not new to this “blog” business after all.
piedtype you can stop emailing me, cuz we’re done talking. You dont’ need to convince me you are a Good Librul Who Only Detests the Illegulz. you can feel good about yourself on your own. my mind is not gonna change on this issue, this feeling that human rights belong to everyone, and those who actively oppose true due process and human rights for all immigrants are losers and haters and very often racists, even liberal racists.
way to spit it watch dogs:) .
when did it become acceptable to confine people en mass as a solution … when it became financially profitable and, especially so easy to do so? well it’s okay because if one does this they get that because; cough, gag, excuse me…it’s the law?. written and executed by, as kai said, “gringos themselves as the “…legal immigrants” celebrated by gringos who write the laws and draw lines in the ground with bayonets”. sounds like the makings of fascism to me. that’s fucked up. why is this not obvious? too much fox news? too much lou dobbs, etc?
nothing like a “good librul” fascist to kill a good thread.
buh bye pie eyed, i’ll pray for you.
peace, one love, and pass it one.
nez, i’m compelled: i’d like to refer grandmother ms. pied: to the following lyrics from csny, teach your children.
You who are on the road
Must have a code that you can live by
And so become yourself
Because the past is just a good bye.
Teach your children well,
Their father’s hell did slowly go by,
And feed them on your dreams
The one they picked, the one you’ll know by.
Don’t you ever ask them why, if they told you, you would cry,
So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.
And you, of tender years,
Can’t know the fears that your elders grew by,
And so please help them with your youth,
They seek the truth before they can die.
Can you hear and do you care and
Cant you see we must be free to
Teach your children what you believe in.
Make a world that we can live in.
Teach your parents well,
Their children’s hell will slowly go by,
And feed them on your dreams
The one they picked, the one you’ll know by.
Don’t you ever ask them why, if they told you, you would cry,
So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.