I was inspired to pick up the pen (well, type) and write another blog post by my good friend, Kimberly McGuire at the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health. Last week, she and dozens of other brave women -- young, old, black, white, Latina, mothers, sisters, daughters -- stood up by sitting down.
I wanted to highlight this video, and this protest, for a few reasons. One, because it's a group entirely comprised of women fighting for justice in immigration -- as the video notes, the majority of those affected by immigration laws are women and their children. Two, because despite the promise of immigration reform from both the president and from Congress, we have made little progress towards a comprehensive plan for immigrants in this country.
It's true, we have made some steps forward recently. The United States deferred the deportation of thousands of immigrants who were brought here as children (under 16) illegally, allowing them to stay in the United States. This is a huge step forward -- these young men and women have done nothing wrong, they simply followed their parents to another country for a better life. But this step forward also creates problems. The children are allowed to stay, but their parents are not. Our policy is still splitting families apart.
If they don't face separation from their families and friends, they face challenges in access to work, to health care, to security and to integration into society here. And unfortunately, they face a lack of urgency in government to work towards a common sense plan for immigration.
I think that part of the hesitation in proposing a practical plan for immigration reform, is the view that illegal immigration is a problem. Congressman Rush Holt put it best in his recent Geek Out! event when he said that immigration should not be framed as a problem, but instead as an opportunity for economic growth and cultural enrichment.
The other part of the problem is a lack of enthusiasm by Congress to propose a plan because it's too controversial for an election year.
That is a crap excuse. It will always be an election year. The concern shouldn't be with keeping a job. The concern our government should have, is for the people that elected them, and the country they work for, and the problems in that country that need practical solutions to issues like this.
This month marks the 41st time that conservatives in Congress have tried to repeal Obamacare. Forty-one. It's an exercise in futility if I've ever seen one, and a complete and utter waste of everyone's time and tax dollars. Instead of going through this pointless song and dance again, why are we not putting our energy towards a common sense and comprehensive immigration plan?
We have average citizens (and non-citizens) who are more passionate about this reform than Washington is. There are thousands demanding action on this subject and we have yet to see significant action because politicians are too afraid to risk such a controversial vote before an election year. Why is it that men and women like Kimberly, and the women who sat with her, are willing to risk arrest to see change made, but those in the halls of Congress stay silent?