Helene Slessarev-Jamir, a blogger at Sojourners God's Politics blog, says that after a trip to Washington to meet with lawmakers regarding immigration reform, she is confident that federal immigration reform will not happen anytime soon. She contends here for fighting for immigration reform at the state level, where laws such as those in Arizona and Utah have set an example that many other states are considering imitating. This morning's Diane Rehm Show takes up the topic, comparing and contrasting the harsh Arizona law with the more progressive Utah law. You can listen to the broadcast here.
History shows that economic downturns almost always result in a fingering of immigrants. This go round, those immigrants happen to be Latin American. Robert Bentley stated during his campaign that he would consider an Arizona-style immigration legislation for Alabama. With a Republican-dominated government, he shouldn't have too much resistance. Should Alabama follow the model of Arizona, whose law has already resulted in numerous Hispanic parents keeping their children out of school in order to avoid prosecution? Certainly no one would assert that there is any long term benefit of an uneducated cohort of minority citizens (recall that children born in the US, even to an undocumented immigrant) is good for the long-term well-being of the country or state. And are Republicans willing to alienate the largest and fastest growing minority group in America for the sake of winning the next few elections?
I don't have the answers. I know that immigration reform is essential, and I am called to hospitality towards the alien and the outcast. Is there a way to enforce law while remaining humane? I think the Utah law comes much closer to this goal, though admittedly with shortcomings.
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