Winter 2007-2008
The Nature of Learning
Tribute to Harold Melville, 1945-2008
Securing Immigrant Rights In America
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Does That Banner Yet Wave?
Supporters of Immigrant Rights Work Against Nationwide Bias
There is no denying that there is a lot of
immigrant bashing in today's America. Several
of the Republican candidates for president
were really way out there with rhetoric that
seemed to whip up lots of emotion in the
early straw polls and debates. Prominent
journalists like Lou Dobbs know their audience
only too well, and rarely allow actual debate
to occur on this topic.
One refreshing outcome of the primary season
in both parties is that the candidates still
standing are three of the least reactionary
on this issue.
On the Carolina TESOL listserv in recent days
a member posted an appeal for political action
to stop an anticipated bill in the North Carolina
General Assembly which would "bar all undocumented
students from attending colleges and universities
in the North Carolina state system," possibly
including community colleges. The UNC system
itself is against the bill, as are a number
of groups that are coming together quickly in
the state to work against its passage: the
Migrant Farmworkers Association, the North
Carolina Council of Churches, El Pueblo, Hispanic
Professionals, and others. A petition by the
Coalition for College Access was made available
online for North Carolinans to register their
opposition to the proposed legislation.
Here in Kansas, where I live, Kansas TESOL
and a number of other groups across the state
successfully lobbied in early 2004 for our
state legislature to pass a bill allowing
undocumented Kansas residents who have attended
high school in the state and graduated from
a Kansas high school to pay in-state tuition
at the state's institutions of higher education.
This bill has withstood several concerted
efforts by mostly out-of-state anti-immigrant
groups (especially F.A.I.R.) who have failed
in the political arena as well as in court
to prevent implementation of this reasonable
law which our governor rightly touted as in
the long-term social and economic interests
of Kansas.
But perhaps the most active and well organized
group working for equity and fairness on behalf
of undocumented immigrants is Nebraska Appleseed.
Here is an excerpt from their recent "Appleseed
in Action" e-mail:
Unfortunately, such state-level attempts to
“crack down” on immigration have become far too
common around the country, despite evidence that
immigration has a net positive effect on U.S. job
creation and state economies, and despite evidence
that these measures divide communities, foster
discrimination, negatively impact local economies,
cost states millions in taxpayer dollars, and often
violate the U.S. Constitution.
Among the bills and resolutions which went down
to defeat thanks to testimony and lobbying by
Nebraska Appleseed and allied groups were: a
bill that would have created a costly and
redundant new bureaucracy for checking
immigration and citizenship status in
determining eligibility for public benefits; an
effort to repeal a Nebraska law similar to the
Kansas law allowing undocumented high school
graduates to pay in-state college tuition;
a bill that promised to open up a flood of
lawsuits by absolutely anyone against
Nebraska businesses that hire undocumented
immigrants, and indirectly discriminate
against U.S. born and work-authorized
immigrants as well; a law that would have
encouraged local police to sign up with
Homeland Security as immigration agents,
threatening to jeopardize public safety
by making immigrants afraid to seek out
police to report crimes or provide information;
and a bill that would have attached a special
tax to money sent by immigrants to their
families in their home countries, whereas,
according to the Nebraska Appleseed newsletter,
"in fact 90% of immigrants’ income stays
here in the U.S., benefiting local communities
and economies."
"We hope that next year’s legislative session
reflects the common sense policy making that
happened this session in response to these bills,"
explained the organization in its e-mail. "We will
also be working hard, in conjunction with an
interim study, to bring creative new ideas to
promote integration and make the most of the
asset new immigrants represent to the state."
During this heated time in the national
debate over immigration, and in the midst
of a slow-down or recession that seems to
be the result of reductivist rather than
constructivist thinking among political
leaders who set the tone, it is heartening
to observe the positive results of efforts
by groups like Nebraska Appleseed to reflect
the core values of these great United States
of America. Hopefully, candidates and
the next round of leaders will take a cue
from their sensible approach.
By Robb Scott
2008 ESL MiniConference Online
PDF conversion by PDF Online
Editor, ESL MiniConference Online
Robb@eslminiconf.net
