IMMIGRATION Giulio Grecchi Society of St. Vincent de Paul

IMMIGRATION Giulio Grecchi Society of St. Vincent de Paul
Tucson Diocesan Council Western Region Voice of the Poor Leader Immigration My name is ….. In the US, immigration is our common heritage. Only Native Americans do not have an immigrant background. All the rest of us have come from somewhere else on the map. So, what is the difference between a citizen and an immigrant? The only difference is that citizens are immigrants, who got here first In spite of this common heritage, Immigration continues to be a complex, explosive and emotional issue and it has been that way throughout the history of the United States, as you will see from the following slides. Voice of the Poor - Tucson Diocesan Council

IMMIGRATION: A controversial subject
Comprehensive Immigration Reform Conversation IMMIGRATION: A controversial subject Who said this? “Why should Pennsylvania, founded by the English, become a colony of Aliens, who will shortly be so numerous as to Germanize us instead of us Anglifying them, and they will never adopt our Language and Customs, any more than they can acquire our complexion?” Who said this? “Why should Pennsylvania, founded by the English, become a colony of Aliens, who will shortly be so numerous as to Germanize us instead of us Anglifying them, and they will never adopt our Language and Customs, any more than they can acquire our complexion?” Benjamin Franklin (1751) Benjamin Franklin (1751) Voice of the Poor - Tucson Diocesan Council

Comprehensive Immigration Reform Conversation IMMIGRATION: A controversial subject Who said this? “The bosom of America is open to receive not only the opulent and respectable stranger, but the oppressed and persecuted of all nations and religions, whom we shall welcome to participate in all of our rights and privileges, if by decency and propriety of conduct they appear to merit the enjoyment.” Who said this? “The bosom of America is open to receive not only the opulent and respectable stranger, but the oppressed and persecuted of all nations and religions, whom we shall welcome to participate in all of our rights and privileges, if by decency and propriety of conduct they appear to merit the enjoyment.” George Washington, addressing Irish immigrants (1783) George Washington, addressing Irish immigrants (1783) Voice of the Poor - Tucson Diocesan Council

Comprehensive Immigration Reform Conversation IMMIGRATION: A controversial subject Who said this? “Our capacity to maintain our cherished institutions stand diluted by a stream of alien blood… It is out of appreciation of this fundamental fact that the American people have come to sanction – indeed demand – reform of our immigration laws… The United States is our land; we intend to maintain it so.” Who said this? “Our capacity to maintain our cherished institutions stand diluted by a stream of alien blood… It is out of appreciation of this fundamental fact that the American people have come to sanction – indeed demand – reform of our immigration laws… The United States is our land; we intend to maintain it so.” Albert Johnson, Key author of the Immigration Act of 1924 Albert Johnson Key author of the Immigration Act of 1924 Voice of the Poor - Tucson Diocesan Council

Comprehensive Immigration Reform Conversation IMMIGRATION: A controversial subject Who said this? “We must recognize that both the United States and Mexico have historically benefited from Mexicans obtaining employment in the United States. A number of our States have special labor needs, and we should take these into account. Illegal immigrants in considerable numbers have become productive members of our society and are a basic part of our work force. Those who have established equities in the United States should be recognized and accorded legal status. At the same time, we must not encourage illegal immigration.” Who said this? “We must recognize that both the United States and Mexico have historically benefited from Mexicans obtaining employment in the United States. A number of our States have special labor needs, and we should take these into account. Illegal immigrants in considerable numbers have become productive members of our society and are a basic part of our work force. Those who have established equities in the United States should be recognized and accorded legal status. At the same time, we must not encourage illegal immigration.” Ronald Reagan (1981) Ronald Reagan (1981) Voice of the Poor - Tucson Diocesan Council

What messages are your hearing about the current immigration situation? (indicate the PRO and the CON)) 6. A controversial subject - what messages are you hearing? There is a lot of “chat” about the current immigration crisis as people on both sides of the issue try to influence our opinion about it. As a result, we are receiving a mix of conflicting messages. What messages are you hearing about the current immigration situation? Please write the “catch phrases” that you are hearing - one color paper is for positive messages, the other for negative messages Have someone post them on a wall in grouping of positives and negatives. As comments are posted, read them aloud. These “catch phrases” represent different views of to the same immigration situation. Voice of the Poor - Tucson Diocesan Council

Voice of the Poor - Tucson Diocesan Council
IMMIGRATION Current situation - The root-causes of the current problems With Immigration being a concern for most people, let’s explore where the current problems are coming from. Looking back, we can quickly discover a number of root-causes The 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act signed by President Reagan generously granted amnesty to more than 3 million immigrant workers. Unfortunately, the Act did nothing to improve the system going forward and did not have any realistic provisions for meeting future labor needs through temporary visas, nor a mechanism for enforcement of employment laws. Ten years or so later, as the flow of migrant workers kept growing, President Clinton signed into law the “Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act”, which… - Gave immigration officials the power to review at the entry point the status of immigrants and to deport them. - Tried to stem the rising tide of undocumented Mexican and Central Americans through the construction of walls at high-traffic crossing areas, like San Diego and El Paso. - It was called “prevention through deterrent”. The deterrent was the Arizonan-Sonoran Desert. But, it did not deter immigration; it only made the journey much more dangerous. 1996 Voice of the Poor - Tucson Diocesan Council

IMMIGRATION We do have an Immigration System! Why don’t Immigrants
follow it? Current situation – Why new Immigrants do not follow the system We have an immigration system. Many say: Let those who want to immigrate follow the system. How much do we know about the Immigration system? Unless we had to navigate through it personally, or helped someone do it, probably very little. This chart is in the packet of handouts. Take a few moments just to read it. [pause to allow the participants to find and read it] In reading it through, one becomes aware rather quickly that it is a very complex system, which tends to answer “no” more readily than “yes”, as you make your way through the labyrinth. Point at the icons with a person with the long beard In the best case, it takes six to seven years to acquire citizenship for a parent, spouse, or minor child of a US citizen, but up to 28 year for an adult child, with steep fees involved at every stage. Voice of the Poor - Tucson Diocesan Council

IMMIGRATION First attempt at correcting the situation: The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007 A compromise between a path to citizenship for immigrants and increased border enforcement. Failed in the Senate in June 2007 First attempt at correcting the situation: The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007 The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007 was a compromise between providing legal status and a path to citizenship for the million unauthorized immigrants residing in the US at the time, on one side, and increasing border enforcement on the other: 300 miles of vehicle barriers, 105 camera and radar towers, and 20,000 more Border Patrol agents. The bill was introduced in the Senate in May 2007 and it received a series of votes on amendments. The last vote on June 7, 2007 failed effectively ending the bill's chances. Voice of the Poor - Tucson Diocesan Council

IMMIGRATION Second attempt by the Gang of 8:
Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of S.744 Senate passed S.744, by a bipartisan vote of in June 2013 Path to Citizenship, Border Security, Improved Legal Immigration System, Employment Verification System, Agricultural and Low-skilled Workers and Protection of Workers’ Rights Second attempt by the Gang of 8 in 2013: The Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of S.744, proposed by the Gang of 8 was passed by the Senate with a bipartisan vote of in June 2013. It included five pillars: Path to Citizenship, Border Security, An Improved Legal Immigration System going forward, An effective Employment Verification System, An improved Process for Agricultural and Low-skilled Workers, with Protection of Workers’ Rights. The provisions of the former Dream Act became part of this bill. Unfortunately, the current House leadership has refused so far to even consider this bill. They seem to be hostage by a small group of vociferous, well-funded opponents of immigration reform. The Society has been lobbying members of the House repeatedly, asking them to take on this bill. If the bill does not pass the House by the end of this year 2014, the Senate version will expire as well. Voice of the Poor - Tucson Diocesan Council

IMMIGRATION: Consequences of inaction
11.7 Million Unauthorized Immigrants $17.8 Billion spent on Border Enforcement Consequences of inaction - Border enforcement and of number of undocumented immigrants Years of inaction have built the unauthorized population to 11.7 Million, as US industries (agriculture, construction, hospitality, etc.) continue to need low skilled workers (pull factors) and the violence and lack of opportunities in other countries forced people from Mexico first and now Central America to migrate North (push factors). To respond to the surge in immigration, our tactic has been increased border enforcement. The budget for border enforcement went from $9.2 Billion in 2003 to $17.8 Billion in Much of the funds went to increase the number of active Border Patrol Agents in service at the border. Yet, despite the increased border enforcement, the number of undocumented immigrants went from 3.5 million in 1990 to over 12.2 million in Then, it slightly decreased because of the economic downturn and it is now increasing again. Obviously, increased enforcement is not the answer since it isn’t working. Voice of the Poor - Tucson Diocesan Council

IMMIGRATION Consequences of inaction 11.7 Million Unauthorized Immigrants A new underclass Living in the shadows Working unofficially or with false SS numbers Afraid to be found /deported, do not report crimes No civic involvement Consequences of inaction Million Unauthorized Immigrants 11.7 Million Unauthorized Immigrants are a growing underclass Living in the shadows Working unofficially or with fake SS numbers Afraid to be found and deported by police, do not report crimes, involuntarily making the criminals stronger and protected No civic involvement Voice of the Poor - Tucson Diocesan Council

IMMIGRATION SOUTHERN ARIZONA Consequences of inaction PHOENIX Prevention through deterrent deaths ( ) Site where a migrant woman died, with a makeshift cross and shrine built by other migrants. TUCSON Consequences of inaction - Prevention through Deterrent The construction of walls at high-traffic crossing areas, like San Diego and El Paso, called “prevention through deterrent” forced undocumented immigrants to come through the Arizonan-Sonoran Desert, a long and extremely dangerous journey. There have been 2269 deaths ( ) in the Arizona Desert alone, in spite of efforts by local humanitarian groups to bring water and medical care, where possible. Those counted were just the recovered bodies. Hundreds of people, perhaps thousands, are still to be found. These are children, parents, men and women who died from fatigue, injury, dehydration, and hypothermia. In the summer, the air in the barren landscape reaches 120 degrees and the ground temperature 150 degrees or more and can cook the muscular system. In the winter, the temperature can drop below freezing. Our system of issuing visas has very low limits for family-sponsored and employment-based preferences and quotas for individual countries. Currently, there is a 17- to 20-year “wait” for Mexicans to acquire a U.S. visa. “How long can we ask a father to wait to be able to feed his family and offer them a future? How can you tell a mother that she must wait 20 years to reunite with her husband or children? Voice of the Poor - Tucson Diocesan Council

IMMIGRATION Increasingly we have seen children traveling alone
Consequences of inaction Increasingly we have seen children traveling alone Either to escape violence Or the rejoin their family The shrine built for Josseline at the site of her death Consequences of inaction - Increasingly we have seen children traveling alone They come: Either to escape violence Or to rejoin their family Our recent action alerts strongly opposed the rollback of the existing protections afforded to the Central American children and requested that it be expanded to include Mexican children. It also requested: - Adequate time and legal counsel for all unaccompanied children. - Community-based alternatives to detention programs, which are vastly more cost effective and humane than the failed practice of family detention. - Funding for adequate humanitarian services for both these children and other refugees under the care of the ORR (Office of Refugee Resettlement). Explain pictures and read Josseline’s story Voice of the Poor - Tucson Diocesan Council

IMMIGRATION Consequences of inaction Increased number of deportations Two steepening of the curve: 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act 2005 Federal “fast track” legal process – Operation Streamline Consequences of inaction - Increased number of deportations As you can see from the chart, the deportation curve is steepening twice: In 1996, due to the signing into law of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Ac, the so called “prevention through deterrent”. In 2005, due to the implementation of the Federal “fast track” legal process, called “Operation Streamline”, a mock collective trial, under a zero tolerance approach. Just in Tucson, hundreds migrants go through collective hearings, every week. The same happen in every border city. According to a study by the University of Detroit Law School, Operation Streamline: • violates the due process clause of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments • violates defendants’ Sixth Amendment right of effective assistance of Council • diverts important resources away from prosecuting more serious crimes • does not have a strong deterrent effect its advocates hoped • enriches private prison companies that held migrants for months before the trial, with taxpayer money Deportations have broken-up many families with mixed status or nationality, without any possibility for them to legally reunite again. Voice of the Poor - Tucson Diocesan Council

IMMIGRATION Immigration restrictions provide strong incentives to:
Consequences of inaction Immigration restrictions provide strong incentives to: Coyote leading a group across the desert Criminal organizations Drug Cartels For profit prisons Consequences of inaction - Immigration restrictions provide strong incentives to: Criminal organizations Drug Cartels For profit prisons Violent criminal organizations exploit immigrants by selling transportation and protection, and demanding payment for leading them through the desert. Drug Cartels force migrants crossing the border to transport drugs to the US. Private prisons make handsome profits by pushing restricting immigration laws (SB1070 in AZ) and by providing sub-standard detention to immigrants, who have no say. What a for-profit prison looks like Voice of the Poor - Tucson Diocesan Council

IMMIGRATION Other Consequences of inaction Detention of families, mainly women and children, fleeing from Central American countries. Church Sanctuary Movement has stepped-up to shield immigrants facing deportation Sanctuary cities Consequences of inaction - Increased number of deportations As you can see from the chart, the deportation curve is steepening twice: In 1996, due to the signing into law of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Ac, the so called “prevention through deterrent”. In 2005, due to the implementation of the Federal “fast track” legal process, called “Operation Streamline”, a mock collective trial, under a zero tolerance approach. Just in Tucson, hundreds migrants go through collective hearings, every week. The same happen in every border city. According to a study by the University of Detroit Law School, Operation Streamline: • violates the due process clause of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments • violates defendants’ Sixth Amendment right of effective assistance of Council • diverts important resources away from prosecuting more serious crimes • does not have a strong deterrent effect its advocates hoped • enriches private prison companies that held migrants for months before the trial, with taxpayer money Deportations have broken-up many families with mixed status or nationality, without any possibility for them to legally reunite again. Voice of the Poor - Tucson Diocesan Council

IMMIGRATION Current situation We need a better system! The immigration system chart with comment When we begin to comprehend the complexity and the inadequacy of our immigration system, we can recognize that it is not sufficient to the task WE NEED A BETTER SYSTEM. That is why the Society supports Comprehensive Immigration Reform Voice of the Poor - Tucson Diocesan Council

A better system would include:
IMMIGRATION Current situation A better system would include: (from USCCB – Justice for Immigrants) 1 - Path to citizenship for undocumented persons 2 - Family unity as a corner-stone of our approach to immigration 3 - Legal paths for low-skilled migrants to come and work in the US 4 - Due process protections in enforcement policies 5 - Address persecution and economic disparity in their home countries Building a better system What would a better system look like? As per the USCCB, ideally, a better system should include: Path to citizenship for undocumented persons in the country Family unity as a corner-stone of our national immigration system Legal paths for low-skilled immigrant workers to come and work in the United States Due process protections in our immigration enforcement policies And addresses the root causes (push factors) of migration, such as persecution and economic disparity Voice of the Poor - Tucson Diocesan Council

IMMIGRATION: Our Religious Heritage
God told Moses in Leviticus 19: “Speak to the whole community and say to them: When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were once aliens in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.” Genesis 12 –Abraham’s journey Our Religious Heritage 1 As a community of faith, our Church has much to contribute to the immigration dialogue, as our faith has a strong tradition of migration. In Genesis 12, the Lord said to Abram, 'Leave your country, your relatives, and your father’s home, and go to a land that I am going to show you. ' In Exodus 14, the Jewish people, who are our ancestors in faith, migrated to Egypt because of a famine. Then, generation later they migrated back through the Red Sea and through the Sinai desert to get away from the oppression and slavery of the pharaoh. After this adventurous travel, God told Moses in Leviticus 19: , “Speak to the whole community and say to them: When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were once aliens in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.” Exodus 14 – Crossing the Red Sea Voice of the Poor - Tucson Diocesan Council

IMMIGRATION Our Religious Heritage In Ephesians 2: 17-20, St. Paul reminds us that: “[Jesus] came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, for through him we both have access in one spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.” Our Religious Heritage 2 In Matthew 2: 13-15, the Holy Family had to flee from Herod’s persecution and they received hospitality in Egypt. They were also migrants and refugees. In Matthew 25, Jesus says, “Whatever we do to the least of his brothers and sisters we do unto him.” And in Ephesians 2: 17-20, St Paul reminds us that “[Jesus] came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, for through him we both have access in one spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.” Matthew 2: – Flight to Egypt Voice of the Poor - Tucson Diocesan Council

IMMIGRATION Our Faith Tradition’s Teaching on Immigration
Pope Pius XII - Exul Familia – 1952: Goods of the earth belong to all Right to migrate to sustain one’s family Right to control one’s borders; but it is not an absolute right, when it limits the greater good Balance needs of immigrants & the needs of the receiving countries Pius XII & Pope John XXIII Let’s look now at the Church teaching on Immigration. In 1952, Pius XII wrote an encyclical entitled Exul Familia (taking its name from the Holy Family’s flight into Egypt). In this encyclical, he underscored the Church’s commitment to pilgrims, aliens, exiles and migrants, based on the biblical and ancient Christian teachings that: - the goods of the earth belong to all - the right to migrate to sustain one’s family the right to control one’s borders, but it is not an absolute right, when it limits the greater good - the needs of immigrants & the needs of the receiving countries should be balanced Pope John XXIII in his 1963 encyclical “Pacem in Terri” wrote about the right for people to find opportunities to sustain life within one’s own country, and affirming the right to migrate, when opportunities in the countries of origin are limited or nil. Pope John XXIII - Pacem in Terris – 1963 Expands right to migrate; stresses right to find opportunities to sustain life within ones’ own country Voice of the Poor - Tucson Diocesan Council

IMMIGRATION Our Faith Tradition’s Teaching on Immigration Pope John Paul II - World Migration Day – 1996 Church has duty to be close to the illegal migrant - Ecclesia in America – 1999 Argued against unjust restrictions and for human dignity of migrants Pope Benedict XVI - Caritas in Veritate – 2009 Every migrant is a human person, with rights to be respected Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI Pope John Paul II in his message for World Migration Day, in 1996, spoke of how the church has the duty to be close to the illegal immigrant. Then, in 1999 in his encyclical “Ecclesia in America”, he argued against unjust restrictions on migration and called for respect for the human dignity of migrants. In his 2009 encyclical, Caritas in Veritate, Pope Benedict also reminded us that every migrant is a human person with rights to be respected. Voice of the Poor - Tucson Diocesan Council

IMMIGRATION Our Faith Tradition’s Teaching on Immigration Pope Francis “In this globalized world, we have fallen into globalized indifference. We have become used to the suffering of others.” “The Lord is knocking at the door of our hearts. Have we put a sign on the door saying: Do not disturb?” Pope Francis quotes “In this globalized world, we have fallen into globalized indifference. We have become used to the suffering of others.” “The Lord is knocking at the door of our hearts. Have we put a sign on the door saying: Do not disturb?” Voice of the Poor - Tucson Diocesan Council

IMMIGRATION Our Faith Tradition’s Teaching on Immigration
"Strangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope“ Persons have the right to find opportunities that will allow them to live in dignity in their homeland Persons have the right to migrate to support themselves and their families if they are unable to do so in their own countries Nations have the right to control their borders Refugees and asylum seekers fleeing violence and persecution should be afforded protection by the international community The dignity and human rights of undocumented migrants should be protected Family unity among immigrant families should be protected and upheld Our traditions call on us to welcome the stranger among us USCCB – "Strangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope“ – 2003 This is a pastoral letter by both the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Mexican Episcopal Conference, published on 22 January 2003. The main points are: Persons have the right to find opportunities that will allow them to live in dignity in their homeland Persons have the right to migrate to support themselves and their families if they are unable to do so in their own countries. Nations have the right to control their borders Refugees and asylum seekers fleeing violence and persecution should be afforded protection by the international community The dignity and human rights of undocumented migrants should be protected Family unity among migrant and immigrant families should be protected and upheld Our traditions call on us to welcome the stranger among us Voice of the Poor - Tucson Diocesan Council

IMMIGRATION Help to build a “better system” Stay Informed
OUR WAY FORWARD Help to build a “better system” Stay Informed Familiarize yourself with proposed legislation Write or Call Legislators Publically support immigration reform OUR WAY FORWARD Where do we go from here? You can help to build a “better system”: Stay Informed Familiarize yourself with proposed legislation Write or Call Legislators Support immigration reform at public meetings Voice of the Poor - Tucson Diocesan Council

IMMIGRATION Giulio Grecchi Society of St. Vincent de Paul

Similar presentations

Presentation on theme: "IMMIGRATION Giulio Grecchi Society of St. Vincent de Paul"— Presentation transcript:

Similar presentations

About project

Feedback

Log in

Auth with social network:

IMMIGRATION Giulio Grecchi Society of St. Vincent de Paul

Similar presentations

Presentation on theme: "IMMIGRATION Giulio Grecchi Society of St. Vincent de Paul"— Presentation transcript:

Similar presentations

About project

Feedback