The future of immigration

On October 13, thousands of demonstrators came to Capitol Hill to join together in

Over 3,000 people participated in the rally for immigration reform in D.C. calling for comprehensive immigration reform. The rally attracted convoys of buses, vans and cars, carrying more than 3,000 people from at least 17 states.

The event was timed to coincide with the unveiling of an immigration bill sponsored by Representative Luis V. Gutierrez, Democrat of Illinois and Chair of the Immigration Task Force of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. It was sponsored by various immigrant advocacy groups, including the Reform Immigration for America campaign, the National Capital Immigration Coalition and Families United/Familias Unidas.

With President Obama's stated commitment to immigration reform, advocates for immigrants said they hoped to revive a debate that has been overshadowed by other priorities, like the economy and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. As deportations continue to rise, immigration reform is needed now, they emphasized, to allow undocumented immigrants to obtain legal status and to stop families from being torn apart.

"We need a bill that says if you come here to hurt our communities, we will not support you; but if you are here to work hard and to make a better life for your family, you will have the opportunity to earn your citizenship," Gutierrez said in a prepared statement. "We need a law that says it is un-American for a mother to be torn from her child, and it is unacceptable to undermine our work force by driving the most vulnerable among us further into the shadows."

Immigration overhaul faces a difficult road. Former President George W. Bush failed twice to get Congress to pass similar legislation. President Obama recently said his administration would pursue reform this year but expected no action on legislation before 2010. .

In June, Senator Charles E. Schumer, Democrat of New York, announced what he called seven principles that would shape his own reform proposal. Among them were the need to "curtail future illegal immigration," to have "operational control of our borders" and a "biometric-based employer verification system." Schumer, who has been working with Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, said he would introduce a bill by Labor Day but missed that deadline.

On October 23, Schumer met with a group of over 100 clergy in Washington, D.C, and stated that a bill pushing for comprehensive immigration reform will be introduced by the first quarter of 2010.

Schumer also reportedly expressed confidence that the bill, which has as many critics as it has supporters, can be passed and that in fact, he promised the late Senator Ted Kennedy he would see the bill passed.

The Gutierrez bill, less restrictive than Schumer's plan for allowing illegal immigrants to become citizens, is partly intended to pressure his Congressional colleagues.

In a statement to the media, Gutierrez said the core principles of his plan include:

A pathway to legalization for undocumented workers. "Immigrants are hardworking, and they are up to the challenge. Give them the opportunity to earn their citizenship, and they will go through the background checks; they will pay their fair share of taxes; and they will learn English. It's not an easy process, but it is a fair process."

Professional and effective border enforcement. Gutierrez stressed the need for professional and effective 21st century enforcement strategies that both make the nation's physical and economic security stronger and "stay true to our nation's values." He believes the federal government needs to establish real, working partnerships with border communities and other stakeholders when designing and executing border enforcement policies.

Smart and humane interior enforcement. "Inside the country, my plan will promote fair immigration proceedings, humane treatment of immigration detainees and policies that respect the tenets of community policing."

Protecting workers. "Immigration reform will not work without a strong commitment to America's labor force. Without it, too many employers will continue to pervert the system. We must expand the labor rights of workers and punish those dishonest employers who continue to exploit immigrants in order to undermine their honest competitors."

Verification systems. "We must fix the current employment eligibility verification system, not only to protect Americans who are denied the right to work because of errors in the government's

databases, but also to prevent employers who would exploit the system

and undermine workers' rights. A vastly improved verification system is fundamental to reducing illegal immigration."

Family unity as a cornerstone of our immigration system. "Family is the bedrock of our society, and immigration reform must support strong, united families and treat all immigrant families fairly and equally. Right now, our broken immigration system keeps too many American families apart for years and even decades, when they have done everything legally. We need a system predicated on family values by developing laws that better value families — a system that keeps families strong and, most importantly, keeps husbands and wives, parents and children together."

Future flows of workers. "Our country attracts the best and brightest and the hardest workers from around the globe. That is a source of strength. But our current employment-based immigration laws are often at odds with the needs of our labor market and our economy." He said many of the currant guest worker programs in place are "badly broken," undermining workers' rights. At the same time, visa quotas are determined by politics, not by labor and economic need. According to Gutierrez, his plan will create an employment based visa system that is fair to workers and to employers, "It will ensure full labor rights for all workers, and it will create a commission to align visa numbers with actual labor market demands and economic needs, not political winds."

Agricultural Jobs. "Agriculture plays a fundamental role in our nation's economy and in securing our nation's food supply. Comprehensive immigration reform must provide an agreement between labor and agribusiness that allows farm workers to access legal protections and immigration status while enabling employers to ensure a legal workforce and stabilize their businesses."

The DREAM Act. "We all want a country that is better educated, better motivated and better prepared for the future. My plan will strengthen the DREAM Act, making it quicker and easier for students who grew up in America and know no other home to fully participate in our society." He believes immigrants brought here as children should not be punished with fines or other means; rather, "They should be fully integrated into American society as the Americans they truly are - and as quickly as possible."

Promoting immigrant integration. Gutierrez said that for years, state and local governments have taken the lead in helping new immigrants become new Americans. Recent arrivals face many challenges when navigating this process, yet the federal government has done little to help. "I plan to recommit federal resources to promoting and assisting immigrant integration. It is about staying true to our nation's success story of welcoming newcomers and helping them become part of the fabric of America."

"If we are to truly fix any of these critical issues, we must address all of them," Gutierrez concluded.