Leader has back-up immigration plan

[AlphaCentauri]

Source: AP

The head of the nation's leading Latino legal advocacy group said if comprehensive immigration legislation seems unlikely in 2010, Congress should make down payments by passing smaller-scale reforms.

In an interview with The Associated Press Friday, Thomas Saenz, president and general counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, said he fully expects work on rewriting immigration law to begin in Congress next year.

But if Democratic leaders delay, because of elections and a hostile political climate for immigrants, Congress should take up the issue gradually and in smaller ways, Saenz said. Lawmakers could address the need for foreign agricultural workers, provide legal status to high school graduates brought to the country illegally as children, and create equity for same sex partners who want to come to the U.S. or get green cards.

"As of right now, I have not been convinced that comprehensive immigration reform cannot move in 2010, so it needs to move. It needs to include all of these elements and many more," Saenz said. "If that is not possible, then I'm interested in discussing this idea of down payments with a commitment to fulfill the obligation through comprehensive immigration reform that is not postponed indefinitely."



Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g_xEohzLeLovYe63wr1NdmuuWWIwD9AUJ0803

[MercutioATC]

1. What "need for foreign agricultural workers"??

The concept of a need for a cheap labor force is complete bullshit.

[Chulanowa]

3. Because they're the skilled labor force

Farming isn't a skillset retained in the American workforce.

[MercutioATC]

5. It would be if farms paid a wage that would attract American workers.

Picking produce isn't a difficult "skill set" to learn.

[Chulanowa]

7. And if there actually WERE farms...

Corporate megafarms basically killed the industry.

But then, the same could be said of any production industry in the US.

'Course, I've got no problem with foreign workers either way. It's the exploitation they receive that bugs me, since it hurts both them and Americans

[MercutioATC]

8. Corporate megafarms killed family-owned small farms, not the industry.

They operate at a lower cost...and even though they were a factor in killing my family's dairy farm, I see their value.

If anyplace]/i], whether it be a megafarm or a mom-and-pop establishment, hires illegal labor, I have an issue with that...but that's a separate issue.

[treestar]

4. So we can have lower prices?

By using the latest immigrant group as a work force without protection under the laws, and then smugly point at them for violating the immigration laws.

If they could have done it to the 19th century immigrants, they would have.

It's just a sleazy way to treat the lowest classes of workers.

[BunkerHill24]

2. Mr. Saenz is a smart man

He understands that the focus in Washington right now is all about Healthcare reform, and that Immigration reform can wait just bit little longer. Besides, a better Healthcare reform would equally benefit all workers; migrant workers and non-migrant workers.

live to fight another day!

[AlphaCentauri]

9. A kid gets a green card but their parents can be deported

how that kid can survive without them?

I have to question how smart that is.

[BunkerHill24]

10. I concur

I think we need to make sure Human Rights triumphs over current immigration policy....and that everyone has the right to come to this country and treated with respect....but we have laws enacted and we need to view these laws and change them accordingly.



on edit: clarity

[pampango]

6. After health care reform, Obama will go for immigration reform and quickly to beat 2010 election

season as much as possible.

The real political question is whether the DLB (Dobbs, Limbaugh, Beck) wing of the repub party will be able to recoup credibility with the public that they lost during health care reform. (This could be Dobbs' last stand. Opposing immigration is what gets him ratings. If he is ineffective at that why keep him on the air?)

The DLB wing will try to take the "patriotic" anti-immigrant position like they did in 2007 (see how many times you hear the word "amnesty", a proven effective buzz word), but they run the risk of further marginalizing themselves by appealing to their fringe. This wing will undoubtedly be using the same tactics and emotional appeals, so it will be interesting to see how much has changed since 2007 and how much remains the same.