undocumented immigrants at Brave New Films

An African Leader on Immigration

2008-12-01T08:42:31Z

The head of the United African Organization of Chicago asks the candidates what they will do about immigration reform.

For more information, visit:
www.uniteafricans.org
www.icirr.org

Minuteman Pulido attacks Religious Access Bill

2008-12-01T08:42:30Z

Rosanna Pulido, former head of the Chicago Minuteman Project and current spokesperson for the registered hate-group FAIR, attacks a bill that would allow clergy to minister to immigrant detainees and asylum seekers during vulnerable times.

Fight the hate, send a free fax here:
http://capwiz.com/icirr

Do more: Call your reps to say no to HB 5756, the Illinois Minutemen bill!

Watch the video

USCIS Promises Modernization of Immigration Process

2008-07-08T18:42:18Z

Acting head of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Jonathan Scharfen, has promised several changes to the USCIS bureaucracy that would help speed-up the legalization and naturalization process.

While Scharfen claims that the USCIS is working on resolving the problem of backlogs in citizenship applications and background checks, he has also noted that moving from a paper-based bureaucracy to a computer age is the "ultimate solution." Indeed, computerizing applications would make the task faster and much more efficient, decreasing misplacement of documents and increasing effective communication.

The USCIS seems to be gearing up for a change in administration and immigration policies. They have secured a "transformation" contract to modernize to an electronic system and get in touch with the 21st century.

"And we want to make sure that's in good shape, so when the new administration comes in, we're up and running and that contract is on the right track."

For now, to deal with the backlog, FBI and the USCIS has spent another $35 million to hire new workers and contractors. Scharfen estimates that by June 2009, the average time for an FBI background check would be 30 days, down from the 2 years it takes right now.

The big question is whether USCIS can deal with the legalization of 12.5 million undocumented immigrants. This is what Scharfen said:

A Hypothetical 'Undocumented' Situation - What would You Do?

2008-07-03T23:57:30Z

I believe that it is paramount to see and understand an issue from another person's perspective before casting judgments about them. Unfortunately, the most extreme anti-immigrant activists and nativists simply treat "illegal immigrants" as a homogenous case with no, and I mean no, lee-way, variations or extenuating circurmstances. It is simply "tough luck" from their point of view. I wonder how much of it would be "tough luck" if one of them got ripped from their home, family and friends, and got accidentally deported.

You are a U.S. citizen, fall in love and marry an undocumented immigrant. There is no way of legalizing his status without returning to his country and a separation of up to ten years. You are both forced to move to Mexico instead of undergoing separation. Tough luck?

Your naturalization is derailed and you are detained by the ICE since you forgot to update your home address, making them charge you for a felony! You lose your legal permanent residency and are set for deportation. Tough luck?

You are twice denied citizenship and set for deportation since you failed to show up for fingerprints. Why? You are a quadriplegic on a ventilator. Tough luck?

You are six years old and an American citizen. Your father is apprehended and detained by the ICE in your presence and you do no get to hear from him for months. Tough luck?

Rabbi Feinberg on "Why Can't America Have Human Rights?"

2008-10-29T03:29:57Z

Rabbi Michael Feinberg of the Greater New York Labor-Religion Coalition spoke at Breakthrough's public forum, "Why Can't America Have Human Rights?" at The Riverside Church in New York City on September 14, 2006. The event, co-sponsored by 70 organizations, attracted 600 guests, including community members, students, and leaders. The speakers and performers were united in their platform— we must take a stand against abuses and create a much needed human rights movement in the United States.

Breakthrough

www.breakthrough.tv

Watch the video

Undocumented Students - Struggle Continues in Canada

2008-07-10T00:06:53Z

During the Association of American Geographers conference in Boston this year, a graduate student researcher presented a comparative analysis of Canadian and American identity in light of immigration policy. When asked in surveys, most Americans generally responded that they had a much higher tolerance of immigrants from Canada mainly because Canadians seemed more assimilable and like 'other Americans.' However, when the same survey was given to Canadians, less than thirty percent identified with Americans--differing mostly on political viewpoints. While clarifying immigration policy today, the Canadian Premier in Ontario gave an example of the stark contrast between the two neighboring states while the actions of the federal government in deporting undocumented students said otherwise.

While the United States is busy deporting undocumented immigrant students and the states in the deep South are retreating back into time by closing doors on students, our neighbors up North are also struggling with the issue. In Ontario, Canada, politicians have expressed a "don't ask don't tell" policy on undocumented immigrant students. Yet, an undocumented student, Sarah Leonty, with federal grants and great scholastic record, faces deportation just like our undocumented students in America.

The Business of Detention

2008-10-17T21:29:33Z

Finally, there is a website dedicated to 'jailing immigrants for profit.'

Video credit goes to The Business of Detention

See previous blog post - Immigration Control is Lucrative Business

Watch the video

Heather MacDonald - The Costs of Immigration

2008-10-19T21:29:35Z

Complete video at: fora.tv

Author Heather MacDonald outlines various social and economic costs of illegal immigration.

-----

The Immigration Debates: Spotlight on the U.S. Mexico Border with panelists Jorge Bustamante, Emilio Gonzalez, Bob Kerrey, Heather Mac Donald, and Aristide Zolberg.

How to secure the U.S.-Mexico border is a hugely contentious issue in the immigration debates shaping the 2008 presidential race. A panel of experts will discuss the challenges of securing the world's most frequently crossed border and the immigration policy agendas heating up the campaign trail - The New School

Heather Mac Donald is a John M. Olin fellow at the Manhattan Institute and a contributing editor to City Journal. She also is a recipient of 2005 Bradley Prize for Outstanding Intellectual Achievement. Her newest book, The Immigration Solution: A Better Plan Than Today's, coauthored with Victor Davis Hanson and Steven Malanga, chronicles the effects of broken immigration laws and proposes a practical solution to securing the country's porous borders.

Watch the video

Jorge Bustamante on Immigration: Not Just A Domestic Issue

2008-10-19T09:31:37Z

Complete video at: fora.tv

Notre Dame Professor of Sociology Jorge Bustamante argues that illegal immigration in the U.S. should not be regarded as a purely domestic issue.

-----

The Immigration Debates: Spotlight on the U.S. Mexico Border with panelists Jorge Bustamante, Emilio Gonzalez, Bob Kerrey, Heather Mac Donald, and Aristide Zolberg.

Jorge Bustamante is the President and founder of El Colegio de la Frontera Norte, the prominent Mexican institute for the study of border issues. He is the author of numerous studies on the sociology of the border region between the United States and Mexico and on Mexican-origin residents of the United States. Bustamante is a leading participant in international scholarly networks dealing with these themes and has played a major role in building and sustaining scholarly linkages between Mexico and the United States.

Watch the video

Emilio Gonzales - Getting Immigration Reform Right

2008-10-19T09:31:35Z

Complete video at: fora.tv

Emilio Gonzalez, Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, argues for moderation on the hot-button issue of immigration reform.

-----

The Immigration Debates: Spotlight on the U.S. Mexico Border with panelists Jorge Bustamante, Emilio Gonzalez, Bob Kerrey, Heather Mac Donald, and Aristide Zolberg.

Emilio T. Gonzalez, Ph.D, serves as the current Director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), an Under Secretary position within the Department of Homeland Security.

Watch the video

Political Discourse: Undocumented Immigrants or Illegal Aliens?

2008-03-03T19:00:51Z

In my opinion, neither term accurately categorizes the vast diversity of people that are maintaining unlawful presence in the United States. Both terms are politically loaded and used by people on either side of the immigration debate to gain political leverage. Results from polls show that Americans respond more positively to questions about "illegal immigration" if the term "undocumented" is employed instead of "illegal."

While undocumented immigrants may be politically correct, it is not a completely true depiction of the illegal immigration situation: a lot of so-called undocumented immigrants do have documents like identification cards, fake social security cards, fake resident alien cards and backlogged visa petitions.

"Illegal alien" is the term sanctioned by the law and used in most government documents concerning unlawful immigration. Yet, no human being can be illegal -- that in and of itself, makes no sense. However, since our political language and discourse is shaped by those in power, we use "Illegal" as a pronoun for 'out of status' immigrants, which is downright demeaning. Moreover, to call foreign nationals "aliens" due to politically constructed borders is nothing short of dehumanizing, offensive and shows the close-minded, xenophobic nature of U.S. immigration policy.

What should we call 'out of status' immigrants who maintain unlawful presence in the United States? Unauthorized immigrants? Migrant workers? Unnaturalized immigrants? I shy away from such labels and categories -- there is no way we can lump the huge numbers of diverse peoples under one label.

We are white, black, brown and many shades, shapes and sizes. Some of us are documented and others undocumented. Some are migrant workers while others are students. Most of us are here for work-related purposes, while some are rendered illegal by homophobic U.S. laws that prevent bi-national same-sex couples from gaining citizenship through marriage. Some of us overstayed on tourist or student visas, while others did indeed cross the border. And yet, all of us are part of this messed-up and broken immigration system that tries to make us nameless and faceless, rob us of our diverse identities, backgrounds and stories. After all, if we can lump more than 12 million people as simply "illegal" or "undocumented" treating them as 'invisible' or "Others" becomes easier.

Therefore, I strongly urge all the DREAMers and other migrants without proper documentation to not give in to labels.