National Latino Groups Call Bill 'Immigrant Apartheid'

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.diversityinc.com/public/2016.cfm

National Latino Groups Call Bill 'Immigrant Apartheid'
By Rebecca White
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Date Posted: June 21, 2007

Six national Latino organizations denounced the current immigration-reform bill in a public statement yesterday, with some calling it "immigrant apartheid." The groups in opposition are the Hispanic Federation, the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, the League of United Latin American Citizens, the National Alliance of Latin American and Caribbean Communities, the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, and the William C. Velasquez Institute.

The National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the nation's largest Latino civil-rights group, was not part of the coalition of six groups.

"If enacted, the current Senate proposal would codify a system of immigrant apartheid as United States policy, which is despicable and not supported by the Latino community," said Antonio Gonzalez, president of the William C. Velasquez Institute Antonio Gonzalez.

What do they suggest in its place? They would prefer a series of smaller immigration-reform bills, each of limited scope, and they are concerned that the bill emphasizes skills over family ties. "We are referring to bills such as AgJobs, the DREAM Act and other similar initiatives that would result in tangible changes for immigrant communities in our country," stated a letter sent by the groups to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Fear that the bill will resurface in the upcoming weeks is partly what led to such a unified movement by these Latino organizations.

These groups are not alone. Labor groups including the AFL-CIO announced yesterday that they also want the bill scrapped. "This takes a problem we have and, instead of solving it, makes it worse," stated Richard L. Trumka, secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO.

The immigration-reform bill was stalled in the Senate last week because of differences along party lines over clauses such as the guest-worker program. The proposal has been charged by Republicans as being too lenient and by Democrats as being unfair and biased. The six national Latino organizations agree with Democrats.


FULL story at link.

[Robson]

1. Immigration solution: Secure the borders and heavy fines on employers of illegal workers

Congress over-complicates what is a simple solution.

Secure our borders with troops or whatever it takes, and then hang a $100K fine per illegal employee on any employer who hires illegal workers. The problem will be fixed as it should have been done 20 years ago, and definitely after 9-11 and US citizens will no longer have a need for minimum wage law as their minimal wages will be far above $10/hr.