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January 30, 2004/Shevat 7 5764, Vol. 56, No. 19
Seeking an improved immigration policyJONATHAN FRIENDLYPresident George Bush is doing the right thing in setting the issue of American immigration policy onto the front burner for this session of Congress. But his proposed approach tips far too much toward employers and away from humanitarian concerns. And, of particular concern to Jewish America, it fails to address the related problem of how the United States should deal with regional and global refugee problems.The world has changed dramatically since 1986 when Congress last took on immigration issues. The overriding issue for America then - as now - was what to do with a flood of people who had entered the country illegally and found employers eager to keep them in low-paying jobs. Then, most of the illegals were farm hands in the Southwest; now they include millions working in places ranging from giant stores like Wal-Mart to small plants. The 1986 law essentially provided amnesty for the workers and, because its employer-sanction provisions were never enforced, amnesty for the employers also. The new Bush initiative seems likely to repeat that experience. It would concentrate power in the hands of the employers who must sponsor the workers and could get them kicked back out of the country should the economic need for them diminish. The plan does not provide real incentives and opportunities for the immigrants to move toward full citizenship. By devising a more humane plan, one that recognizes that immigrants are not just fodder for workplace needs but individuals deserving of dignity and entitled to appropriate legal protections, Congress could reassert the country's historic role as a place of opportunity. As Jews whose ancestors were third-class citizens in Egypt, Babylon and Spain, we should be aware of the need for an effective shield against exploitation. Further, a balanced plan for immigrants would contribute to the necessary work of repairing America's image as an economic bully, a reputation that is particularly undermining our relations with South and Central American nations. Obviously, the mechanisms for regulating the flow of immigrants must address the real worries of 21st-century terrorism. But with borders as porous as ours, terrorists aren't going to pose as farm workers from Mexico and present themselves for official inspection. As Washington tries to deal with making a fairer and more effective program for illegal immigrants, it should also take up the problems of refugees fleeing from religious and ethnic persecution. One step in the right direction was last week's passage of the Specter Amendment, which makes it easier for Jews and other religious minorities from the former Soviet Union and Iran to find refuge here. That refugee program, intended to open the doors to 140,000 people over the last year, brought in a third of that number, apparently because understaffed and under-experienced offices of the Department of Homeland Security could not handle all the applications effectively. The Specter Amendment provides additional financing and authority to ease the way for about 500 Jewish and Christian families who have been held in a legal limbo in Vienna. But that amendment does nothing to resolve a number of other issues, such as how we should handle immigration visas for spouses and children of legal permanent residents or what government benefits like grants for college education should be available to those legal families. The terrorist attack of 9/11 forces us to think freshly about America's role and performance as the world's greatest economic, cultural and military power. Developing a coherent and humane approach to keeping open the door of opportunity will send the right message, not just to would-be immigrants but also to a world that needs to know we still have a heart. Jonathan Friendly is contributing editor at Jewish Renaissance Media. |
