Yesterday Jose Antonio Vargas , the Pulitzer-winning journalist who told his own story about being an undocumented immigrant, was present as the DREAM Act had its very first hearing in the United States Senate. The debate comes 10 years after the first version of the bill was introduced in the Senate (by Republican Senator Orrin Hatch). Now that Republicans no longer like the idea of reforming immigration policy, it is left to Democratic Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, who simply refuses to quit on this. He countered the Republican boogeyman talk about border security and "illegals" in yesterday's hearing by putting a face to the issue at hand.
Senator Durbin introduced to the assembled Senators and gallery a number of people who, including Mr. Vargas, were accomplished, yet still undocumented, immigrants. One was 21-year-old Angelica Hernandez, the 2011 valedictorian of the mechanical-engineering class at Arizona State University. The Arizona Republic reports:
"We're not afraid anymore," Hernandez said in an interview. "I think that coming out publicly is something that needs to be done. I've seen how effective it has been for people to stand up and put a real face to this issue. I think it is a risk, but I think it's a risk worth taking."
It now seems unlikely that Mr. Vargas or Ms. Hernandez would be targeted for deportation, even by a Homeland Security department that, as we reported on Monday, is likely to hit the one-million-deported benchmark sometime this summer. In a June 17 memo (PDF) to immigration enforcement officials, the Obama administration requested the use of prosecutorial discretion when considering deportation cases. In other words, ease back on sending folks away who are doing positive things here in this country.
That is why Mr. Vargas' revelation is so relevant, particularly to this newly revived policy discussion about the DREAM Act.
You can understand now why he has started a site, DefineAmerican.com, that seeks to tell the stories of immigrants, documented or undocumented. We just saw a few Republican state senators in New York State vote to legalize same-sex marriage, some of whom changed their vote to "yes" simply because they know someone who is gay. We talk about "changing hearts and minds" with war, but rarely so in the context of policy. Writing for the Nation (via NPR), author and activist Courtney E. Martin:
Their stories demonstrate that there is no reasonable option for undocumented immigrants like Vargas, who don't have an identity or a community rooted in the country of their birth, but whose only option for obtaining American citizenship was, as an immigration lawyer told him, leaving the country, accepting a 10-year ban on returning, and then applying to return legally. Their real life experiences reveal just how illogical, unsustainable, and unjust our current immigration policies really are, and how desperately we need comprehensive reform.
Leave a Comment:
This is such an incredible story. Hearing about this one man's experiences should open the eyes of millions of Americans who now view immigrants as a burden or drag on our society. The beauty of immigration is that it allows those, like Jose, to come to a great country, work hard, and succeed. His story should be trumpted as one of what it truly means to be an American regardless of where he came from.
Again, the liberals always misguiding their audience. The problem is not with legal immigration but illegal immigration or illegal aliens. If this person is so accomplished then why can't he become an American citizen?
I know quite a few immigrants that have become American citizens through the right channels, these are the people I praise, not undocumented illegals.
Does not make me a racist, makes me protective of my country and ticked off that all the jobs are going to these people who don't pay taxes and claim they have the same rights as American citizens.
If you want to become an American, great, do it the right way just like my family did only 3 generations ago and had to speak English to get by.
TEA!
Don't flaunt your ignorance (although perhaps it's appropriate since u are a tea-bagger)...these are accomplished immigrants who obviously speak English and many were brought here by their parents so they often didn't have any choice in the matter and are essentially as Americanized as you or me...they are being unfairly punished by draconian immigration laws and intolerant people such as yourself...go back and read the words on the Statute of Liberty, asking for other countries to give us their tired and poor yearning to breathe free...there is no "legal" way for most of these poor immigrants to come to the US anymore....there is no "line" for them to wait in unless they are rich and can "buy" there way in...that is not how it should be in our country of immigrants.
My paternal great grandparents arrived over 100 years ago at Ellis Island they didn't apply for anything they just showed up were let in and became citizens. One of them my great grandfather Fox with literally just the clothes off his back. Things have changed since then. If you've ever seen the part of Godfather II where the then child Vito Corleone arrives in America you can get the feel of what my grandparents went through. They had it IMO easier than their counterparts today. Vito only had to wait it out until he was over TB.
I'm his opposite - I'm an American who grew up in the Philippines - and since I started living here in NYC and meet other Filipinos, I know that there are a lot of undocumented immigrants around us, especially in metropolitan areas.
I wish a positive outcome for the DREAM Act - I'm sure not only individuals will gain from this, but the country as well.
In citing 'border control' as the reason why GOP can't back the DREAM ACT it would be fitting for the GOP to remember that we are a nation of immigrants that embraced Manifest Destiny as a right ~ perhaps the real barrier to the immigration issue is the imposition of artifical borders/barriers!
Heard the NPR piece on Mr. Vargas the other day; his story puts a face - a very human face - on this issue. I admire his courage in standing up and speaking so intelligently and compassionately about this issue. There are no simple solutions...but I think that stories like Mr. Vargas' are an effective antidote to the sloganeering chants of those who oppose the DREAM Act and any solution short of "sending them (undocumented aliens) back to where they came from." Those people don't reflect my America. People like Mr. Vargas do.
I heard the NPR piece on Mr. Vargas the other day. I admire his grace, his intelligence and his courage in speaking out. It is stories such as his own that I hope will counter the sloganeering chants of xenophobes posing as "true Americans" and will help ensure passage of the DREAM Act. Those people don't reflect MY America. People like Mr. Vargas do.
I heard the NPR piece on Mr. Vargas the other day. I admire his grace, his intelligence and his courage in "coming out" as an undocumented alien. It is my hope that stories such as his will counter the sloganeering chants of those who oppose the DREAM Act and who consider themselves (mistakenly) as defenders of the American way of life. They do not represent MY America. People like Mr. Vargas do.
Especially when you can make your goal unattainable. Secure the border means it can't be accomplished until there are zero illegals in the country. It's not going to happen, no matter how deep and wide the moat.
I truly don't understand why anyone would be against the dream act. These people are Americans. They were raised as Americans and have no ties to the country of their birth. What were they supposed to do? Refuse to cross the border with their parents at the age of 2, or 10, or even 15? The stupidity of some people these days is unbelievable! We are in deep trouble in this country.
The USA is a democracy governed by laws, or at least it is supposed to be.
Immigration is regulated by various laws. If any of these laws are violated then action is taken, or should be, to rectify the offense.
Pleading that "I just wanted a better life, for me and my children, is not an excuse for breaking the law!
Mr. Bulger could use the same excuse, "I just wanted to live in peace and comfort in S. Cal. so why are you persecuting me 15 years later?"
Perhaps, children brought to this country, by their parents, did not know they are breaking the law, but technically they are still breaking that law.
Illegal immigration is ignored when an American individual or corporation gains a financial benefit from employing illegal immigrants. In fact the agricultural industry would collapse without them!
The unfortunate development in this country is that the laws, in place, are not enforced equally nor fairly.
The current laws have to be enforced, to the letter, or new laws enacted to give dispensation to deserving cases (who decides that?). Problem is, with our corrupt federal and state lawmakers, special interests will be the only ones benefitting from new laws.
If citizens don't follow the rule of law, anarchy follows. (democracy, only in Ancient Greece, meant people power. Politicians have trouble with 200 years of American history, anything more is probably a bridge to far)
Right you are Ross,even the GOP'S god Reagen gave amnestyy to Illegals when he was president.
They all do....for the SOLE purpose of winning votes from the HUGE population associated with those getting amnesty...no other reason. Don't kid yourselves. It's about amassing as much political power as they can....not because they understand the issue and feel it's in the best interest of the country.
All illegals should be deported. Why are there exceptions? THEN people may see that the DREAM Act should move forward and become law.
RAchel, can you get a video going of all the Republican
FLIP FLOPS since Obama was elected
Mortond, Although you're right about the existence of laws and the reprecautions that follow for breaking it, you can't look at this or any other law as black and white. therefore you cannot make the same equivalency of Mr. Bulger, he murdered people, that is not the same degree of criminality as of crossing the border illegally or over staying your visa. And although there are cases of undocumented immigrants committing horrible crimes, their illegality still not a factor for their criminal minds. I think you will agree that in order to efficiently deal with this issue we have to talk as honestly as possible about this law and its repercussions upon breaking it, dirtying the conversation by including Mr. Bulger in your line of reasoning lower the quality of your otherwise valid argument.
So it's OK to break one law but not another?
If it is a law it should be upheld. Laws are enacted with penalties proscribed for breaking said law. The seriousness of the act does not mean one can be forgiven for a popular crime but another, more serious act, has to be prosecuted.
If the voting population all agree they don't like a certain law they have the power to have it removed or changed, that's what democracies do.
That is why some states have the death penalty and others don't.
Unfortunately immigration falls under the tender mercies of the Feds. so it takes a whole lot more people to effect a change. Like prohibition, but it is doable!
I live in Northern California so I know the benefits to California/us that legal and illegal immigrants provide.
This whole kerfuffle did not arise until large corporations started laying off 'American' workers, because overseas fields were covered in green.
Then it was suggested, you can guess by whom, that illegal immigrants were taking 'our' jobs.
Of course, immigrants were doing jobs no 'American' wanted nor would do, but what's logic got to do with it!
That is how smoke and mirrors work!
mortond
You sound like Inspector Javert from Les Misreables.
As my high school cross country coach said, "Life is absurd; pick your absurdity and pursue it with a vengeance."
I have to ask this...if he was illegal at what point did he realize he was illegal? Why didn't he take steps to become legal? How did he remain illegal for so long and yet in the public as much as he is/was? Was he committing fraud? Are his identification papers legitimate? What about his SSN and other forms of identification? I'm sure he committed fraud and many other civil laws along the way to REMAINING an illegal immigrant for so long. Employers need to be punished for hiring illegals and those found to be here and illegal and not in the process of becoming legal need to be deported. We can't selectively enforce the laws no matter what. Laws are as black and white as they can be...the more so the better.
Every single question you ask is answered in his New York Times article and in the interview we aired on Monday. I hope that you take the time to read and watch.
I do not know that much about the immagration law. My experience does tell me there are mitigating circumstances that can be considered. I believe Judges do have some discrection in certain cases.
I do not know the immagration law. I do know from experience you can have mitigating circumstances. Judges do have some leway in certain cases. Why not this case?
so what happens now? is he gonna get himself legalise? or keep talking about being a successful illegal?
He broke the law, plain and simple, either get your papers legally or move to your place of birth and come back when you become a citizen.
Since when is it ok to break the law, nobody is above the law of the land.
knee jerk Teaparty08...he knowingly broke the law as a child of illegal immigrants? Very christian of you....what would Jesus do?
I'm so sure that I expect a child of 12 to stop his parents from sending him somewhere when they tell him to go with his "uncle." I'm so sure I expect a 12-year-old child to be suspicious when his grandfather hands him a [fake] green card. I am also really sure that I think I should expect a 12-year-old to know the law, to understand the law, and to be able to determine how best to repair years of undocumented existence in the US (while maintaining a high GPA, getting in to college, and developing an admirable professional portfolio.
[and if you didn't read this in a voice dripping with sarcasm, start over and try again]. This is exactly what the DREAM Act focuses on-- a child cannot reasonably be expected to go against his/her parents wishes, but the United States needs to figure out how to fairly consider the circumstances of each case. Try to avoid turning every case like Mr. Vargas' into a scenario in which greedy-eyed illegals are out to exploit the system for all it's worth. In fact, if the DREAM Act works, it should increase the amount of tax revenue coming in and it should hopefully help the nation to keep some of its best and brightest new arrivals.
agree with teaparty08
Such breathtaking generosity of spirit, Tom, Teaprty08, and rams9. It's clear you've all considered what it might be like to be in this man's shoes.
I think there needs to be an Inspector Javert Club. That way they can be with merciless like minded folk.
TEA - you miss the point of the DREAM Act - why can't these young adults who were brought into the United States as children with no choice in the matter, have been raised as an American, paid taxes as an American, fought wars as an American, not be given a way to become an American citizen? Look pass the rhetoric of your tea party and you'll see the true faces of the people impacted by the DREAM Act. Maybe you won't be so afraid then.
How come if an immigrant who creates a business that employees people whether they are illegal or not is ok. But if they are just workers they must be deported. Surely you would think our government could come up with something that would be fair, since we are all really immigrants any way and originated some where else.
This is truly an amazing story. This man has a lot of courage to come out like this. I hope he is able to get his citizenship. I support the Dream Act and we need to end this war of hate against immigrants. I am part Native American part Europeans. My white family came to here from Switzerland in the late 1800's. As many of the people here today. 99 percent of all immigrants came here illegally during this time. Many were undocumented and even unregistered. So a good number of the people living here today are illegals. We are a nation founded by undocumented immigrants. They used to pack people into ships that headed for the US. Many of them never registered. When are we going to stop all this hate against immigrants when we were immigrants ourselves? They have the right to be free just like we do. No one is any better than anyone else. We all came here the same way. We founded a nation that honors culturally diversity and values the liberties of the many different cultures that exist here. Why do we treat today's immigrants different? The Republicans would have us close our borders and deny freedom to those who don't have it--that is not the American Way. Have we truly forgotten what Emma Lazarus inscribed on the Statue of Liberty?
"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
We have forgotten who we are as a Nation and where we have come from. America was created on the blood and tears of immigrants. If we claim to be a beacon of freedom to the world then we cannot deny others the right to be free.
In the meantime, North Carolina Republicans are trying to legalize illegal immigrants. In an effort to copy Georgia's immigration law without the mistakes, our legislation exempts farm workers and does not require businesses with 25 employees or less to use e-Verify. Am I the only one who thinks it's funny that the Republicans in our state have accidentally legalized illegal immigration?