The U.S. Senate has approved the immigration reform promised by President Obama. It was made possible by the overwhelming Latino vote, which has been demanding it, and the Republicans recognizing this force, who denied their anti-immigration policy the vote. Dr. Castañeda, from the Colegio de la Frontera Norte [College of the Northern Border], made a summary which I will reiterate. Faced with the realization that more than 11 million immigrants are living illegally in America, the two sides of the debate confronted each other: the side that recognizes their contribution to American society and proposes to take them out of the “shadows” through a path to citizenship; and the side that classifies them as illegal — lawbreakers, who must be punished, not rewarded. The initial proposal for the reform was conceived within the bounds of the core idea of national security — defining the southern border as a vulnerable area, although 4.5 of the 11 million enter with visas, not through the border. An approach favored by Republican hardliners, it pushes for the militarization of the border: 20,000 more border patrol officers, $4.6 billion to extend the border fence by 700 miles, surveillance techniques and drones. It also overstates the “dangers” and the determination of those crossing from the south: they are criminals because they break the law.
In this regard, various paths, restricted to those who entered before 2011, are established for those living in the U.S. illegally to obtain legal status: 1,800,000 young people, who arrived as children, will be fast-tracked to citizenship in five years; farm workers will be fast-tracked to residency in five years; and those who qualify for provisional status face the long road — 10 years at least. They are forced to jump numerous hoops, meet certain conditions and are always under suspicion. The proceedings for provisional status will only begin on the condition that “security” is assured on the border. Hardship is necessary, and any new illegal immigrants will be criminals and imprisoned.
The American press tells of the reactions to the reform, sent to the House of Representatives and whose Republican speaker threatens it will not pass. They point out that for the reform to pass with a wide margin, the bipartisan group that proposed it made an agreement with two Republican senators, Bob Corker and John Hoeven, to impose these aberrant conditions for border security. Activists for immigration reform expressed their indignation. They said it focuses too much on security and is far from granting citizenship to immigrants living illegally in the U.S. The Centro Fronterizo de Derechos Humanos [Border Center for Human Rights] stated that the reform meant “a promise of abuses, violations and death for the residents of border communities.” Kika Matos, from the Centro Pro Derechos y Justicia Racial [Pro Rights and Racial Justice Center], thought twice about whether it would be worth continuing to support the reform, and Frank Sharry, veteran of the fight for migrants’ rights, declared, “Too much has been conceded to the Republicans who want greater restrictions.”* The group called 18 Million Rising said, “[The reform] will only further hurt immigrants, families, and the economy by making the path to citizenship more onerous and expensive, and by exacerbating the climate of fear created by criminalization and overreaching surveillance." The Instituto Mexicanos en el Exterior [Institute of Mexicans Abroad] said, “It will drive Mexicans further into poverty.” What will they do with those who do not qualify?
On the other hand, it is said that the reform will have the wide support of business organizations and farmers in the House of Representatives, which shows where North American interests lie. And yet it is they who have funded the immigration they hypocritically criminalize. This is the reform, condemned by migrant organizations, that our government congratulates, spinelessly commenting that “fences do not unite,” ignoring our fellow countrymen’s complaints and the disaster it will cause on both sides. The Mexican government’s submissiveness strengthens racist, anti-immigrant sentiment, weakens our fellow countrymen and the Mexican government itself.
*Editor's note: While correctly translated, this quote could not be verified.
El Senado estadounidense aprobó la reforma migratoria comprometida por Obama, hecha posible por el abrumador voto latino, que lo compromete, y el reconocimiento republicano de esta fuerza que le negó el voto a su política anti inmigrante. La Dra. Castañeda del Colegio de la Frontera Norte elaboró una síntesis que retomo. Ante el reconocimiento de que viven en EU más de 11 millones de indocumentados, se confrontaron en el debate, dos posiciones: 1) la que reconoce su contribución a la sociedad americana, propone sacarlos de las “sombras” mediante una “ruta” hacia su ciudadanización; 2) la que califica a los indocumentados, violadores de la ley que deben de ser castigados, no recompensados. La propuesta inicial de la reforma fue concebida básicamente desde el eje de la seguridad nacional, definiendo a la frontera sur como espacio vulnerable, pese a que 4.5 millones de 11, entraron con visa, no por la frontera. Enfoque impuesto por la línea dura republicana, condiciona la reforma a la militarización de la frontera: 20 mil agentes más a la patrulla fronteriza, 4.6 mil millones de dólares para ampliación de la barda fronteriza de 700 millas; técnicas de vigilancia, drones. Sobredimensión de “peligros” y determinación que quienes cruzan por el sur, son criminales por romper la ley.
Respecto al tema, la legalización de indocumentados, restringidos a quienes entraron antes del 2011, se establecen diversas “rutas”: para un millón 800 mil jóvenes, que llegaron infantes, ruta corta a la ciudadanía en cinco años; para trabajadores agrícolas, ruta corta de cinco años para la residencia; a quienes califiquen para un estatus provisional, ruta larga, 10 años mínimo. Compelidos a saltar innumerables obstáculos, condiciones, siempre bajo sospecha. Se condiciona el inicio del otorgamiento de los estatus provisionales a que esté implementada la “seguridad” en la frontera. Se impone la dureza, los nuevos indocumentados serán criminales y encarcelados.
La prensa estadounidense narra las reacciones a la reforma, enviada a la Cámara de Representantes, cuyo líder, republicano, amenaza: no pasará. Destacan que para que la reforma pasara por amplio margen, el grupo bipartidista impulsor acordó con dos Senadores republicanos, Bob Corker y John Hoeven la imposición de esas aberrantes condiciones para la seguridad fronteriza. Los activistas para la reforma migratoria expresaron su indignación. Calificada como demasiada inclinada a la seguridad y lejos de la ciudadanía a indocumentados. El Centro Fronterizo de Derechos Humanos afirmó que la reforma significaba “una promesa de abusos, violaciones y muerte para los residentes de las comunidades fronterizas”; Kika Matos, del Centro Pro Derechos y Justicia Racial, reconsideró si valía la pena seguir apoyando la reforma; Frank Sharry, veterano de la lucha por los migrantes, declaró: “se ha cedido demasiado a los republicanos que quieren mayores restricciones”. El grupo llamado “18 millons rising” declaró: “la reforma sólo lastimará más a los inmigrantes, sus familias y la economía, haciendo el camino hacia la ciudadanía más oneroso, exacerbando el clima de temor creado por la criminalización y la vigilancia intrusiva”. El Instituto Mexicanos en el Exterior declaró: “hundirá más en la pobreza a los mexicanos”, ¿qué harán con los que no califiquen?
Por otro lado, se afirma que la reforma contará en la Cámara de Representantes con un amplio apoyo de organizaciones empresariales, agricultores, lo que demuestra que son los intereses norteamericanos, quienes han auspiciado la inmigración que hipócritamente criminalizan. Esa es la reforma, reprobada por organizaciones de migrantes que nuestro gobierno felicita con un timorato comentario: “las bardas no unifican”, desoyendo reclamos de nuestros compatriotas y el desastre que causará en ambos lados. La sumisión del gobierno mexicano fortalece las posiciones racistas antiinmigrante, debilitan a nuestros compatriotas y se debilita a sí mismo.
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The U.S. must decide what type of foreign policy it wants to pursue: one based on the humanism of Abraham Lincoln or one based on the arrogance of those who want it to be the world’s policeman.
[I]n the same area where these great beasts live, someone had the primitive and perverse idea to build a prison ... for immigrants in the United States without documentation.