Spineless

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.