News

Is The Political Climate on Immigration Finally Changing In America?

December 15, 2011 | Posted by: Admin under Uncategorized

Based on recent social and political events is it possible that the political climate in America on immigration reform is finally changing?  After the obvious injustice and economically devistating consequences of the Arizona and Alabama tough immigraiton laws, I believe that Americans are starting to see that a tough national policy on undocumented aliens will cause not only social injustice, but also economic termoil.   Because of the strict enforecement laws in Alabama, undocumented workers and even their legalized family members have left Alabama out of fear.  As a result, business owners and farmers in Alabama have lost employees which has caused serious economic losses to Alabama’s economy.   Business people visiting Alabama in an effort to possibly relocate factories in Alabama, which by the way would create good paying jobs, have been harrassed and arrested by police.   Just today, the Justice Department  announced it has suspended its cooperation agreement (under section 287(g)) with Arizona’s Maricopa County Sherriff’s Office access to immigration databases through the Secure Communities program because it had found a pattern and practice of civil rights abuses, including extreme cases of racial profiling.  The most suprising political developement is that none other then Newt Gingerich is advocating for some kind of immigration reform to legallize the upwards of 11 million people who are in the United States illegally.  Based on Gingerich’s long history of anti immigration and strict enforcement, I am convinced that he sees a political advantage at comming out infront of the immigration reform issue early in his run for the Republican nomination.  It seems obvious to me that to maintain a strong politcal stance against immigration reform would not be feasible for a successful presidential campaign.  We can rest assured that Newt still wants to sound tough on immigration through stiff enforcement and unconstiutional schemes to cut federal funding to so called sanctuary cities, but the writing is on the wall;  We can talk as tough as we want about enforcment but we need the millions of undocumented workers in our economy.  Moreover, it is simply wrong to destroy families and uproot lives in the name of tough enforcement while happily allowing our economy to exploit low wage labor of undocumented workers so we can enjoy affordable produce and other consumer goods.

Hoyt S. Minkoff, Esq.

President Obama Takes a Political Stand on Comprehensive Immigration Reform

May 11, 2011 | Posted by: Admin under Immigration News

President Obama has challenged politicians in Washington on comprehensive immigration reform.  In yesterday’s speech in El Paso Texas, President Obama has finally come out front on the political issue of comprehensive immigration reform,  Our President expressed his concerns about the economic problems, inconsistencies and injustices caused by our broken immigration system.  Among the issues, Obama explained that it is counter intuitive to the success of our economy to educate top scientists and engineers in America and then to deny many of them the opportunity to stay in America to build our economy and create more jobs.   He reminded us that many of the top high tech companies were founded by immigrants and that these companies and high end jobs are important to building our economy by creating more jobs.  Obama explained that unscrupulous businesses are exploiting  undocumented workers with low wages which drives down all wages and creates a competitive disadvantage to honest employers who are trying to pay fair wages.  just as  important, the President recognizes the need for a new amnestyprogram in order to provide an opportunity for undocumented aliens to become legal and to fully contribute to our society and enjoy the same freedoms and equalites that Americans and legal immigrants have.  Finally, Obama is renewing the political fight for the passage of the Dream Act which will allow the innocent children of undocumented aliens who grew up in America and attended our schools to pursue higher education, start careers and continue to live in the only country they have known.

The President has outlined an agenda for immigration reform that creates an immigration policy that better balances enforcement with common sense and social justice by creating more opportunities for undocumented aliens to become legal and to keep families together.  The President’s speech strikes right at the heart of the short sighted arguments of opponents to positive immigration reform who only want to strict enforcement while ignoring the true economic and social benefits that  better comprehensive immigration reform will bring.  There is no doubt in my mind that immigration is going to be among the most heated political issue during the upcoming 2012 elections.  

I applaud our President for taking a stronger political position and finally standing up for comprehensive immigration reform.

Hoyt S. Minkoff, Esq.

The video of the President’s speech may be accessed at the link below:

http://www.barackobama.com/Immigration-Reform-Signon?

Obama Meets With Latino Celebrities on Immigration Reform and The Dream Act:

April 29, 2011 | Posted by: Admin under Immigration News

President Obama met with Latino celebrities this week on the issue of immigration reform in a Celebrity Round table session.  As reported on April 28, 2011 by Julie Mason of Politico 44,  The President stated that it will take an act of Congress to bring immigration reform and that he can not instigate immigration reform on his own.  Among the immigration issues discussed were reintroducing the “Dream Act” and mitigating “Enforcement Only” immigration policies. 

In my opinion, immigration will continue to be a heated political issue and will define the next Presidential and Congressional elections.  It is really sad that politics is  continuing to delay our needed immigration reform such as passage of the Dream Act and an Amnesty program.  The lives and futures of hardworking a talented people, especially children and young adults, are being placed on hold while politicians continue to distort the issues on the right while many politicians on the left are too afraid to commit on immigration issues.  I firmly believe that those of us who realize the current injustice of our immigration system must become much more vocal and active in order to compete with the disproportionate and short sighted opponents of immigrants and immigration reform.

Hoyt S. Minkoff, Esq.

For more information please see links below:

http://www.politico.com/politico44/perm/0411/a_frank_discussion_aed37365-ec77-4f27-bab6-a6015f0c765c.html

http://immigrationimpact.com/2011/04/29/help-wanted-latino-leaders-and-presidential-leadership-needed-on-immigration-reform/