Today marks el Dia de Trabajo (Workers’ Day) in many Latin American countries. This Friday May 1, and for the fourth consecutive year, thousands of immigrant Hispanic workers will take to the streets to demand immigration reform. According to a Univision.com story, groups have planned marches in 23 cities. In Los Angeles alone, the #1 Hispanic market in the nation, 3 different groups are scheduled to walk the streets and not even the HN1 – better known as swine—flu will deter them.
Workers are demanding reform for many reasons, including fair treatment, keeping families together, the ability to legalize their situation and normalize their family future and lives.
Yesterday, the current administration had its first session to discuss immigration and groups are waiting for Obama to put an end to raids at job sites, even if temporary. And in that meeting, Greenspan told a Senate subcommittee that illegal immigrants are good for the economy because they provide a flexible workforce or safety valve. With that argument, we are sure he got a lot of criticism– and praise.
A recently release report from the Pew Hispanic Center notes that there are 11.9 million unauthorized immigrants in the United States—76% of whom are Hispanic. Yet, 73% of children born to unauthorized immigrants are U.S. citizens so deportations imply family separation and custody arrangements for millions of kids.
In a story by Bloomberg news from last week, the topic of immigration taking a backseat to the economy emerged yet again. True, we have larger issues to tackle, but we can’t ignore the fact that the economy and fair immigration reform are more than connected.
SUBSCRIBE