Immigration: The Reform Movement Rebuilds

[Ianus]

There is a long article over at Carnegie.org (http://www.carnegie.org/reporter/17/immigration/index5.html) that defines how those who fight in our favor are trying to rebuild their alliances to more effectively relay the message of CIR to the public.Advocates of comprehensive immigration reform have tried unsuccessfully since 2006 to get an immigration bill passed, first by the 109th and then by the 110th Congress.* Now these advocates are using the sometimes painful lessons learned from their legislative battles to build alliances on a local and a national level and to bring together disparate voices. Seeking to overcome the hurdles involved in merging hundreds of organizations, several leading groups, including those who are cited in this article, have been working to develop a re-energized and re-focused structure that consists of “four pillars,” which center around:

a more effective policy approach,
more effective work in the media,
a stronger grassroots effort better linked to the nationwide effort, and
successful efforts to promote citizenship and encourage civic participation.

As immigration reform leaders begin to meet with immigration groups around the country as well as with community, business, labor and faith groups, ideas of the principal stakeholders will be incorporated into the four-pillars structure. The rapidly changing political dynamics in this presidential election year will also impact decision making as members of these groups work together to develop a plan for achieving effective immigration reform.

“Let’s not miss the fact that one of the reasons we lost the last time [in 2007] is that the anti-immigrant forces mobilized their advocates and the pro-reformers did not,” says Frank Sharry, executive director of America’s Voice. “Now we are working to answer questions such as: What is the best policy approach going forward? How do we strengthen and build a communications effort that has more volume and velocity and, most importantly, how do we have a grassroots operation that is nationwide and is effective?” For 17 years Sharry was executive director of the National Immigration Forum. He also served as a leader in the Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform, which closed in February 2008. America’s Voice (www.americasvoiceonline.org), an organization that grew out of this coalition, opened in March 2008 as a communications effort designed to more directly challenge those who oppose immigration reform.
I was thinking perhaps this messaging should surround American Citizens only or first.It could possibly be made more palatable to the public from a policy perspective,including legalization as part of any CIR bill.A few good examples of this would be reforming legal immigration surrounding work visas to ensure Americans citizens or permanent residents were given a reasonable amount of time to be recruited first before any application could be given to foreign workers or those who are immediate relatives of U.S citizens or Permanent residents are given first priority in any legalization program.It would basically be a message relaying the expanded rights of U.S. citizens vs the diminishing rights of going enforcement only.A good slogan could be,"There is always enforcement of the laws,but not enforcement of rights" or "It is easy to denigrate,but not educate".However,from my perspective any message would take years to effectively resonate across this country & we all should know that a Presidential Administration is at the height of their influence when incoming.

CIR WILL also include a guest-worker program because every single Republican I've have seen talking over the last few years of CIR have demanded it,not to mention the influential business community.Most CIR bills contain at least 3 guest worker programs in fact,which include Agjobs,an increase in H1Bs & a Temporary work program[TWP] that isn't temporary.

This is all in my speculatively humble opinion,but with a slumping economy & a CIR bill more likely to be proposed with an upcoming Obama administration I think the odds are at 50-50 for passage at this point.I believe the baseline requirements for Dream or CIR to pass WILL require Republican support,specifically from the state of Maine.

[OptimistinDenial]

First of all, really love the article. You always bring really interesting stuff to the forums. Well, the main key is local and national. Immigration is an issue. Issues are sometimes unwinnable. One of the most gifted minds told me that “the immigration issue was never going to be solved but that it could become better with better laws.” Issues take a long time to be solved. They are often too abstract and the average Joe cannot related to the issue, even if it affects the individual directly. National organizations deal with issues. Itssues do not have one good possible solution. Remember campaign reform? It was reform but not solved. Immigration is an issue.

As it happens, local organizations deal with problems. At least, smart local organizations deal with problems. Problems are smaller, concise and can be solved on a short time frame. A small organization of 1-3 members cannot solve immigration reform but can fix the attitude of the local sheriff. They can help open English and Citizenship classes, ect.

It seems that national and local have nothing to do with each other. Wrong. They are dependent of one another. Immigration requires a long term vision. Few people have long term vision. They can work on something for a couple of weeks or months and they’ll give up. It is not because they are dumb or rotten. It is part of the human condition. Say, we can work and make UC Davis change its requirements for their own scholarships and allow Dreamers to apply for them. Problems are usually just band-aids. Still, they give small successes to local heroes. It will make them keep working until the issue is solved. Furthermore, it is easier to mobilized people into the state and national arena once they are accustomed to negotiate with local circles of power.

Which brings me to the next point; Congress people are there to represent the interests of his/her constituents. The state or district predisposition has more power over his/her decision than any big national organization. 1000 nativist in Texas do not have a chance against 50 citizens in California. The true is for each state/district. My congressman is against the Dream Act or any form of adjustment of status. Except AgJobs because if farm workers leave, we might as well deport the whole farm industry back to Mexico with them, the threat is actually for real and more than one farmer that is against CIR has made it clear that it will happen.

So, just make a big round table with all the local, state and national organization in the USA. We can all make a huge plan. Then, we can hold hands and sing kumbayah my Lord…kumbayaaaaa! We can rather all sing “Que sera sera, whatever will be will be.” It is a little harder. You see, each organization from local to national has its own set of beliefs. Some organizations want to open borders and others only to legalized Dreamers. Just remember all those pro-immigrant, pro-Dream groups that were against our last effort. It was legalizing all kids or nothing! One prominent leader told me that the Dream Act should be attached to CIR. Not because Dream needs CIR but because CIR needs Dream! They would rather keep us all in the shadows for “a little longer” and give a bigger chance to less sympathetic immigrants. How many organizations are going to keep working for CIR, if Dream passes first? On the other hand how many organizations are not going to work for Dream if it is attached to CIR? That is a real problem.

Finally, remember those huge manifestations? Many people are here because of them. I am one of them. They were not created to adjust the status of undocumented workers. They were to stop one really bad proposition. I don’t recall the name, or the specifics of it. That is the point. I only know what a lot of people heard. It was going to penalized employers, businesses and congregations and about anyone who had anything to do with undocumented immigrants. Everybody but nativists and restrictionist were against it. It passed the House but it was refuted by the Senate. Some organizations started to fight with one another about which policy would be the best. Everybody assumed that CIR was eminent and some became bolder and more ambitious with their demands. Once a final policy was drafted some of those groups became bitter because it did not fit their dreams and went home or trashed the new bill.

Right now nativist and restrictionist can be summarized on two groups. The first one is people who want to close the borders. Some want some path to legalization but after the laws are fixed and the influx is going to be shut down for sure… which will never happen. If you know a third group, please tell me. In any case, any path to legalization is going to be stop at full force. They do not need to be organized. They do not need to work together. They only need to scream loud and clear by themselves or through local, state or national groups. We, on the other hand, need a consensus not among policy makers but among ourselves. Some of you want open borders and others only the Dream Act. The rest is in between with different degrees of restriction in their likings. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT OUR OPTIMAL BILL AND OPTIMAL COURSE OF ACTION IS NOT THE OPTIMAL BILL AND COURSE OF ACTION THAT WILL BE TAKEN. Everybody is going to be somewhat satisfied. No one is going to be totally happy.

Still, there is no path but union. Power is in the relationship. We need each other and other organizations to make Dream a reality. In the same token, other groups need us. We are as fundamental to them as they are to us. If it is our way or the Highway, believe it will end up being the highway. It will always be the highway. We can all go to battle and do our own thing against an issue to big, complex and epical for one or five individuals. At the end, it is all about what we all (sympathizers, dreamers, organizations and congregations) are willing or not willing to do to make the Dream Act a reality.

[questionsihave]

First of all, really love the article. You always bring really interesting stuff to the forums. Well, the main key is local and national. Immigration is an issue. Issues are sometimes unwinnable. One of the most gifted minds told me that “the immigration issue was never going to be solved but that it could become better with better laws.” Issues take a long time to be solved. They are often too abstract and the average Joe cannot related to the issue, even if it affects the individual directly. National organizations deal with issues. Itssues do not have one good possible solution. Remember campaign reform? It was reform but not solved. Immigration is an issue.

As it happens, local organizations deal with problems. At least, smart local organizations deal with problems. Problems are smaller, concise and can be solved on a short time frame. A small organization of 1-3 members cannot solve immigration reform but can fix the attitude of the local sheriff. They can help open English and Citizenship classes, ect.

It seems that national and local have nothing to do with each other. Wrong. They are dependent of one another. Immigration requires a long term vision. Few people have long term vision. They can work on something for a couple of weeks or months and they’ll give up. It is not because they are dumb or rotten. It is part of the human condition. Say, we can work and make UC Davis change its requirements for their own scholarships and allow Dreamers to apply for them. Problems are usually just band-aids. Still, they give small successes to local heroes. It will make them keep working until the issue is solved. Furthermore, it is easier to mobilized people into the state and national arena once they are accustomed to negotiate with local circles of power.

Which brings me to the next point; Congress people are there to represent the interests of his/her constituents. The state or district predisposition has more power over his/her decision than any big national organization. 1000 nativist in Texas do not have a chance against 50 citizens in California. The true is for each state/district. My congressman is against the Dream Act or any form of adjustment of status. Except AgJobs because if farm workers leave, we might as well deport the whole farm industry back to Mexico with them, the threat is actually for real and more than one farmer that is against CIR has made it clear that it will happen.

So, just make a big round table with all the local, state and national organization in the USA. We can all make a huge plan. Then, we can hold hands and sing kumbayah my Lord…kumbayaaaaa! We can rather all sing “Que sera sera, whatever will be will be.” It is a little harder. You see, each organization from local to national has its own set of beliefs. Some organizations want to open borders and others only to legalized Dreamers. Just remember all those pro-immigrant, pro-Dream groups that were against our last effort. It was legalizing all kids or nothing! One prominent leader told me that the Dream Act should be attached to CIR. Not because Dream needs CIR but because CIR needs Dream! They would rather keep us all in the shadows for “a little longer” and give a bigger chance to less sympathetic immigrants. How many organizations are going to keep working for CIR, if Dream passes first? On the other hand how many organizations are not going to work for Dream if it is attached to CIR? That is a real problem.

Finally, remember those huge manifestations? Many people are here because of them. I am one of them. They were not created to adjust the status of undocumented workers. They were to stop one really bad proposition. I don’t recall the name, or the specifics of it. That is the point. I only know what a lot of people heard. It was going to penalized employers, businesses and congregations and about anyone who had anything to do with undocumented immigrants. Everybody but nativists and restrictionist were against it. It passed the House but it was refuted by the Senate. Some organizations started to fight with one another about which policy would be the best. Everybody assumed that CIR was eminent and some became bolder and more ambitious with their demands. Once a final policy was drafted some of those groups became bitter because it did not fit their dreams and went home or trashed the new bill.

Right now nativist and restrictionist can be summarized on two groups. The first one is people who want to close the borders. Some want some path to legalization but after the laws are fixed and the influx is going to be shut down for sure… which will never happen. If you know a third group, please tell me. In any case, any path to legalization is going to be stop at full force. They do not need to be organized. They do not need to work together. They only need to scream loud and clear by themselves or through local, state or national groups. We, on the other hand, need a consensus not among policy makers but among ourselves. Some of you want open borders and others only the Dream Act. The rest is in between with different degrees of restriction in their likings. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT OUR OPTIMAL BILL AND OPTIMAL COURSE OF ACTION IS NOT THE OPTIMAL BILL AND COURSE OF ACTION THAT WILL BE TAKEN. Everybody is going to be somewhat satisfied. No one is going to be totally happy.

Still, there is no path but union. Power is in the relationship. We need each other and other organizations to make Dream a reality. In the same token, other groups need us. We are as fundamental to them as they are to us. If it is our way or the Highway, believe it will end up being the highway. It will always be the highway. We can all go to battle and do our own thing against an issue to big, complex and epical for one or five individuals. At the end, it is all about what we all (sympathizers, dreamers, organizations and congregations) are willing or not willing to do to make the Dream Act a reality.

You know this is a little similar to healthcare. They want to pass universal healthcare. They also want to expand SCHIP (state's children healthcare program). I'm pretty sure most people agree we should give children healthcare, but not everyone wants the government involved in their healthcare. So what you are saying is congress shouldn't expand SCHIP alone, until till healthcare passes because it will give it a better chance to pass? Then what exactly is the point of SCHIP existing?

This is similar to cir and the dream. If we are just waiting for cir to pass, then what is the point of the dream act? I mean we could get legalized by cir if the dream act didn't exist. I could understand why people think we should do everything together to make it easier to pass, but does it make that much of a difference? If a republican senator wanted to legalize kids, but not others, that actually describes some lawmakers, he would just kill the cir bill and wait for the dream to come up. So I don't think the dream act will bring that much support to cir together. If you look at 2006 when the cir bill was brought up, it didn't even include the dream act. It had to be amended on to cir.

March 22 2006: NACAC urges the Senate Judiciary Committee to include the DREAM Act as an amendment to their comprehensive immigration reform (CIR) legislation.

If the dream act is so helpful, why wasn't already included in the bill? How does that make it optimum? Is there any optimum way to pass cir? I mean it is a complex and divisive issue.

Going back to the SCHIP and healthcare, they are actually going to move on SCHIP as fast a possible to pass it in 2009. Again it is slightly different from cir and dream, but has the same concept.

I am just questioning the logic. I've been there in 2007. Cir will pass this time. Bring it up. Fails. Political capital gone. Lets try to pass little bills. Nobody wants to in the political environment. New chance. Lets try it again!

Two more points. Like Ianus mentioned above it is still not certain that cir will pass. Yes, there are more democratic senators, but that doesn't guarantee it will pass. You still need a lot of republican support. With unemployment expected to rise to 10% next year, a guest worker program is almost toxic to cir. I can already see the talking points from opponents. Second, the environment for the dream act next year is different from 2003-2006. Why was the dream act never brought up, even though it had bipartisan support? The majority party sets the agenda, and republicans never it a chance. There is a reasonable chance that the bill can be brought up alone, especially with Reid and Durbin behind us. I don't like to trust politicians, but I don't see the situation getting any better than it is now. If CIR is brought up this year, still doubt it, I see it more towards the end of the year with the economy the way it is. I see education and a defense appropriations bill coming before that. Great opportunities to attach the DREAM Act. Durbin has tried it before, and I don't see why he wont try it again. No need to wait.

[sunny_thedreamer]

I respectfully disagree with OptimistinDenia. If CIR passes then there would be no need for Dream act. But given the current economic crisis and general people sentiment toward immigrant, it would be close impossible to pass CIR in next two year. It too complex, too many parts involved and no universal agreement. Union doesn't want Guest Worker program where business group want it. Some want fence others don't. It's not going any where. There are no more moderate republican other then Specter (R-PA). Only thing that has any chance of passing in next two year is Dream Act and AGjob. I believe immigration reform should me be done incrementally. Legalize people that are less controversial along with improve border enforcement. Hopefully that will change people sentiment. Bottom line, do you want to work to get something done or work toward a illusive dream that have no chance of passing in near future.

[OptimistinDenial]

Sometimes I feel like I hog the conversation. I think I was misinterpreted. I do not personally want the Dream Act as part of CIR. We need the Dream act as a stand-alone bill or attached at some appropriations bill. I agree 100% with everybody on this. However, I was not mentioning with personal taste but the opinion of a couple of important leaders. Neither was I endorsing attaching ourselves to CIR to gain more support. Rather the opposite, which is to persuade those who want CIR to fight for the Dream Act with the same passion they would fight for CIR.

Yes, it is a similar to healthcare. There was a fallacy on my past to consider that the Dream Act needed 70 senators to pass. It does not however, CIR probably does. The 70 came from an economist that gave a speech about healthcare reform. 70 people need to at least consider it a good idea, because at the end a couple of senators are going to feel the heat and withhold their vote or vote against. I was wrong and whoever was against me was right. I am officially nailed. Again, how could we possible get 70 votes for CIR?

Still, the same goes for healthcare reform, Questionsihave first paragraph was one of those calculations that some organizations did on their heads but never talked about. Believe it or not and the hesitation lead some watered down power when everybody’s input was important. I do not believe in militaristic unity because organizations and individuals should have enough space to act freely. Let’s say we have 15 chapters of the DAP through the USA. We cannot all decide to boycott schools until Dream passes because what works on one state/district does not work for another. Rather each chapter can work their public officials the way they feel it will work. After all, they are the experts on the territory, we are not. The same goes for organizations. Each group knows what works at home.

Still, it would be nice to be on the same page. How come every time the Dream Act is discussed on the national arena, some groups decide to work on the California Dream Act? Is as if they knew that the Dream Act was not going to pass and decided to invest all their efforts elsewhere. Depending on the weather, my degree of piss offness varies. Sometimes, I feel as if we had work hard for Dream just for some individuals to take advantage of the momentum we created.

Negotiation is the key. How many of the open borders organizations can support the Dream Act as a stand along bill? How many of them can be persuaded to legalized students first and then work for open borders? how many congregations can be persuaded to invest time on the Dream Act the same way they would CIR? How many senators that would otherwise only support AgJobs, could be persuade that the Dream Act is a good idea? It is possible with the right argument, negotiation tool and proper arm twist.

There are two sets of people we cannot work with: the illegal is illegal and the militant immigrant lovers. Some people will never be persuaded. Sadly, those individuals tend to be the most vocal. Everything in the middle is fair game. Let’s forget about them and coldly move them out of our way and keep walking. Let’s concentrate on 95% of the population. Here is where you come along, my precious shadow fighters.

You are the bottom line. Immigration is almost never discussed with logic. Most of the time is a matter of passion. When dreamers talk it creates passion. Not only because of the logic of the argument but because the talent, passion and drive are so thick, they can be cut with a knife. Anyone that tells a young woman that she cannot be a nurse, even though she has a degree and the local hospital wants to hire her because there is a shortage of nurses, is a monster in the eyes of the masses. It is like throwing diamonds to the garbage. You have that power of persuasion.

I hope this clear up whichever misunderstanding.

[Ianus]

First of all, really love the article. You always bring really interesting stuff to the forums. Well, the main key is local and national. Immigration is an issue. Issues are sometimes unwinnable. One of the most gifted minds told me that “the immigration issue was never going to be solved but that it could become better with better laws.” Issues take a long time to be solved. They are often too abstract and the average Joe cannot related to the issue, even if it affects the individual directly. National organizations deal with issues. Itssues do not have one good possible solution. Remember campaign reform? It was reform but not solved. Immigration is an issue.Thank you,you're pretty insightful yourself.I think immigration as a whole cannot be solved in the short-term & trying just seems to bring about even more problems than the solution hence why I believe piecemeal maybe the only way to go in the short term.
As it happens, local organizations deal with problems. At least, smart local organizations deal with problems. Problems are smaller, concise and can be solved on a short time frame. A small organization of 1-3 members cannot solve immigration reform but can fix the attitude of the local sheriff. They can help open English and Citizenship classes, ect. I know that local organizations that help with immigration matters do some incredible work,but I find that this is mainly in the judicial branch of government or rarely in the Executive branch.Legislative is the absolute biggest problem for advocates because usually it takes MONEY to do so,which most Non-profits don't have.

It seems that national and local have nothing to do with each other. Wrong. They are dependent of one another. Immigration requires a long term vision. Few people have long term vision. They can work on something for a couple of weeks or months and they’ll give up. It is not because they are dumb or rotten. It is part of the human condition. Say, we can work and make UC Davis change its requirements for their own scholarships and allow Dreamers to apply for them. Problems are usually just band-aids. Still, they give small successes to local heroes. It will make them keep working until the issue is solved. Furthermore, it is easier to mobilized people into the state and national arena once they are accustomed to negotiate with local circles of power.Solving immigration in general might require a long term solution but what you have basically said summarily after amounts to why Dream act SHOULD be enacted.Think of Dream act as a band-aid or a Mini-CIR bill.It is not only Dream act students that could potentially be legalized,but also immediate relatives should the Dreamers become Permanent residents or citizens.Immediate family members such as Husbands,wives,Parents & children would all be able to legalize should Dreamers go through the process.

Which brings me to the next point; Congress people are there to represent the interests of his/her constituents. The state or district predisposition has more power over his/her decision than any big national organization. 1000 nativist in Texas do not have a chance against 50 citizens in California. The true is for each state/district. My congressman is against the Dream Act or any form of adjustment of status. Except AgJobs because if farm workers leave, we might as well deport the whole farm industry back to Mexico with them, the threat is actually for real and more than one farmer that is against CIR has made it clear that it will happen.

So, just make a big round table with all the local, state and national organization in the USA. We can all make a huge plan. Then, we can hold hands and sing kumbayah my Lord…kumbayaaaaa! We can rather all sing “Que sera sera, whatever will be will be.” It is a little harder. You see, each organization from local to national has its own set of beliefs. Some organizations want to open borders and others only to legalized Dreamers. Just remember all those pro-immigrant, pro-Dream groups that were against our last effort. It was legalizing all kids or nothing! One prominent leader told me that the Dream Act should be attached to CIR. Not because Dream needs CIR but because CIR needs Dream! They would rather keep us all in the shadows for “a little longer” and give a bigger chance to less sympathetic immigrants. How many organizations are going to keep working for CIR, if Dream passes first? On the other hand how many organizations are not going to work for Dream if it is attached to CIR? That is a real problem. I get the general impression from what you're saying is that our 'advocates' as a coalition are really just a "coalition of 'self interests' ",so whom do they "advocate" for ?

Finally, remember those huge manifestations? Many people are here because of them. I am one of them. They were not created to adjust the status of undocumented workers. They were to stop one really bad proposition. I don’t recall the name, or the specifics of it. That is the point. I only know what a lot of people heard. It was going to penalized employers, businesses and congregations and about anyone who had anything to do with undocumented immigrants. Everybody but nativists and restrictionist were against it. It passed the House but it was refuted by the Senate. Some organizations started to fight with one another about which policy would be the best. Everybody assumed that CIR was eminent and some became bolder and more ambitious with their demands. Once a final policy was drafted some of those groups became bitter because it did not fit their dreams and went home or trashed the new bill.

Right now nativist and restrictionist can be summarized on two groups. The first one is people who want to close the borders. Some want some path to legalization but after the laws are fixed and the influx is going to be shut down for sure… which will never happen. If you know a third group, please tell me. In any case, any path to legalization is going to be stop at full force. They do not need to be organized. They do not need to work together. They only need to scream loud and clear by themselves or through local, state or national groups. We, on the other hand, need a consensus not among policy makers but among ourselves. Some of you want open borders and others only the Dream Act. The rest is in between with different degrees of restriction in their likings. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT OUR OPTIMAL BILL AND OPTIMAL COURSE OF ACTION IS NOT THE OPTIMAL BILL AND COURSE OF ACTION THAT WILL BE TAKEN. Everybody is going to be somewhat satisfied. No one is going to be totally happy.What I believe is that it is not only "nativists and restrictionist" that broke the phones while calling in to their Congressman or Senator in Washington,D.C.I believe there were some fair minded Americans that were calling against it as well because they were mis-informed about the actual text of the bill which accounted for the majority of the opposition.This

Still, there is no path but union. Power is in the relationship. We need each other and other organizations to make Dream a reality. In the same token, other groups need us. We are as fundamental to them as they are to us. If it is our way or the Highway, believe it will end up being the highway. It will always be the highway. We can all go to battle and do our own thing against an issue to big, complex and epical for one or five individuals. At the end, it is all about what we all (sympathizers, dreamers, organizations and congregations) are willing or not willing to do to make the Dream Act a reality.
All of us here,I presume,are for the passage of Dream act whether it is with CIR,as a stand alone bill or attached to some other form of legislation or some just want to become legal period just to not have to worry about the current bullsh*t that their current everyday life is rewarding them with.It looks like we've unknowingly have a multitude of problems to deal with,including those who are supposedly on our side.

Now,I understand you point & welcome back !