Derechos Humanos Opposes Senate Immigration Compromise

From: Coalición de Derechos Humanos <coalicion [at] derechoshumanosaz.net>
Date: Wed, 23 May 2007 00:08:20 -0700
Subject: Derechos Humanos Opposes Senate Immigration Compromise

Derechos Humanos Opposes Repressive Senate Immigration Compromise

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Contact: Isabel Garcia 520.891.6169
Kat Rodriguez 520.770.1373

COALICION DE DERECHOS HUMANOS OPPOSES
REPRESSIVE SENATE IMMIGRATION COMPROMISE

Costly and draconian proposal offers major defense and prison contractors
billions of dollars to dramatically intensify and privatize border and
interior enforcement, will increase migrant deaths, separates families, and
expands the exploitation of temporary workers, without offering any
meaningful lawful status to immigrants, nor solutions to the issue of
migration

Public Statement to follow the Migrant Trail Press Conference
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
11:00am
El Tiradito Shrine

Tucson, AZ.- The Coalicion de Derechos Humanos (CDH), a longtime champion
of human rights based in Southern Arizona, joins others across the country
in decrying the immigration deal entered into by members of the Senate and
the White House. "Not only does this bill continue to ignore the roots of
mass migration, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement, but it
represents a drastic and frightening departure from our current system of
family-based immigration petitions, and would plunge entire communities into
an unprecedented police-type environment," declared Anna O'Leary, a member
of the Coalicion. "That our public officials would just hand over billions
of our tax dollars to major defense contractors with histories of abuse and
corruption to create a senseless war-like zone on the border with Mexico and
in our communities, while our cities across this nation suffer a lack of
basic services, is nothing short of malfeasance," she continued.

Based on over 30 years of work with immigrants and refugees, CDH supports
substantive and just immigration reform that demilitarizes the border
regions, includes a real path to U.S. citizenship, reunifies families, halts
worksite raids and detentions, protects labor rights and addresses the U.S.
economic policies that force people across the world to migrate. "Given the
enormous price tag of over $30 billion and the terrible human cost of over
5,000 bodies of migrants recovered at the border since the inception of the
1994 southern border blockade strategy, we must stand up against this Senate
bill, which would actually worsen the gruesome humanitarian crisis at the
border since it expands the militarization strategy to even deadlier
levels," stated Isabel Garcia, co-chair of CDH.

As set forth in this compromise, the paltry legalization and inherently
exploitative temporary worker programs would not start until the government
has hired 18,000 additional Border Patrol agents, provided funding for
27,500 detention beds per day, and built 370 miles of walls and 200 miles of
vehicle barriers, as well as other military-style enforcement measures and
structures. "The proposed probationary report-to-deport „Z‰ visa program is
a set-up to severely limit legalization. It deceptively encourages
immigrants to step forward, while at the same time subjecting them to a
minefield of new policing measures that will result in millions being
arrested, imprisoned and deported. This will only drive immigrant
communities deeper underground," continued Ms. O'Leary.

"What many do not yet understand is that after completing 8 to 13 years on
this probationary visa, not only must immigrants leave the country, but they
must apply to re-enter based on a new 'merit' based system that would
exclude them from permanent lawful status," she stated.

"It is unfortunate, but clear, that this so-called 'deal' provides the elite
and corporate structure with everything they want, while selling out the
civil, labor, and human rights of all of us, migrants and U. S. citizens,"
stated Ms. Garcia, "with massive numbers of disposable and exploitable
temporary workers, as well as billions of dollars guaranteed to military
contractors to 'police and control' ourselves, while our communities want
for basic needs to be met."

CDH and its community and national allies will continue to call upon
Congress to include immigrants as full partners in developing meaningful and
just immigration policies, as well as economic policies that impact
migration.

###




For more information, please e-mail: kat [at] derechoshumanosaz.net Distributed
by Coalición de Derechos Humanos
<http://coalicindederechoshumanos.c.topica.com/maagwFfabyIKab8me89e/>
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