Immigrant supporters seek reform of U.S. laws

Immigration reform is the foremost goal for Western Slope groups mobilizing to turnaround public opinion on the issue.

The biggest battle before proponents, who want what they view as fair immigration law, is educating the public and policy makers about the root causes and realities of immigration, said Julien Rose, Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition director.

Popular sentiments, including the view that undocumented immigrants are breaking the law and stealing jobs, continues to fuel passionate debate on the issue. Beyond talk, supporters of reform face a tough uphill battle against the passage of legislation such as Colorado’s Senate Bill 90, which prevents local governments from adopting sanctuary policies that allow illegal aliens to reside in their borders without legal consequences.

“Unfortunately, public opinion about immigration is very superficial and based on a lot of stereotypes and false information,” said Rose.

Causes of immigration are rooted in economics — supply and demand involving globalization, poverty and human rights, said Rose, speaking at a Saturday gathering of immigration reform supporters.

The regional meeting attracted more than 50 immigrant community leaders and members from Grand Junction to Telluride. Attendees included students, families, professors and migrant workers. Goals for the gathering included expansion of the reform network, providing support for the immigrant community and strengthening local and state support for immigrant reform.

Those in attendance said they are well-aware of the prejudice against illegal immigrants and the uncompromising stances against reform. But while those against reform want deportation, arrests and wall-building, allies of the immigrant communities point to the complexity of the issue.

“We recognize that nations have borders and they are organized around laws. But if your children are not able to go to school, are not being fed, are not being clothed, a parent in the United States would be negligent if (he or she) did provide those things for their children,” said Tom Acker, Western Colorado Justice for Immigrants Committees Co-coordinator. “We feel that the vast majority of immigrants in this country are responding to the responsibility and obligation to their families.”

Justice for immigrants means finding a way for people, who support the U.S. economy, to work in the country legally with protections under the law,  Acker said.

Too many people come to the U.S. because the economy is growing and needs workers, said Ricardo Perez of the Hispanic Affairs Pastoral Project.

“It’s absolutely crazy to stop immigration to the U.S. and, at the same time, work to grow the economy,” Perez said. “We need to provide opportunities for the families. No family is here because they don’t like to be at home in their homeland. Everyone wants to be in their homeland, but they have a reason to be here.”

The need to support family will always take priority over law, said Jessica Hernandez, a Mesa State College student.

“You see people doing all kinds of work in Mexico and South and Central America. People would do anything to get money to buy food and to build a better life,” Hernandez said. “Even though we know people are against (immigration), we still do it because we have to.”

Acker and others at the regional meeting cited free-trade agreements with North America and Mexico, which allowed for tariff-free trading of products between the entities, and socio-economic and politic crises abroad as contributing factors to the current immigration situation in the U.S.

Asked Acker, “If we are taking down all these protections, why don’t we make our laws reflect these changes by also accommodating the flow of the workforce?”

Contact Lisa Huynh via e-mail at lisah@montrosepress.com