Speaker Would Have Enlightened Misinformed Free Lance
Letter-writers
Speaker Would Have Enlightened Misinformed Free Lance Letter-writers
Editor,
San Francisco immigration attorney, Paula Solorio, came to Hollister last Friday to discuss the problems with the current immigration laws and argued for sweeping reforms. This forum provided a great opportunity for people to become enlightened about the historical and political consequences of U.S. immigration laws.
Congress is debating two different proposals on immigration. The house version focuses on creating harsher criminal penalties for undocumented immigrants and anyone who helps them, such as doctors, teachers or clergy. The Senate version appears to tackle the question of putting more immigrants on a path toward legalization. However, both houses are entertaining proposals to increase penalties of undocumented workers. It is important to improve our understanding of the history of immigration and the factors that contribute to causing economic refugees to flee their countries and migrate to the United States.
Congress should evaluate how U.S. immigration policies contribute to the frustrations and anxiousness of immigrants who have waited more than a decade to be processed for legalization. As a society we have to stop dehumanizing immigrants and recognize that undocumented workers are largely honest, law abiding people who work in critical industries, support the economy, pay taxes, pay into social security and receive no benefits.
I have noticed that some Hollister Free Lance readers have made ill-informed, rhetorical, unsubstantiated, and emotional statements about Mexican immigrants in their letters to the editor. Had they come to hear Ms. Solorio and her colleague from San Jose, they might have become better informed.
Joe Navarro, Hollister
