A special edition on United Methodist response to the Refugee/Immigration Crisis
By Elizabeth Shadbolt, Refugee and Immigrant Ministries Coordinator, Mercy, Mission, and Justice Ministries of the Tennessee Annual Conference
Who is a Refugee?
A refugee is a person who, “owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality, and is unable to, or owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country.” (Defined at the 1951 United Nations Convention on Refugees)
Who is an Immigrant?
In contrast to a refugee, an immigrant makes the decision to come to the U.S. themselves. The word "immigrant" refers to someone who is making a permanent move, not someone visiting for a short time or coming to attend school. While our government provides several paths for immigration, the quotas are very small and the wait for status is very long. Those who come without going through these processes are considered "undocumented immigrants." While there are people in the world who suffer persecutions like refugees, many have not been given that designation by the UN and some immigrate on their own. Also, economic conditions (which are not part of the definition of a refugee) force many to search for ways to support their families, regardless of international boundaries.
LEARN
+As you read this month’s Review, take time to identify information that is new or surprising to you. Take time to read the entire text of the Immigration Petition brought before General Conference in 2008. In what ways does our church’s stance on welcoming the newcomer conflict with the rhetoric of our culture? List Biblical references used to support the petition. Part of the petition is included in the printed and web versions of THE REVIEW. Most of the remainder of the petition is attached with this leader’s guide.
+Visit the US Citizenship and Immigration Services website to learn more about immigration to the US: http://www.uscis.gov/. Is the site easy to use? Can you find answers to your questions?
+Visit church-based sites to see how our denomination is responding to the needs of immigrants and refugees: UMCOR http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/work/immigration/; Church World Service http://www.churchworldservice.org/; Justice for Our Neighbors http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/refugees/justiceforourneighbors.cfm
+Read “Commentary: Stop the cruelty of immigration raids” to learn how raids are affecting our communities. Article is attached to end of this guide.
+Listen to Issue One - an audio/radio program from United Methodist Audio News / The United Methodist News Service, “White Privilege in America.” How does the idea of white privilege affect the way we view immigrants and refugees? This audio program will not be available until after the first of the year but watch for its release -- it will provide great material for discussion.
+Discuss the content of the article “Top 5 immigration Myths of this campaign season” – research done by the American Immigration Lawyers Association. What we hear over the air and read in publications is not always fact – even when it is treated as fact. This article is attached to the end of this leader’s guide.
THINK
+Using the article “Why the Church Cares about Immigrants,” follow the stories of the itinerant characters Rev. Childers identifies – Abraham, Ruth, Mary, Joseph, Jesus, the disciples, Paul, Silas, Barnabas, and others you identify. Read their stories and comment on whether they find welcome or rejection outside their homelands. How do they respond? Identify scriptural calls to welcome the stranger.
+Share with your group stories of immigration. Allow each member to share what they know about their own family’s story of coming to this country.
+Read together Miguel Carpizo’s story, “Breaking the walls of illegality.” Discuss his thoughts on building bridges between cultures and people. Share ways you see your church breaking walls and building bridges, especially with those in your local community. Many of us don’t live in the neighborhoods where our churches are located. Find ways to meet those living near your church and brainstorm ways to build community, the way Miguel has. For more inspiration, read “the Golden Triangle Fellowship and Belmont UMC” to see a successful model.
ACT
+Implement an idea for community building in your congregation. If there are newcomers in your area, find ways to welcome them to your church community.
+Volunteer with Justice for Our Neighbors. Call 832-1945 and leave your contact information. There is a clinic once per month and volunteers are always needed.
+Volunteer with a local ESL class and meet your English-learning neighbors. Article about Tennessee Conference Churches with ESL classes is attached to this leader’s guide.
+Volunteer with Catholic Charities (760-2790) or World Relief (833-7735) refugee resettlement agencies. Even if you can’t sponsor a family, they always need drivers, tutors, and friends.
+Keep up with immigration news in the paper and on TV. Take note of inflammatory rhetoric and check the facts with a trusted source. Let the media know when you feel that immigrants are portrayed in a negative light.
+Contact your congressional representatives on immigration legislation and issues. Let them know that people of faith care about their immigrant neighbors. Article “Putting Faith into Action in Washington” is attached to this leader’s guide
+Initiate a bible study or other small group conversation on immigration in your church. There are many resources available, including printed material and speakers.
Additional Resources for discussion
1. Area congregations host English Language learners
2. Putting Faith into Action in Washington
3. Commentary: Stop the cruelty of immigration raids
4. Remaining sections of the Immigration Petition brought before the 2009 General Conference of the United Methodist Church – part of the original document can be found in the October 31, 2008 issue of THE REVIEW. Call for action by the United Methodist Church.
5. Top 5 immigration Myths of this campaign season – research done by the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
Area Congregations Host English Language Learners
One of the most direct ways in which local congregations welcome newcomers to our country is by hosting English as a Second Language, or ESL, classes. Throughout our conferences, many churches are active in this ministry. In opening doors, literally, and inviting immigrants into our places of worship, we open other doors both with increased job opportunities and connectional relationships.
If your congregation has caught the “mission-trip bug,” volunteering with ESL presents a wonderful opportunity. Many classes host students from many countries and at multiple skill levels. Some students are interested in language exchange and can help missioners with their target language and with important vocabulary. If your youth are hoping to head to Guatemala, for instance, volunteer hours with ESL students. Intercultural skills take time and practice to attain. And, since many ESL teachers are dealing with students at varying skill levels, a volunteer who can do one-on-one work is invaluable.
Below is a partial listing of area UM churches which offer ESL classes. If you need more information on classes being held in your area, please contact Elizabeth Shadbolt lizshadbolt@bellsouth.net or phone, 615/834-1331.
Belmont UMC (at the corner of Acklen & 21st Ave in Hillsboro Village) has an active ESL program. For more information, please contact either Mary Jane Duke 377-3138 or Mary Kaye Jordan 833-0685 who are both ESL teachers and Belmont members.
Brentwood United Methodist started an ESL program on June 16th that launched a new Hispanic Ministry. Rev. Mack Strange is the staff person heading these efforts. For more information you may contact Ann Meece at 615-324-8207 or ameece@bumc.net
Cannon UMC, Shelbyville, offers weekly ESL classes as part of their Hispanic Ministry. Pastor Enrique Hernandez is the contact person at 931-389-9213
Crievewood United Methodist hosts classes for refugees through Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) Adult Education Department. To enroll, please contact Karlene Polk at Karlene_polk@yahoo.com. For more information on Crievewood’s outreach ESL program, please contact Linda R. Whited 615-749-6414 (day)
Donelson Heights United Methodist is a Pencil Partners with three schools their area and discerned that an ESL class would help local families. Class is offered one night a week (Tuesdays) to parents and child care is provided. Currently, the class is only for parents of McGavock Elementary students but there are hopes for expanding it. Dr. Kay Gray is the contact person at 883-6103.
Hillcrest United Methodist in South Nashville has active programs for refugees and Hispanic immigrants. Contact Barbara Garcia, Associate Pastor, for details at 832-0157. Hillcrest also hosts and provides transportation to ESL classes for refugees who must register through their resettlement agency and Metro Nashville Public with Karlene Polk (Karlene_Polk@yahoo.com)
Lawrenceburg First UMC, Pulaski District, does not have an ESL program but it offers free babysitters for parents who are taking the ESL class at a local college. Beverly Duke is the contact 931-762-3696.
Murfreesboro First United Methodist proudly celebrated the completion of their ESL course by 40 students last spring. Classes there continue in both English and Spanish. Contact Carlos Uroza at 893-1322 or curoza@1stmethmboro.com.
Murfreesboro St. Mark, UMC offers weekly Spanish classes as part of their Hispanic Ministry. Rev. Martha Hicks Touchton is the contact person.
West Nashville UMC holds ESL Classes at Cockrill Elementary through their Community Ministries program. Call Sherry Woolsey at 297-3216 for more information.
Winchester UMC offers weekly Spanish classes as part of their Hispanic Ministry. Pastor Enrique Hernandez is the contact person, 931-389-9213
Putting Faith into Action in Washington
As people of faith, it is important that we let our elected officials know our feelings on issues affecting our refugee and immigrant neighbors. While it can be daunting to call a representatives office, it is very important that Christian voices are speaking out! Each congressional and senate office keeps track of how constituents feel and they only know if we call. It takes only a moment to call the local office, tell them that you are a person of faith, and that you support comprehensive immigration reform. The General Board of Church and Society has issued a statement explaining their stance on immigration reform:
“A comprehensive approach to immigration reform seeks to understand why immigrants have come to the United States and recognizes the tremendous contributions they have given and will continue to give. Enforcement-only approaches to immigration reform are limited in their scope and take into account only the “breaking of the law” through illegally crossing the border. The enforcement-only approach does not seek to understand the context of why so many have crossed the U.S. northern and southern borders illegally. The General Board of Church and Society does not advocate for “open borders” or for “amnesty,” but rather, for a comprehensive approach that protects the rights of workers, reunifies families separated by long waits in the current immigration process, and for an earned pathway to citizenship for those who wish to remain in this country.”
Below are a few bills being considered (as of October 1) that are of specific interest to our conference. When you contact your representative, let them know that you encourage their support of these bills on your behalf.
S.3594 The Protect Citizens and Residents from Unlawful Raids and Detention Act
Introduced by Senator Menendez (D-NJ), this bill would establish and oversee minimum standards of treatment for immigrants during raids and detention, including access to due process and medical treatment and protections for children and families. It would also establish “alternatives to detention” programs, such as parole and community-based supervision and monitoring and require DHS to contract with available NGOs (non-governmental organizations) to screen eligible participants and provide services and information. The bill calls for vulnerable populations to be considered for release following immigration raids, as well as mandate the DHS report on and investigate complaints related to the harmful impact of such enforcement practices on U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and immigrant communities.
H.R. 213 Child Citizen Protection Act
Introduced by Rep. Serrano (D-NY), this bill grants discretion to a judge as to whether or not the undocumented parents of a U.S. citizen child should or should not be deported, which would help many families being torn apart by recent raids and deportations.
S. 3514 Reunitining Families Act
Introduced by Senator Menendez (D-NJ), this bill would allow more spouses, parents, and children of Legal Permanent Residents (“green card” holders) to enter; recapture unused visas; improve country limits; and improve family unity overall.
H.R. 6496, S. 3541 Iraqi Refugee and IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) Humanitarian Assistance, Resettlement, and Security Act
Introduced by Rep. Hastings (D-FL) and Senator Clinton (D-NY), this bill urges the US to take leadership and develop a comprehensive plan to respond to the humanitarian crisis in Iraq. If passed, it would fund UNHCR at 50% of its asking for operations in and around Iraq. The bill would also fund NGOs operating in the region and mandate that 20,000 Iraqi refugees be resettled in the U.S. between 2009 and 2011 above and beyond the annual target for refugee admissions.
Among the bills actively opposed by organizations such as Church World Service is the S.A.V.E. act. Please let your representatives know that you also oppose this bill:
H.R. 4088 Secure America through Verification and Enforcement Act (SAVE)
Introduced by Rep. Schuler (D-NC) and Rep Bilbray (R-CA), it would militarize and build a fence across the southern border of the US, mandate that local law enforcement officials enforce federal immigration law, force 7 million employers to utilize a flawed workplace verification system (E-Verify), and calls for increased deportations and detention space.
Senators
Lamar Alexander, Nashville Office, 3322 West End Avenue, Suite 120, Nashville, TN 37203. Phone (615) 736-5129, Fax (615) 269-4803.
Bob Corker, Nashville Office, 3322 West End Avenue, Suite 610, Nashville, TN 37203. Phone (615) 279-8125, Fax (615) 279-9488.
Congressional Representatives
Our conference contains five different congressional districts. For a map of congressional districts, please go to http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/congress.html#tn
Lincoln Davis, 4th (parts of Columbia, Cookeville, and Murfreesboro districts) Columbia Office, 1804 Carmack Blvd. Suite A, Columbia, TN 38401. Phone: 931.490.8699, Fax: 931.490.8675.McMinnville Office, 477 North Chancery St. Suite A-1, McMinnville, TN 37110. Phone: 931.473.7251, Fax: 931.473.7259
Jamestown Office, 629 North Main Street , Jamestown, TN 38556. Phone: 931.879.2361, Fax: 931.879.2389
Jim Cooper, 5th (Nashville and part of Clarksville and Cumberland districts), 605 Church Street, Nashville, TN 37219. Phone: 615-736-5295, Fax: 615-736-7479
Bart Gordon, 6th (parts of Columbia, Cookeville, Cumberland, and Murfreesboro districts)
Murfreesboro Office, 305 West Main Street , Murfreesboro, TN 37130 . Phone: (615) 896-1986
Cookeville District Office, 15 South Jefferson Street , Cookeville, TN 38501. Phone: (931) 528-5907
Gallatin District Office, 100 Public Square, Room B-100 , Gallatin, TN 37066. Phone: (615) 451-5174
Marsha Blackburn, 7th (parts of Clarksville, Columbia, and Pulaski districts)
Franklin Office, City Hall Mall, 109 3rd Avenue South, Suite 117 , Franklin, TN 37064. Phone: 615-591-5161, Fax: 615-599-2916.
Clarksville Office, 1850 Memorial Dr., Clarksville, TN 37043. Phone: 931-503-0391, Fax: 931-503-0393.
John Tanner, 8th (parts of Clarksville district)
Jackson Office, Room B-7, Federal Building, Jackson, TN 38301. Phone: (731) 423-4848, Fax: (731) 427-1537.
Commentary: Stop the cruelty of immigration raids
West Nashville UMC holds ESL Classes at Cockrill Elementary through their Community Ministries program. Call Sherry Woolsey at 297-3216 for more information.
Winchester UMC offers weekly Spanish classes as part of their Hispanic Ministry. Pastor Enrique Hernandez is the contact person, 931-389-9213
Putting Faith into Action in Washington
As people of faith, it is important that we let our elected officials know our feelings on issues affecting our refugee and immigrant neighbors. While it can be daunting to call a representatives office, it is very important that Christian voices are speaking out! Each congressional and senate office keeps track of how constituents feel and they only know if we call. It takes only a moment to call the local office, tell them that you are a person of faith, and that you support comprehensive immigration reform. The General Board of Church and Society has issued a statement explaining their stance on immigration reform:
“A comprehensive approach to immigration reform seeks to understand why immigrants have come to the United States and recognizes the tremendous contributions they have given and will continue to give. Enforcement-only approaches to immigration reform are limited in their scope and take into account only the “breaking of the law” through illegally crossing the border. The enforcement-only approach does not seek to understand the context of why so many have crossed the U.S. northern and southern borders illegally. The General Board of Church and Society does not advocate for “open borders” or for “amnesty,” but rather, for a comprehensive approach that protects the rights of workers, reunifies families separated by long waits in the current immigration process, and for an earned pathway to citizenship for those who wish to remain in this country.”
Below are a few bills being considered (as of October 1) that are of specific interest to our conference. When you contact your representative, let them know that you encourage their support of these bills on your behalf.
S.3594 The Protect Citizens and Residents from Unlawful Raids and Detention Act
Introduced by Senator Menendez (D-NJ), this bill would establish and oversee minimum standards of treatment for immigrants during raids and detention, including access to due process and medical treatment and protections for children and families. It would also establish “alternatives to detention” programs, such as parole and community-based supervision and monitoring and require DHS to contract with available NGOs (non-governmental organizations) to screen eligible participants and provide services and information. The bill calls for vulnerable populations to be considered for release following immigration raids, as well as mandate the DHS report on and investigate complaints related to the harmful impact of such enforcement practices on U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and immigrant communities.
H.R. 213 Child Citizen Protection Act
Introduced by Rep. Serrano (D-NY), this bill grants discretion to a judge as to whether or not the undocumented parents of a U.S. citizen child should or should not be deported, which would help many families being torn apart by recent raids and deportations.
S. 3514 Reunitining Families Act
Introduced by Senator Menendez (D-NJ), this bill would allow more spouses, parents, and children of Legal Permanent Residents (“green card” holders) to enter; recapture unused visas; improve country limits; and improve family unity overall.
H.R. 6496, S. 3541 Iraqi Refugee and IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) Humanitarian Assistance, Resettlement, and Security Act
Introduced by Rep. Hastings (D-FL) and Senator Clinton (D-NY), this bill urges the US to take leadership and develop a comprehensive plan to respond to the humanitarian crisis in Iraq. If passed, it would fund UNHCR at 50% of its asking for operations in and around Iraq. The bill would also fund NGOs operating in the region and mandate that 20,000 Iraqi refugees be resettled in the U.S. between 2009 and 2011 above and beyond the annual target for refugee admissions.
Among the bills actively opposed by organizations such as Church World Service is the S.A.V.E. act. Please let your representatives know that you also oppose this bill:
H.R. 4088 Secure America through Verification and Enforcement Act (SAVE)
Introduced by Rep. Schuler (D-NC) and Rep Bilbray (R-CA), it would militarize and build a fence across the southern border of the US, mandate that local law enforcement officials enforce federal immigration law, force 7 million employers to utilize a flawed workplace verification system (E-Verify), and calls for increased deportations and detention space.
Senators
Lamar Alexander, Nashville Office, 3322 West End Avenue, Suite 120, Nashville, TN 37203. Phone (615) 736-5129, Fax (615) 269-4803.
Bob Corker, Nashville Office, 3322 West End Avenue, Suite 610, Nashville, TN 37203. Phone (615) 279-8125, Fax (615) 279-9488.
Congressional Representatives
Our conference contains five different congressional districts. For a map of congressional districts, please go to http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/congress.html#tn
Lincoln Davis, 4th (parts of Columbia, Cookeville, and Murfreesboro districts) Columbia Office, 1804 Carmack Blvd. Suite A, Columbia, TN 38401. Phone: 931.490.8699, Fax: 931.490.8675.McMinnville Office, 477 North Chancery St. Suite A-1, McMinnville, TN 37110. Phone: 931.473.7251, Fax: 931.473.7259
Jamestown Office, 629 North Main Street , Jamestown, TN 38556. Phone: 931.879.2361, Fax: 931.879.2389
Jim Cooper, 5th (Nashville and part of Clarksville and Cumberland districts), 605 Church Street, Nashville, TN 37219. Phone: 615-736-5295, Fax: 615-736-7479
Bart Gordon, 6th (parts of Columbia, Cookeville, Cumberland, and Murfreesboro districts)
Murfreesboro Office, 305 West Main Street , Murfreesboro, TN 37130 . Phone: (615) 896-1986
Cookeville District Office, 15 South Jefferson Street , Cookeville, TN 38501. Phone: (931) 528-5907
Gallatin District Office, 100 Public Square, Room B-100 , Gallatin, TN 37066. Phone: (615) 451-5174
Marsha Blackburn, 7th (parts of Clarksville, Columbia, and Pulaski districts)
Franklin Office, City Hall Mall, 109 3rd Avenue South, Suite 117 , Franklin, TN 37064. Phone: 615-591-5161, Fax: 615-599-2916.
Clarksville Office, 1850 Memorial Dr., Clarksville, TN 37043. Phone: 931-503-0391, Fax: 931-503-0393.
John Tanner, 8th (parts of Clarksville district)
Jackson Office, Room B-7, Federal Building, Jackson, TN 38301. Phone: (731) 423-4848, Fax: (731) 427-1537.
Commentary: Stop the cruelty of immigration raids
By United Methodist News Service*
A UMNS Commentary By the Rev. Eliezér Valentín Castañon*
Children demonstrate for comprehensive U.S. immigration reform during a 2006 rally in Washington. A UMNS file photo by Rick Reinhard.
When news about the recent immigration enforcement raid in Greenville, South Carolina, came across my desk, I knew The United Methodist Church could not remain silent. Not only were innocent, hard-working people detained in this raid, but a number are members of one of our United Methodist missions in Greenville.
We join our voices with the thousands of people and organizations who have expressed dismay and disbelief that these cruel raids-wreaking havoc and terror also in Iowa, Mississippi and other states-would be perpetrated on hapless workers and their families, both documented and undocumented, who merely seek to earn a decent living.
A UMNS Commentary By the Rev. Eliezér Valentín Castañon*
Children demonstrate for comprehensive U.S. immigration reform during a 2006 rally in Washington. A UMNS file photo by Rick Reinhard.When news about the recent immigration enforcement raid in Greenville, South Carolina, came across my desk, I knew The United Methodist Church could not remain silent. Not only were innocent, hard-working people detained in this raid, but a number are members of one of our United Methodist missions in Greenville.
We join our voices with the thousands of people and organizations who have expressed dismay and disbelief that these cruel raids-wreaking havoc and terror also in Iowa, Mississippi and other states-would be perpetrated on hapless workers and their families, both documented and undocumented, who merely seek to earn a decent living.
Eliezér Valentín CastañonCertainly the actions of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency are within their purview. However, the attacks on this defenseless population are attacks on members of our communities who are contributing to society in ways many American don't appreciate. It is reprehensible and immoral.
Both the immigrant families and the communities where they work and reside will suffer severe consequences in the long term from these raids, demonstrating a loss of our values and sensibility. When our government's actions make innocent children parentless and homeless, when relatives young and old suddenly must wrestle with fear, confusion and despair, we cannot be silent and apathetic.
If our family and community values are to hold true, our government must stop these raids that are only creating desperation across the United States. We must speak out and organize against these senseless, abusive, oppressive acts.
It is time for the United States to live up to its creed, embodying the self-evident truth that all men and women are created equal and endowed by their creator with certain "inalienable rights," among them "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." Undocumented immigrants are human beings, too. They feel pain and suffer like the rest of us. It is time for us to affirm their humanity and dignity in the way we treat them.
At the 2008 United Methodist General Conference, the only body that speaks in behalf of the entire denomination, our church condemned these raids and affirmed "the worth, dignity and inherent value and rights of every person regardless of their nationality or legal status." Our church called for the U.S. government "to immediately cease all arrests, detainment and deportations of undocumented immigrants, including children, solely based upon their immigration status until a fair and comprehensive immigration reform bill is passed." (Petition #80637: Welcoming the Migrant to the U.S.) (http://calms.umc.org/2008/Text.aspx?mode=Majority&Number=732)
We must pray and insist that this madness stops before we inflict more tragic harm to our brothers and sisters who, like us all, are made in the image of a loving God.
*Castañon is associate general secretary, United Methodist Commission on Religion and Race.
Remaining sections of the Immigration Petition brought before the 2009 General Conference of the United Methodist Church
The introduction of the Petition and the New Testament Biblical and Theological Context are included in the October 31, 2009 REVIEW. That material plus the remainder of the Immigration Petition offers rich opportunities for discussion.
The fear and anguish so many migrants in the United States live under are due to federal raids, indefinite detention, and deportations which tear apart families and create an atmosphere of panic. Millions of immigrants are denied legal entry to the U.S. due to quotas and race and class barriers, even as employers seek their labor. U.S. policies, as well as economic and political conditions in their home countries, often force migrants to leave their homes. With the legal avenues closed, immigrants who come in order to support their families must live in the shadows and in intense exploitation and fear. In the face of these unjust laws and the systematic deportation of migrants instituted by the Department of Homeland Security, God’s people must stand in solidarity with the migrants in our midst.
In Scripture, sojourners are also identified as heralds or messengers bringing good news. This is seen in many stories of the Bible, including:
Abraham who welcomed three visitors and then was promised a child even though Sarah was past the age of bearing children (Genesis 18:-11),
Rahab who hid the spies from Israel and whose family was ultimately spared (Joshua 2:1-16),
the widow at Zarephath who gave Elijah her last meal and received food and ultimately healing for her dying son (1 Kings 17:7-24), and
Zaccheus who, upon welcoming Jesus into his home, promised to share half his possessions with the poor and repay those he stole from four times the amount owed. As Jesus entered Zaccheus’ home he proclaimed that salvation had come to his house (Luke 19:1-10).
All of these stories give evidence to the words of the writer of Hebrews who advises the listeners to “not neglect to show hospitality to strangers for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it” (13:2).
God’s people are called to welcome the sojourner not only because of God’s commands to do so, but because God’s people need to hear the good news of the gospel incarnated in their stories and in their lives. Welcoming the sojourner is so vital to the expression of Christian faith that to engage in this form of hospitality is to participate in our own salvation.
The Current Context
Immigration to the United States has changed in the last twenty years largely because the world has changed. Globalization has lessened the geographical distance between the poor and affluent, but yet, it has also greatly exacerbated the chasm between those with access to resources and those denied that same access. Vast inequities between the global north and south are a continuing source of conflict and a draw of resources and people from the south to north. Globalization has localized issues which used to be hidden or detached by geographical boundaries, but has not created forms of accountability or mediated the necessity of cross-cultural reconciliation between those victimized by international economic policies and those who benefit from them. Global media enable the poor of the global south to see the lifestyles of the affluent in the global north, while rarely seeing the intense poverty that also exists there. This creates both tensions and a draw to attain that same lifestyle.
Although unregulated trade and investment have economically benefited some, many more have been sentenced to a lifetime of poverty and marginalization. In poorer countries natural resources have been removed by transnational corporations which have no stake in the continuing welfare of the local people, the enhancement of their cultural traditions, or their ecological environment. The lack of these resources often leads to a drastic reduction in jobs, wages, and labor protections. Public social benefits are eliminated and the nation sinks deeper into debt as it turns to such institutions as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. As the affluent North continues to expand its wealth, this expansion occurs at the expense of the impoverished South. Every region in the world is affected in some way by the global economic divide. Yet, while money and products easily flow across borders, the movement of people who have been forced to migrate because of intolerable economic conditions is increasingly restricted.
When those, whose livelihoods have been eradicated in favor of corporate globalization, attempt to sojourn to North America to work and provide for their families, they receive a mixed message that is confusing and ultimately oppressive. Immigrants have moved into areas of the United States where there are economic opportunities that U.S. citizens have largely ignored. Employers often prefer undocumented workers in order to increase profit margins. Until all jobs provide a livable wage employers will be able to pit U.S. citizens against undocumented workers in a downward spiral that undermines the labor rights for all.
Because the U.S. immigration system has not kept up with the changing pace of immigration and the U.S. economy, the population of undocumented immigrants has grown dramatically. Yet, the growing population of undocumented immigrants has not yet been harmful to most U.S. workers because they are not competing for the same jobs. While the United States labor force is growing older and more educated, the need for unskilled workers remains strong. The Migration Policy Institute reports that the economic necessities for repairing the immigration system are clear as they predict by 2030, immigrant workers will comprise between one-third and one-half of the U.S. labor force. Testifying before the Senate Committee on Aging in 2003, then-Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, Alan Greenspan, called for increased immigrationof migrants to sustain an aging labor force and a continued economic vacuum among low-skilled workers.
Although the economic necessity of migrant workers is clear, any immigration or economic system which calls for a perpetual class of second class workers cannot be supported by people of faith. ImmUndocumented immigrants are exploited for their labor and economic contribution to the United States. They are denied their rights to collectively bargain for livable wages and safe working conditions, and they are shut out of access to the social services of which they support through their difficult labor. Any reform of the immigration system must also allow for the full protections of all workers which includes the opportunity to gain legal status for all migrants.
Even though migrants have proven a tremendous benefit to the United States’ economy, migrants have been systematically excluded from receiving any benefits.imaccess to health care promotes an increase in the demand on emergency rooms to provide that daily care or it forces migrants who are fearful to seek medical care to live in continued pain and suffering. The United States benefits from migrant labor, but migrants have been forced to live in the shadows, unable to fully contribute or receive appropriate care.
Immigration: A Human Rights Issue
Since 9/11 the debate surrounding immigration has unfortunately been framed as an issue of national security. All of this emphasis on border security has not stemmed the flow of undocumented migration even though the United States has poured millions of dollars into militarizing the border.
The use of local law enforcement as immigration agents should be stopped as well. When local law enforcement officials engage in immigration enforcement, immigrants are often unwilling to report crimes and are forced to live in situations where they are exploited, abused, and victimized.
All nations have the right to secure their borders, but the primary concern for Christians should be the welfare of immigrants. Between 1995 and 2004 more than 2,640 migrants have died crossing the border between the United States and Mexico, and since 2004 more than one migrant has died per day.
IMRaids of workplaces, homes and other social places have often violated the civil liberties of migrants. Migrants should be given due process and access to adequate legal representation. Due to these raids and the ensuing indefinite detentions and deportations that follow them, families have been ripped apart and the immigrant community has been forced to live in a constant state of fear.
To refuse to welcome migrants to this country and to stand by in silence while families are separated, individual freedoms are ignored, and the immigrant community in the United States is demonized by members of Congress and the media, is complicity to sin.
A Call to Action
The United Methodist Church affirms the worth, dignity and inherent value and rights of every person regardless of their nationality or legal status. United Methodist churches throughout the United States are urged to build bridges with immigrants in their local communities, to learn from them, celebrate their presence in the United States and recognize and appreciate the contributions in all areas of life that immigrants bring. We call upon all United Methodist churches to engage in the following:
Advocate for legislation that will uphold the civil and human rights of all migrants in the United States and provide an opportunity to attain legal status for all undocumented migrants for those currently in the United States as well as for those arriving in the future.
Begin English as a Second Language classes as a part of ministry to migrant communities and advocate for federal and state support of expanded ESL classes.
Denounce and oppose the rise of xenophobic, racist, and violent reactions against migrants in the United States, and to support all efforts to build relationships between people, instead of building walls, between diverse ethnicities and cultures.
Oppose the building of a wall between the United States and Mexico, which the communities of both sides of the border are in opposition to.
Call the United States government to immediately cease all arrests, detainment, and deportations of undocumented immigrants, including children, solely based upon their immigration status until a fair and comprehensive immigration reform is passed.
Provide wherever possible pastoral care and crisis intervention to refugees and newly arrived migrants, identifying and responding compassionately to their spiritual, material, and legal needs.
Work with civic and legal organizations to support migrant communities affected by harsh immigration laws and over-reaching national security measures.
Support those churches that prayerfully choose to offer sanctuary to undocumented immigrants facing deportation.
Continue the work of the Immigration Task Force composed of staff from the general boards and agencies, representatives of the Council of Bishops, and members of caucuses and national plans that was created by the resolution, Opposition to the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigration Resolution Act(2004 Book of Resolutions, #118).
Further, The United Methodist Church is urged to advocate for the comprehensive reform of the U.S. immigration system. Any legislation to reform the U.S. immigration system must affirm the worth, dignity and inherent value and rights of migrants, and must also include:
An opportunity for legal status for all undocumented migrants. Any pathway created for undocumented migrants should have minimal obstacles and those requirements should not be designed to preclude migrants from eligibility for legalization.
Clearing the backlogs and reunifying families separated by migration or detainment.
An increase in the number of visas for short-term workers to come into the United States to work in a safe, legal, and orderly way. Opportunities for legalization should be available for those who wish to remain permanently.
The protections of all workers who come to stay for a certain period of time as well as for those who stay permanently. The right to bargain for higher wages, to protest against poor working conditions, and to preserve their human rights should be maintained by all workers, documented and undocumented alike.
Elimination of privately-operated detention centers, which are not regulated by the federal or state governments.
Elimination of indefinite detention, incarceration of children, and the expanding prison population, which also benefits privately-owned detention centers and prisons.
Preservation of due process and access to courts and to adequate legal representation for all migrants regardless of legal status.
Top 5 Immigration Myths of this campaign season
Ending the Immigration Spin - Just the Facts. Material from the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
Immigration has already figured prominently in the Presidential primary campaigns and the issue is unlikely to fade from the limelight any time soon. Debates over immigration policy have always generated strong emotional reactions, but the intensity surrounding the current national debate has reached new levels. The rhetoric by some of the Presidential candidates and their supporters has moved from hyperbole to unbridled misrepresentation.
The American public is justifiably angry about undocumented immigration and the Federal government’s failure to gain control over our borders. But if we ever hope to adopt a practical policy solution that restores the rule of law and advances the interests of our nation, we must untangle fact from fiction. Perpetuating myths and exploiting fears to drive policy are two sure-fire ways to make a bad situation worse.
As the campaign season rolls onward and the intensity of the debate escalates, five
recurring myths must be dispelled to clear the way for honest dialogue.
MYTH #1: Enforcement-only policies are a practical solution to the problem of
undocumented immigration.
FACTS: Policies geared only towards “sealing the border” or deporting the
undocumented without reforming the immigration system and providing a path to legal
status for undocumented immigrants already in the country would cost the nation hundreds
of billions of dollars and have a devastating impact on vast swaths of the U.S. economy.
A 2005 study from the Center for American Progress (CAP) estimates that it would cost between $206 billion and $230 billion over five years to deport all undocumented
immigrants from the United States. Moreover, in a 2006 study, CAP calculates that
removing all undocumented immigrants from the U.S. labor force would result in a
shortfall of nearly 2.5 million less-skilled workers.
As a 2006 report from the Pew Hispanic Center notes, there were 14.6 million people in families headed by undocumented immigrants as of March 2005, including 3.1 million U.S.-citizen children and 1.8 million undocumented children, as well as adult family
members who are legally present in the United States. Attempting to deport all undocumented immigrants would therefore disrupt entire families and communities and decimate industries that depend heavily on immigrant workers, both legal and undocumented.
The Pew report also estimates that the 7.2 million workers among the 11.5 undocumented immigrants in the United States as of March 2005—while accounting for 4.9 percent of the labor force as a whole—comprised 24 percent of all workers in farming, fishing, and forestry; 17 percent in building and grounds cleaning and maintenance; 14 percent in construction; 12 percent in food preparation and serving; and 9 percent in production occupations. Mass deportations therefore would have a devastating effect on numerous industries, particularly given the small and shrinking number of younger native-born workers available to fill these kinds of less-skilled jobs.
MYTH #2: Immigrant workers suppress the wages of American workers.
FACTS: The overwhelming majority of economists agree that immigrants increase the
economic productivity and thus the wages of natives.
A 2006 study by University of California, Davis, economist Giovanni Peri found that because immigrant workers generally “complement”—rather than substitute for—native
workers in terms of their education and skills, immigration tends to increase the
productivity, and therefore the wages, of natives.
As a result of this “complementarity,” the White House Council of Economic Advisers concluded in a 2007 report that roughly 90 percent of native-born workers experience wage gains from immigration, which total between $30 billion and $80 billion per year.
MYTH #3: The nation spends billions of dollars on welfare for undocumented
immigrants.
FACTS: To the contrary, undocumented immigrants are not eligible to receive any “welfare” benefits and even legal immigrants are severely restricted in the benefits they can receive.
As the Congressional Research Service points out in a 2007 report, undocumented immigrants, who comprise nearly one-third of all immigrants in the country, are not eligible to receive public “welfare” benefits—ever. Legal permanent residents (LPRs) must pay into the Social Security and Medicare systems for approximately 10 years before they are eligible to receive benefits when they retire. In most cases, LPRs can not receive SSI, which is available only to U.S. citizens, and are not eligible for meanstested public benefits until 5 years after receiving their green cards.
A 2007 analysis of welfare data by researchers at the Urban Institute reveals that less than 1 percent of households headed by undocumented immigrants receive cash assistance for needy families, compared to 5 percent of households headed by nativeborn U.S. citizens.
A 2007 analysis of U.S. Census data by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities makes clear that it is the U.S.-born, U.S.-citizen children of undocumented immigrants who are eligible for programs such as Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). The analysis found that, between 1995 and 2005, the share of low-income, noncitizen immigrant children (either undocumented or legally present) who received Medicaid or SCHIP dropped from 36 percent to 30 percent. In comparison, there were increases in the Medicaid or SCHIP participation of low-income citizen children, whether they lived in immigrant-headed households or households headed by native-born citizens (rising from 45-47 percent in 1995 to 53-54 percent in 2005)
MYTH #4: Undocumented immigrants are more likely to commit crimes than
native-born citizens.
FACTS: This is a frequently repeated claim, but the exact opposite is true: both
undocumented and legal immigrants are significantly less likely to commit crimes than U.S.
citizens.
According to a 2007 study by University of California, Irvine, sociologist Rubén G. Rumbaut, among men age 18-39 (who comprise the vast majority of the U.S. prison population), the incarceration rate for the native-born (3.5 percent) was five times higher than the rate for immigrants (0.7 percent) in 2000.
The study also found that incarceration rates were lower for immigrants from Mexico, El Salvador, and Guatemala—who account for the majority of undocumented immigrants.In 2000, only 0.7 percent of foreign-born Mexican men and 0.5 percent of foreign-born Salvadoran and Guatemalan men were in prison.
A 2005 study by economists Kristin F. Butcher and Anne Morrison Piehl, released by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, concluded that lower incarceration rates among
immigrants are not the result of deportation or the threat of deportation. Rather,
immigrants are a “self-selected” group with “low criminal propensities.”
MYTH #5: Immigrants don’t “assimilate” into U.S. society.
FACTS: Immigrants learn English and climb the socioeconomic ladder over time, and
their children and grandchildren make even greater strides.
A comprehensive 2007 study released by the Russell Sage Foundation found that:
• Among Latino immigrants who arrived in California between 1960 and 1970, the poverty rate declined from 23.9 percent in 1970 to 16.8 percent in 1980 and 12.6 percent in 1990.
• Latino immigrants in California exhibit exceptionally large gains in homeownership—a key indicator of entry into the middle class. Homeownership rose from 16.4 percent of Latino immigrant householders in California who arrived in the U.S. in the last 10 years to 64.6 percent among those who have lived here for 30 years or more.
• Latino immigrants who arrived in the 1970s in California had a 16.3 percent homeownership rate in 1980, which rose to 33.6 percent in 1990, and then climbed to 51.9 percent in 2000.
A 2007 study by the Pew Hispanic Center found that among “adult first generation Latinos, just 23% say they can carry on a conversation in English very well. That share rises sharply, to 88%, among the second generation of adults, and to 94% among the third and higher generations.”
According to a 2003 study from the RAND Corporation, “2nd and 3rd-generation Hispanic men have made great strides in closing their economic gaps with native whites. The reason is simple: each successive generation has been able to close the schooling gap with native whites which then has been translated into generational progress in incomes.
AILA National Office, 918 F Street, NW, Washington, DC 2004
Phone (202) 216-2400, Fax (202) 783-7853; Web: http://www.aila.org/
Both the immigrant families and the communities where they work and reside will suffer severe consequences in the long term from these raids, demonstrating a loss of our values and sensibility. When our government's actions make innocent children parentless and homeless, when relatives young and old suddenly must wrestle with fear, confusion and despair, we cannot be silent and apathetic.
If our family and community values are to hold true, our government must stop these raids that are only creating desperation across the United States. We must speak out and organize against these senseless, abusive, oppressive acts.
It is time for the United States to live up to its creed, embodying the self-evident truth that all men and women are created equal and endowed by their creator with certain "inalienable rights," among them "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." Undocumented immigrants are human beings, too. They feel pain and suffer like the rest of us. It is time for us to affirm their humanity and dignity in the way we treat them.
At the 2008 United Methodist General Conference, the only body that speaks in behalf of the entire denomination, our church condemned these raids and affirmed "the worth, dignity and inherent value and rights of every person regardless of their nationality or legal status." Our church called for the U.S. government "to immediately cease all arrests, detainment and deportations of undocumented immigrants, including children, solely based upon their immigration status until a fair and comprehensive immigration reform bill is passed." (Petition #80637: Welcoming the Migrant to the U.S.) (http://calms.umc.org/2008/Text.aspx?mode=Majority&Number=732)
We must pray and insist that this madness stops before we inflict more tragic harm to our brothers and sisters who, like us all, are made in the image of a loving God.
*Castañon is associate general secretary, United Methodist Commission on Religion and Race.
Remaining sections of the Immigration Petition brought before the 2009 General Conference of the United Methodist Church
The introduction of the Petition and the New Testament Biblical and Theological Context are included in the October 31, 2009 REVIEW. That material plus the remainder of the Immigration Petition offers rich opportunities for discussion.
The fear and anguish so many migrants in the United States live under are due to federal raids, indefinite detention, and deportations which tear apart families and create an atmosphere of panic. Millions of immigrants are denied legal entry to the U.S. due to quotas and race and class barriers, even as employers seek their labor. U.S. policies, as well as economic and political conditions in their home countries, often force migrants to leave their homes. With the legal avenues closed, immigrants who come in order to support their families must live in the shadows and in intense exploitation and fear. In the face of these unjust laws and the systematic deportation of migrants instituted by the Department of Homeland Security, God’s people must stand in solidarity with the migrants in our midst.
In Scripture, sojourners are also identified as heralds or messengers bringing good news. This is seen in many stories of the Bible, including:
Abraham who welcomed three visitors and then was promised a child even though Sarah was past the age of bearing children (Genesis 18:-11),
Rahab who hid the spies from Israel and whose family was ultimately spared (Joshua 2:1-16),
the widow at Zarephath who gave Elijah her last meal and received food and ultimately healing for her dying son (1 Kings 17:7-24), and
Zaccheus who, upon welcoming Jesus into his home, promised to share half his possessions with the poor and repay those he stole from four times the amount owed. As Jesus entered Zaccheus’ home he proclaimed that salvation had come to his house (Luke 19:1-10).
All of these stories give evidence to the words of the writer of Hebrews who advises the listeners to “not neglect to show hospitality to strangers for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it” (13:2).
God’s people are called to welcome the sojourner not only because of God’s commands to do so, but because God’s people need to hear the good news of the gospel incarnated in their stories and in their lives. Welcoming the sojourner is so vital to the expression of Christian faith that to engage in this form of hospitality is to participate in our own salvation.
The Current Context
Immigration to the United States has changed in the last twenty years largely because the world has changed. Globalization has lessened the geographical distance between the poor and affluent, but yet, it has also greatly exacerbated the chasm between those with access to resources and those denied that same access. Vast inequities between the global north and south are a continuing source of conflict and a draw of resources and people from the south to north. Globalization has localized issues which used to be hidden or detached by geographical boundaries, but has not created forms of accountability or mediated the necessity of cross-cultural reconciliation between those victimized by international economic policies and those who benefit from them. Global media enable the poor of the global south to see the lifestyles of the affluent in the global north, while rarely seeing the intense poverty that also exists there. This creates both tensions and a draw to attain that same lifestyle.
Although unregulated trade and investment have economically benefited some, many more have been sentenced to a lifetime of poverty and marginalization. In poorer countries natural resources have been removed by transnational corporations which have no stake in the continuing welfare of the local people, the enhancement of their cultural traditions, or their ecological environment. The lack of these resources often leads to a drastic reduction in jobs, wages, and labor protections. Public social benefits are eliminated and the nation sinks deeper into debt as it turns to such institutions as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. As the affluent North continues to expand its wealth, this expansion occurs at the expense of the impoverished South. Every region in the world is affected in some way by the global economic divide. Yet, while money and products easily flow across borders, the movement of people who have been forced to migrate because of intolerable economic conditions is increasingly restricted.
When those, whose livelihoods have been eradicated in favor of corporate globalization, attempt to sojourn to North America to work and provide for their families, they receive a mixed message that is confusing and ultimately oppressive. Immigrants have moved into areas of the United States where there are economic opportunities that U.S. citizens have largely ignored. Employers often prefer undocumented workers in order to increase profit margins. Until all jobs provide a livable wage employers will be able to pit U.S. citizens against undocumented workers in a downward spiral that undermines the labor rights for all.
Because the U.S. immigration system has not kept up with the changing pace of immigration and the U.S. economy, the population of undocumented immigrants has grown dramatically. Yet, the growing population of undocumented immigrants has not yet been harmful to most U.S. workers because they are not competing for the same jobs. While the United States labor force is growing older and more educated, the need for unskilled workers remains strong. The Migration Policy Institute reports that the economic necessities for repairing the immigration system are clear as they predict by 2030, immigrant workers will comprise between one-third and one-half of the U.S. labor force. Testifying before the Senate Committee on Aging in 2003, then-Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, Alan Greenspan, called for increased immigrationof migrants to sustain an aging labor force and a continued economic vacuum among low-skilled workers.
Although the economic necessity of migrant workers is clear, any immigration or economic system which calls for a perpetual class of second class workers cannot be supported by people of faith. ImmUndocumented immigrants are exploited for their labor and economic contribution to the United States. They are denied their rights to collectively bargain for livable wages and safe working conditions, and they are shut out of access to the social services of which they support through their difficult labor. Any reform of the immigration system must also allow for the full protections of all workers which includes the opportunity to gain legal status for all migrants.
Even though migrants have proven a tremendous benefit to the United States’ economy, migrants have been systematically excluded from receiving any benefits.imaccess to health care promotes an increase in the demand on emergency rooms to provide that daily care or it forces migrants who are fearful to seek medical care to live in continued pain and suffering. The United States benefits from migrant labor, but migrants have been forced to live in the shadows, unable to fully contribute or receive appropriate care.
Immigration: A Human Rights Issue
Since 9/11 the debate surrounding immigration has unfortunately been framed as an issue of national security. All of this emphasis on border security has not stemmed the flow of undocumented migration even though the United States has poured millions of dollars into militarizing the border.
The use of local law enforcement as immigration agents should be stopped as well. When local law enforcement officials engage in immigration enforcement, immigrants are often unwilling to report crimes and are forced to live in situations where they are exploited, abused, and victimized.
All nations have the right to secure their borders, but the primary concern for Christians should be the welfare of immigrants. Between 1995 and 2004 more than 2,640 migrants have died crossing the border between the United States and Mexico, and since 2004 more than one migrant has died per day.
IMRaids of workplaces, homes and other social places have often violated the civil liberties of migrants. Migrants should be given due process and access to adequate legal representation. Due to these raids and the ensuing indefinite detentions and deportations that follow them, families have been ripped apart and the immigrant community has been forced to live in a constant state of fear.
To refuse to welcome migrants to this country and to stand by in silence while families are separated, individual freedoms are ignored, and the immigrant community in the United States is demonized by members of Congress and the media, is complicity to sin.
A Call to Action
The United Methodist Church affirms the worth, dignity and inherent value and rights of every person regardless of their nationality or legal status. United Methodist churches throughout the United States are urged to build bridges with immigrants in their local communities, to learn from them, celebrate their presence in the United States and recognize and appreciate the contributions in all areas of life that immigrants bring. We call upon all United Methodist churches to engage in the following:
Advocate for legislation that will uphold the civil and human rights of all migrants in the United States and provide an opportunity to attain legal status for all undocumented migrants for those currently in the United States as well as for those arriving in the future.
Begin English as a Second Language classes as a part of ministry to migrant communities and advocate for federal and state support of expanded ESL classes.
Denounce and oppose the rise of xenophobic, racist, and violent reactions against migrants in the United States, and to support all efforts to build relationships between people, instead of building walls, between diverse ethnicities and cultures.
Oppose the building of a wall between the United States and Mexico, which the communities of both sides of the border are in opposition to.
Call the United States government to immediately cease all arrests, detainment, and deportations of undocumented immigrants, including children, solely based upon their immigration status until a fair and comprehensive immigration reform is passed.
Provide wherever possible pastoral care and crisis intervention to refugees and newly arrived migrants, identifying and responding compassionately to their spiritual, material, and legal needs.
Work with civic and legal organizations to support migrant communities affected by harsh immigration laws and over-reaching national security measures.
Support those churches that prayerfully choose to offer sanctuary to undocumented immigrants facing deportation.
Continue the work of the Immigration Task Force composed of staff from the general boards and agencies, representatives of the Council of Bishops, and members of caucuses and national plans that was created by the resolution, Opposition to the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigration Resolution Act(2004 Book of Resolutions, #118).
Further, The United Methodist Church is urged to advocate for the comprehensive reform of the U.S. immigration system. Any legislation to reform the U.S. immigration system must affirm the worth, dignity and inherent value and rights of migrants, and must also include:
An opportunity for legal status for all undocumented migrants. Any pathway created for undocumented migrants should have minimal obstacles and those requirements should not be designed to preclude migrants from eligibility for legalization.
Clearing the backlogs and reunifying families separated by migration or detainment.
An increase in the number of visas for short-term workers to come into the United States to work in a safe, legal, and orderly way. Opportunities for legalization should be available for those who wish to remain permanently.
The protections of all workers who come to stay for a certain period of time as well as for those who stay permanently. The right to bargain for higher wages, to protest against poor working conditions, and to preserve their human rights should be maintained by all workers, documented and undocumented alike.
Elimination of privately-operated detention centers, which are not regulated by the federal or state governments.
Elimination of indefinite detention, incarceration of children, and the expanding prison population, which also benefits privately-owned detention centers and prisons.
Preservation of due process and access to courts and to adequate legal representation for all migrants regardless of legal status.
Top 5 Immigration Myths of this campaign season
Ending the Immigration Spin - Just the Facts. Material from the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
Immigration has already figured prominently in the Presidential primary campaigns and the issue is unlikely to fade from the limelight any time soon. Debates over immigration policy have always generated strong emotional reactions, but the intensity surrounding the current national debate has reached new levels. The rhetoric by some of the Presidential candidates and their supporters has moved from hyperbole to unbridled misrepresentation.The American public is justifiably angry about undocumented immigration and the Federal government’s failure to gain control over our borders. But if we ever hope to adopt a practical policy solution that restores the rule of law and advances the interests of our nation, we must untangle fact from fiction. Perpetuating myths and exploiting fears to drive policy are two sure-fire ways to make a bad situation worse.
As the campaign season rolls onward and the intensity of the debate escalates, five
recurring myths must be dispelled to clear the way for honest dialogue.
MYTH #1: Enforcement-only policies are a practical solution to the problem of
undocumented immigration.
FACTS: Policies geared only towards “sealing the border” or deporting the
undocumented without reforming the immigration system and providing a path to legal
status for undocumented immigrants already in the country would cost the nation hundreds
of billions of dollars and have a devastating impact on vast swaths of the U.S. economy.
A 2005 study from the Center for American Progress (CAP) estimates that it would cost between $206 billion and $230 billion over five years to deport all undocumented
immigrants from the United States. Moreover, in a 2006 study, CAP calculates that
removing all undocumented immigrants from the U.S. labor force would result in a
shortfall of nearly 2.5 million less-skilled workers.
As a 2006 report from the Pew Hispanic Center notes, there were 14.6 million people in families headed by undocumented immigrants as of March 2005, including 3.1 million U.S.-citizen children and 1.8 million undocumented children, as well as adult family
members who are legally present in the United States. Attempting to deport all undocumented immigrants would therefore disrupt entire families and communities and decimate industries that depend heavily on immigrant workers, both legal and undocumented.
The Pew report also estimates that the 7.2 million workers among the 11.5 undocumented immigrants in the United States as of March 2005—while accounting for 4.9 percent of the labor force as a whole—comprised 24 percent of all workers in farming, fishing, and forestry; 17 percent in building and grounds cleaning and maintenance; 14 percent in construction; 12 percent in food preparation and serving; and 9 percent in production occupations. Mass deportations therefore would have a devastating effect on numerous industries, particularly given the small and shrinking number of younger native-born workers available to fill these kinds of less-skilled jobs.
MYTH #2: Immigrant workers suppress the wages of American workers.
FACTS: The overwhelming majority of economists agree that immigrants increase the
economic productivity and thus the wages of natives.
A 2006 study by University of California, Davis, economist Giovanni Peri found that because immigrant workers generally “complement”—rather than substitute for—native
workers in terms of their education and skills, immigration tends to increase the
productivity, and therefore the wages, of natives.
As a result of this “complementarity,” the White House Council of Economic Advisers concluded in a 2007 report that roughly 90 percent of native-born workers experience wage gains from immigration, which total between $30 billion and $80 billion per year.
MYTH #3: The nation spends billions of dollars on welfare for undocumented
immigrants.
FACTS: To the contrary, undocumented immigrants are not eligible to receive any “welfare” benefits and even legal immigrants are severely restricted in the benefits they can receive.
As the Congressional Research Service points out in a 2007 report, undocumented immigrants, who comprise nearly one-third of all immigrants in the country, are not eligible to receive public “welfare” benefits—ever. Legal permanent residents (LPRs) must pay into the Social Security and Medicare systems for approximately 10 years before they are eligible to receive benefits when they retire. In most cases, LPRs can not receive SSI, which is available only to U.S. citizens, and are not eligible for meanstested public benefits until 5 years after receiving their green cards.
A 2007 analysis of welfare data by researchers at the Urban Institute reveals that less than 1 percent of households headed by undocumented immigrants receive cash assistance for needy families, compared to 5 percent of households headed by nativeborn U.S. citizens.
A 2007 analysis of U.S. Census data by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities makes clear that it is the U.S.-born, U.S.-citizen children of undocumented immigrants who are eligible for programs such as Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). The analysis found that, between 1995 and 2005, the share of low-income, noncitizen immigrant children (either undocumented or legally present) who received Medicaid or SCHIP dropped from 36 percent to 30 percent. In comparison, there were increases in the Medicaid or SCHIP participation of low-income citizen children, whether they lived in immigrant-headed households or households headed by native-born citizens (rising from 45-47 percent in 1995 to 53-54 percent in 2005)
MYTH #4: Undocumented immigrants are more likely to commit crimes than
native-born citizens.
FACTS: This is a frequently repeated claim, but the exact opposite is true: both
undocumented and legal immigrants are significantly less likely to commit crimes than U.S.
citizens.
According to a 2007 study by University of California, Irvine, sociologist Rubén G. Rumbaut, among men age 18-39 (who comprise the vast majority of the U.S. prison population), the incarceration rate for the native-born (3.5 percent) was five times higher than the rate for immigrants (0.7 percent) in 2000.
The study also found that incarceration rates were lower for immigrants from Mexico, El Salvador, and Guatemala—who account for the majority of undocumented immigrants.In 2000, only 0.7 percent of foreign-born Mexican men and 0.5 percent of foreign-born Salvadoran and Guatemalan men were in prison.
A 2005 study by economists Kristin F. Butcher and Anne Morrison Piehl, released by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, concluded that lower incarceration rates among
immigrants are not the result of deportation or the threat of deportation. Rather,
immigrants are a “self-selected” group with “low criminal propensities.”
MYTH #5: Immigrants don’t “assimilate” into U.S. society.
FACTS: Immigrants learn English and climb the socioeconomic ladder over time, and
their children and grandchildren make even greater strides.
A comprehensive 2007 study released by the Russell Sage Foundation found that:
• Among Latino immigrants who arrived in California between 1960 and 1970, the poverty rate declined from 23.9 percent in 1970 to 16.8 percent in 1980 and 12.6 percent in 1990.
• Latino immigrants in California exhibit exceptionally large gains in homeownership—a key indicator of entry into the middle class. Homeownership rose from 16.4 percent of Latino immigrant householders in California who arrived in the U.S. in the last 10 years to 64.6 percent among those who have lived here for 30 years or more.
• Latino immigrants who arrived in the 1970s in California had a 16.3 percent homeownership rate in 1980, which rose to 33.6 percent in 1990, and then climbed to 51.9 percent in 2000.
A 2007 study by the Pew Hispanic Center found that among “adult first generation Latinos, just 23% say they can carry on a conversation in English very well. That share rises sharply, to 88%, among the second generation of adults, and to 94% among the third and higher generations.”
According to a 2003 study from the RAND Corporation, “2nd and 3rd-generation Hispanic men have made great strides in closing their economic gaps with native whites. The reason is simple: each successive generation has been able to close the schooling gap with native whites which then has been translated into generational progress in incomes.
AILA National Office, 918 F Street, NW, Washington, DC 2004
Phone (202) 216-2400, Fax (202) 783-7853; Web: http://www.aila.org/
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