September 20, 2006
Immigration Border Security
Issue:
In recent days, there has been a serious deterioration of the position espoused by pro-immigrant forces in Congress. Social Workers are urgently needed to stop punitive, enforcement-only, and misnamed immigration bills that have been introduced in the House of Representatives from potentially becoming law before this congressional session ends. Though America’s immigration system is flawed and in need of reform, reactionary proposals that would further exploit the most vulnerable among us do not constitute a rational solution. NASW contends that it is permissible to strengthen national security without sacrificing the American values we hold dear, such as civil rights, civil liberties, and the pursuit of equality and social justice for all.
Background:
Throughout the summer of 2006 and during the Congressional recess, Republicans in the House of Representatives held a series of partisan hearings designed to articulate support for anti-immigrant legislation like H.R.4437, which was passed by the House of Representatives in December 2005. Meanwhile, on September 14, 2006 the House of Representatives passed (the day after it was introduced) the first in a series of bills carrying out this agenda. A variety of legislation including H.R.6061 the Secure Fence Act of 2006 (which calls for 700 miles of fencing on areas along the U.S.-Mexico border), the Dangerous Alien Detention Act of 2006, the Criminal Alien Removal Act and other bills have been repackaged to legitimize the anti-immigrant bias of the majority party.
Social Work Action: Call your House Representative at the Capitol Switchboard (202-224-3121), and urge them to vote against these punitive measures or any combination of initiatives that seek to harm marginalized immigrants. These Border Security Now package of bills, which also consist of H.R.6095 (Alien Smuggler Prosecution Act) and H.R.2933 (Alien Gang Removal Act of 2006) are politically motivated and induced by election-year aspirations. Your Representative should know that the social work community supports comprehensive immigration reform, and not incremental, anti-immigrant legislation that deprives human beings of dignity as well as their capacity to become stakeholders in American society. NASW contends that realistic security derives only from comprehensive reform and not intolerance. A potential vote, in the House, could occur on September 21, 2006. Again, please call your Representative and encourage them to vote against any anti-immigrant and Border Security Now measure. Congressional staff refers to these measures as Border Security Now proposals. Thank you for your advocacy.
Contact: Lawrence Moore, III at 202-336-8289.
Thank you for your advocacy!
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