IMMIGRATION
Not all Latinos are immigrants, and not all immigrants are Latino, but the terms immigrant and Latino have become nearly synonymous in the eyes of many Americans. While opinions on immigration—all passionate—run the gamut, it is clear that the US immigration system is broken and in need of urgent repair.
Unfortunately, the national immigration debate focuses largely on security and not on economic realities or the plight of the millions of undocumented workers currently living in local communities. And bitter partisan divides in Congress makes dialog on real fixes to the system almost impossible, as evidenced by the devastating defeat of the DREAM Act in 2010, and the worrisome trend of independent states—like Arizona—taking matters into their own hands with controversial, divisive legislation.
Despite the doom-and-gloom prognosis for immigration reform, there are still compelling reasons why it can and should happen. Research shows that reform would be a major stimulus to the US economy. By raising wages and increasing consumption—which, in turn, would create jobs and generate additional tax revenues—immigration reform could yield as much as $1.5 trillion in gains over the next decade. With 2012 elections in sight, immigration will undoubtedly be a core issue for the many voters—particularly Latino voters—whose loved ones await decisive action.
What the Latino Policy Forum is doing to ensure individuals living in the United States are recognized as valuable and contributing members of society with equal access to equity and prosperity, regardless of their country of origin:
• Promoting a thoughtful approach to immigration reform and local immigrant integration issues through the community leaders of the Immigration Acuerdo work group.
• Fostering equity and prosperity for immigrants through collaborative, Acuerdo-led efforts, most recently by promoting the DREAM Act as a first step towards incremental immigration reform.
• Providing credible, consistent information on the ever-changing landscape of comprehensive immigration reform and policy through regular communications and federal policy analysis.
• Balancing anti-Latino, anti-immigrant rhetoric in mainstream media and message boards by convening a group of Comment Corps volunteers to post fact-based, truthful commentary.
