Employers and sanctions
“Sanction employers! They are being anti-American. They deserve to go jail!” That is the cry of many of the anti-immigrant forces when it comes to immigration. But what is what really happens. Employers don’t get arrested and more immigrants are deported. So basically what happens is nothing. The only thing situations like that do create is fear in the immigrant communities. I know most anti-immigrants, from their privileged backgrounds wouldn’t understand that concept, living in fear. Allow me to illustrate.
Living in fear is seeing your father go to work, not knowing whether he is going to come back. Living in fear is hearing the dog outside and thinking it is ICE. Living in fear means that getting in car can also mean the last time you see this country. Living in fear is being afraid of meeting new people, of people finding out your terrible secret because in the end, they could turn you in. It is not pretty to live like this and I wouldn’t recommend it. I don’t think my argument will resonate with anti-immigrant people, that is fine, they can keep living their lives while I keep my humanity.
December 26, 2007 at 3:09 pm
Hey, nice post. I understand how these things go since I live in a community with Latinos. I can’t stand how they should feel such fear in a place that they have made their home for a while. The whole immigration mess is a tragedy… I keep asking God when the nightmare will be over for these people and their youth… What is your take on the whole immigration reform? Do you have an estimate as to when something will finally be done?
December 26, 2007 at 4:11 pm
Agreed…I have been such a wreck since we cancelled our phones. Every time my guys comes home late from work, I spend the entire time between when he should have been home and when he arrives worrying, thinking what if there was a raid? Nobody should have to do that.
The employers have an easy way out because they can simply say that they didn’t know, since many immigrants use false papers. There are a lot who don’t, though, and many who only have numbers–if someone writes a number down and doesn’t provide you with the social security card, then it’s obvious, yes? But in the end, they see immigrants as expendable, and the businesses aren’t. We need the businesses for our economy, and if you deport someone, much of the time they will come back or someone else will come in their place, so in the end nothing changes except the public perception of what the government is achieving. People are suffering for the PR machine.
December 26, 2007 at 5:00 pm
I think asking for an immigration reform right now is basically out of the question. The political climate has turn nightmarish on the immigration issue. All I would ask for is for the passage of the DREAM Act but even that is hoping for too much. As to when something will finally be done, maybe 2009 when there is a new president. For the time being, I have to continue fearing police sirens and reading about raids and deportations of others. I agree with Fash, no one should have to live like this.