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Sharpstown Democrats General Meeting Minutes Saturday, January 22, 2011 AGENDA 1 Panel Discussion “Options for Immigration Reform” 11. Audience Q & A 111. Upcoming Club Officer Elections 1V. Announcements - Joyce Akins, Sharpstown Democrats Club President, called the meeting to order at 10:10 AM. She welcomed everyone and reviewed the agenda.
- “Options for Immigration Reform” Panel Discussion was the first agenda item.
- Joyce introduced the panel moderator, Mr. David Jones.
- Mr. Jones introduced the panelists: Gordon Quan, FosterQuan, LLP; Gracie Saenz, Saenz & Associates; and Dr. Jeronimo Cortina, Professor, University of Houston.
- Questions for the panelists and their responses are below:
I. Is Houston a “Sanctuary City”? What is the goal of the Dream Act? Panelists: - Houston is not a Sanctuary City. A Sanctuary Policy was never adopted here.
- We are called a Sanctuary City because churches were taking in Central American refugees here in the 1980s.
- If officers routinely check the immigration status of individuals arrested for other crimes, then so called “Sanctuary City” is political exploitation.
The Prospect of the Dream Act: The Dream Act, which intended to clear up the immigration status of U.S.- raised children of undocumented immigrants, has failed. These young people were brought here before the age of five and are well assimilated in American culture. Freeing thousands of young immigrants to join the legal workforce would help businesses and the economy. Once legalized, DREAM Act beneficiaries would have been in a position to help fill labor needs, pay taxes, serve in the military and be productive. II. Economics and Labor Immigrant labor has been instrumental in the growth of the U.S. economy. What information can you provide to dispel the perception that “illegal immigrants take jobs away from Americans?” Is there a discrepancy between the type of immigrant labor the U.S. needs and the amount available (e.g., skilled vs. unskilled labor)? Do you think sanctions should be imposed on employers who hire undocumented immigrants? If not, why not. If so, what type of sanctions do you recommend? Undocumented immigrants are often exploited on the job (poor working conditions, unpaid wages). What type of enforcement should the government use to prevent the exploitation of these workers? What is the cost aspect of immigration? How do we fund Immigration? Is the system functional, if not, is anyone working to improve it? Panelists: Documented and undocumented immigrants pay property taxes. They also pay sales taxes and tuition and fees that support education, healthcare and other services; however, undocumented immigrants are ineligible for welfare, food stamps, Medicaid, and most other forms of public assistance. At the local and state levels, immigration has some cost. At the national level, government definitely benefits. We need to look at the dynamism…do we want educated or uneducated; skilled or unskilled workforce? There is a National Interest Waiver Program. It has 5-6 years waiting period and employers do not want to wait that long; therefore, people hire undocumented immigrants, but pay wages without benefits and can get away with it. Overall, we have a dysfunctional immigration system with unintended consequences. For people who overstay their visas, they are unable to get back into the country if they leave, so they are stuck here. Circularity (the ability to go in and out of a country) is very important. People do not want to leave their families. The Regional Approach of the European Union, for instance, allows free movement; however, the problem is when undeveloped countries become economically sound, then the citizens of that country want to go back home. It has to be a win-win situation. The whole system is not working; therefore, a comprehensive Immigration Reform is necessary. We are tearing families apart. For example, one woman was deported after being here for 20 years. She was the only breadwinner in the family, and her husband is disabled and cannot take care of their sick child. Employer sanctions under the current administration are significantly higher than previous administrations. It is an outdated system. It allows some people to come legally, but in terms of numbers (quotas) is very complicated. If we look at the types of visas, for example, people with diplomatic visas can invest, but others have restrictions. We need to prioritize with more emphasis on employment.Regarding the perception that “illegal immigrants take jobs away from Americans,” studies show non-replacement due to a decline in population size. Even the African-American population has declined and we have the Baby Boomers with no children; therefore, no replacement. III. Law Enforcement The press reports that the Obama administration has increased the number of deportations significantly, concentrating on violent offenders. What is your take on this development? What is the likelihood that Texas legislature will pass an Arizona-type law in Texas (that allows police to inquire about legal status)? Many neighborhoods in Houston, including southwest Houston, have been infiltrated with international gang and drug activity. How can law enforcement decrease these activities in our neighborhoods? Panelists:Making comparison between Texas and Arizona…the Latino community in Texas can pose a threat in terms of voting more so than in Arizona; therefore, any legislation similar to the Arizona law will end-up being challenged.Yes, there is a presence of gang and drug activities. Whether Asian, Latino or American gangs, the police should handle it within the available law and should not use immigration as a vehicle. Sharing a personal story, Ms. Saenz said that her father, although he was born here, was deported back to Mexico in 1930s without a deportation hearing. She said her father has had to go through this kind of interrogation all the time. IV. Acculturation Issues With the large influx of immigrants over the past two decades, demographics have shifted greatly in Houston and other areas of the country. To what degree do you think immigrants (legal and undocumented) have integrated into the general society? How can we assist immigrants in adjusting to the U.S.? Panelists: Studies conducted at local and national level indicate that immigrants are well integrated. About 80% try to learn English. They are assimilating at the same rate as the other population. The issue is about co-operation at the leadership level, elite level, etc… V. Other questions, comments and suggestions · About myths…Is there any organization in town involved in evaluating all the information that we get is biased? Who is doing the evaluation? Panelists: Organizations such as the Houston Coalition for Immigration Reform provide outreach, education and information; Neighborhood Centers, Inc. published a pamphlet; the churches are the ones to educate their congregations; most importantly, we have to change our attitude. As Democrats, we need to get Blacks, Hispanics, Asians to work together. It needs to be seen not only as political, but also as a humanitarian issue. Meeting was adjourned at 12:10 p.m. Respectfully submitted by Aster Eyob for Mary Haper, Secretary |
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