There has been a lot of discussion on the LGBT blogosphere about the current immigration debate. Marta Donayre presents a unique perspective as an out immigrant: Who Are The Illegals??. Boi from Troy focuses on same-sex couples and the immigration debate in his post Gays Left Behind. Both good stuff.
I won't lie, though, I was saddened when I read Jasmyne Cannick's Article on the National Stonewall Democrats Blog. Jasmyne trys to make the case that LGBT rights should come before the rights of undocumented immigrants because after all, they are 'illegals'. Ouch. In my experience, trying to create a social justice hierarchy (my rights are more important than yours) never works.
It occured to me though, that not everybody may understand what is at stake, and specifically, what is in the House version of this legislation. I want to encourage you to visit our sister site Latinos for America (LFA is another Dean legacy group) and read this post so you have the facts. Here's the short version:
In December of 2005, the U.S. House of Representatives passed “The Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control At of 2005,” also known as HR4437. This bill expands the definition of "alien smuggling" to include assisting a person to remain or attempt to remain in the United States when the "offender" knows the person is in the United States unlawfully - thereby treating social service organizations, refugee agencies, churches, legal services, and others the same as smuggling organizations and imposing criminal penalties for providing such assistance. Even family members and charitable workers could face federal prison time for assisting undocumented immigrants.
I find myself once again so very proud of the Task Force, which not only 'get's it' but was willing to take a stand on this issue. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is urging federal lawmakers to enact humane immigration policies and reject extreme measures that go so far as to criminalize humanitarian assistance to undocumented immigrants.
Task Force Public Policy & Government Affairs Director Eleanor (Eldie) D. Acheson states:
"A reasonably paced and deliberative process in the Senate is critical to counter the politically opportunistic and gratuitously punitive enforcement-only bill that emerged from the House. That piece of legislation is Exhibit A in mean-spirited election-year pandering to the ‘send them home’ crowd and scapegoating of yet another group in our country perceived to be unpopular and powerless."
This is a personal issue for me. My Mom was an immigrant to this country, who would have been sent home had the state not recognized her marriage. But also I've seen first hand LGBT people coming to this country to escape persecution, and I know how hard it is to do so 'legally'. I watched my friend Nabil struggle to get political asylum based on sexual orientation, and I know how difficult it is, especially under the Bush administration. I hope before you write off people like Nabil as "illegals" (the term that is suddenly so popular on LGBT Blogs) you'll think for a minute who you may be sending back, and what you may be sending them back to.
Posted by David at April 6, 2006 11:05 PM
