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By Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia

When many people think about immigration, an image of Ellis Island or maybe even the U.S.-Mexico border might pop into their minds. For me, it stems back to the day that nearly 3,000 people died as a result of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Of those who lived through it, we can remember quite vividly where we were on that morning. I was in an office on Dupont Circle in our nations capital reviewing immigration cases during an attorneys meeting before the news hit that New York City and Washington D.C. had been attacked. I watched with rest of America the tumbling of the Twin Towers and worried foremost about getting home in the short term.

In the long-term, these events propelled me out of private practice and into non-profit immigration policy work. Little did I know that the demolishment of the old immigration agency, Immigration and Naturalization Service, and the first of several bipartisan efforts around comprehensive immigration reform, triggered by a handshake between the U.S. and Mexican Presidents days before September 11, coupled with the backlash against communities of color, particularly Arab, Muslim, and South Asian communities, would be the centerpiece of my work as a legislative lawyer and organizer.

Over time, I have pored through hundreds of pages of bipartisan bills with a passion for the immigration code and found a love for law teaching. This led me to relocate with my family to central Pennsylvania where I launched an immigrants rights clinic at Penn State University which I continue to direct today.

My experiences overall have taught me that the challenge to enact true immigration reform has rested more on political will than on a sound policy. Thankfully, our nation is on the verge of making real progress on immigration reform.

Bipartisan members in both the House and Senate have come together to move on bills such as the Dream Act and the Farm Workforce Modernization Act that would establish an earned pathway to citizenship for individuals who came to the United States as children, otherwise known as Dreamers, and certain undocumented agriculture essential workers, some of which have lived in the United States for more than a decade.

I have witnessed first-hand the tremendous contributions made by Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program recipients, young immigrants putting themselves through school, providing for their families, and contributing to our economy and society. Ending DACA, and failing to provide permanent protections for these Dreamers, would cost Pennsylvania more than $323 million in annual GDP loss.

I have also been the beneficiary of the physically challenging job agricultural workers in central Pennsylvania perform to ensure that fruit, vegetables, and milk are on our tables, despite the vulnerability many face as undocumented workers during a global pandemic. With immigrants accounting for 22% of our states crop production workforce, we simply cannot afford to lose them because of political gridlock.

Our outdated immigration system has also impacted so called legal immigration, including my family, and employment-based systems have not been updated in decades. My own mother entered the United States as the spouse of a green card holder. Today, she would be banned or face delays if she sought to enter this way. I share with my students the analogy of a college or university where annual slots available remains the same for decades without regard to demand, need, or talent. Such is the reality of our immigration system.

I have consulted or represented individuals and families who are survivors of an immigration system that is sorely in need of an update to align with American values and the 21st century. It is clear that immigration reform is long overdue, signaled by the more than three decades since Congress has passed meaningful reform or change to our immigration laws and the inevitable swelling of individuals inside the United States who are vulnerable and living in the shadows, all while contributing to our communities and economies in profound ways. Today, Pennsylvanias immigrants pay $9.9 billion in taxes annually and add $24.9 billion to the state economy every year. Imagine what we could do if we empower them to fully participate in society.

Congress should listen to the overwhelming majority of voters across all backgrounds who support immigration policies that keep families safe and together while growing our economy. Its time we come together to support the undocumented community that has dedicated themselves to American values of hard work and perseverance, especially in the face of uncertainty.

Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia is a resident of State College, PA. This op-ed is written in her individual capacity and does not reflect the views of Pennsylvania State University. For informational purposes only, Wadhia is Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Samuel Weiss Faculty Scholar at Penn State Law in University Park.

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U.S. immigration laws need to align with American values | Opinion - pennlive.com

At the end of an eight-hour shift in a Wellington rest home, Joan Lagman feels exhilarated and exhausted. The 39-year-old caregiver from the Philippines has fed, clothed, toileted and showered the five elderly charges in her care. When one is having a bad day, she writes them inspirational notes.

They range in age from 87 to 100. All are immobile and some are bedridden. They tell her their fears, their problems, and the things they feel sad about. Sometimes they ask for their mum. Occasionally, Joan tells a white lie if one is expecting a relative to visit and that person doesnt turn up.

Lagman is paid NZ$26 an hour for the mentally and physically gruelling work. She breaks down talking about the love she feels towards those in her care. In the Philippines we care for our elderly and I grew up looking after my nana who lived with us, she said.

Here, they say it should be just a job which I do each day. But how many days a year do I look after them and how many hours? I become their friend. The hardest part is when one passes away. Ive spent so much time with them so I miss them so much.

In New Zealand, 40,000 aged care beds are filled by elderly people who cant be looked after by family and need 24/7 care. Instead, theyre cared for by 22,000 health care assistants, of whom about a quarter are like Lagman, mainly on temporary migrant visas.

Under New Zealands sweeping immigration proposals, the welcome mat may be pulled out for these semi-skilled workers as part of the governments proposal to cut the numbers of low skill and low wage migrant workers in a post-Covid world and focus on employing and upskilling New Zealanders and attracting wealthy investors.

Lagman who first arrived in New Zealand in 2015 with a bachelor of marketing degree from the Philippines already deals with the stress of having to get her visa stamped annually. Work visas are issued for three years but temporary migrants or their employers must apply for these to be annually renewed. After three years, migrant workers have to stand down and go home, irrespective of whether a Kiwi can be found to fill the role: a policy the aged care sector hopes will be changed.

It is hard when my residents want me to be here but I feel the country doesnt, Lagman said. Unfortunately, locals dont like this job. I will orient someone for one or two days and then they dont like it and leave.

Just as the hospitality and horticulture sectors are struggling without enough migrant workers to do the low and semi-skilled jobs that locals cant or wont do, rest homes and elderly hospitals have full beds and not enough caregivers and nurses to look after them.

Lagmans boss, Albie Calope, says it can be stressful trying to find caregivers and nurses to care for the 116 aged care residents at the Malvina Major retirement village. He has 120 staff, of whom most are on temporary migrant visas, and several vacancies.

I hope our staff can stay and get the visa extended again and we totally support their applications, but its tough. We need to make sure we have staff who are able to work and willing to work or we dont know what we will do.

Unveiling the governments immigration proposals last month, economic development minister, Stuart Nash, told business leaders that in the decade before Covid, temporary visas soared from 100,000 to 200,000. Covid-19 has starkly highlighted our reliance on migrant labour particularly temporary migrant labour, he said. As we focus on reopening New Zealands borders, we are determined not to return to the pre-Covid status quo. Sectors which relied on migrant labour, like tourism and the primary industries, will look different in future, he said.

But in what the National party and other critics slammed as a contradiction to this philosophy, the immigration minister, Kris Faafoi, last week announced that 10,000 working holiday and seasonal work visas would be extended for six months, while essential skills visas like those held by health care workers due to expire would be bumped out till next July.

Aged Care Association chief executive Simon Wallace says rest homes are a big employer of migrants from the Philippines, India and the Pacific, and theyre currently 300 to 500 nurses short. Of the 5,000 nurses in aged care, 55% are here on visas.

He welcomed the visa extension, but said he was concerned that the government had also announced that future migrant health care workers would have to be paid $27 an hour minimum to get a visa.

That would rule out most of our caregivers and that will be a real problem for our sector as not many of them will earn over $27 an hour. We would love to pay more for them but we are only funded so much from the government for [aged care] beds, he said.

The whole narrative is now about highly skilled workers, but we rely on semi and mid-skilled workers to fill our labour gaps. Our [rest homes] are constantly embarking on drives to recruit Kiwis but we cant get them to do these jobs. Unemployment is low, there arent the Kiwis to do these jobs and not all Kiwis want to work in aged care.

According to Sam Jones, health director at the E t union the sector has historically been low paid, and that is why so many foreign migrants have filled labour gaps.

But the demands in rest homes are so much harder these days. It used to be that elderly would turn up playing bowls and going on outings, but by the time they now qualify for aged care, they often are immobile with very high needs and so its demanding work, he said.

We dont want to be casting aside those who have come in from overseas and have been working hard to care for our elderly. Wed be concerned if they raise the bar so they say, you have to go.

Originally posted here:
Locals dont like this job: New Zealands aged care sector fears immigration reform - The Guardian

This week Vice President Kamala Harris visited Guatemala and Mexico to discuss those countries key issues including immigration, corruption, and economic development.

While in Guatemala, Harris had a clear message to migrants who were thinking of coming to the United States.

I want to be clear to folks in this region that are making that dangerous track to the United States-Mexico border. Do not come. Do not come, Harris said.

The United States will continue to enforce our laws and secure our border. And I believe if you come to our border you will be turned back, she said in a press conference on Monday with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei.

Immediately after her speech, immigration advocacy groups and officials called out Harris and the Biden administration for their Trump-like rhetoric and policies.

In an interview with the Signal, Chief Advocacy Officer at The Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES) Erika Andiola said she was disheartened after hearing Harriss speech.

It is time to use their power and to really follow their promises they have made to the immigrant community and not be afraid of the Republican party and their base, Andiola said.

Andiola said it is the responsibility of the government to create better systems and safer conditions for families and children seeking asylum at the border.

We are not advocating for more detention for children, we want safer places and an expedited way for these kids to be reunited with their families, Andiola said.

Diana Martinez, co-founder of the Coalition to End Child Detention in El Paso (CECD) called Vice President Harris comments tone deaf.

Its not addressing the reasons why theyre coming theyre coming because theyre running away from a corrupt government theyre running away from violence, Martinez said. Im sure they would want to stay at home if they could, but staying there is not an option to save the lives of their children.

Andiola, Martinez, and others highlighted how former administrations created foreign policy that led to the destruction in many Central American and Latinx countries including Guatemala.

The violence that goes on there is rooted in US foreign policy so to say that to people in Guatemala is like saying put up with the abuse and violence, Martinez said. Asylum is a right, it is not illegal.

New York House Representative. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also responded to Harris comments tweeting, this is disappointing to see. First seeking asylum at any US border is a 100% legal method of arrival. Second, the US spent decades contributing to regime change and destabilization in Latin America. We cant help set someones house on fire and then blame them for fleeing.

In May, Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott issued an order to remove licenses from childcare facilities who are housing unaccompanied migrant children.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services responded to Abbotts order threatening to sue the governor, but then issued a statement telling facilities that are housing unaccompanied migrant children to wind-down operations.

As organizers, Andiola and Martinez are fighting to end child detention centers at the border altogether, but want better conditions for the children in the meantime.

Both said Abbotts policies are not helping, but instead creating an environment of fear in Texas.

Hes not doing this out of the kindness of his heart because he cares about migrant children, Andiola said. Its important as a country that we move forward with reimagining and recreating the way we welcome children so that they are not detained for such a long period of time and in conditions that are not safe physically and mentally.

In El Paso, Martinez said organizers and sponsors have no access to unaccompanied migrant children in Fort Bliss, an army base housing migrant children, and only learn about the conditions from leakers.

Before 2019, I could get on base and all you needed was proper insurance and registration, and I was able to get on base regularly now you can only get on the base if someone you know signs you in, Martinez said. Many of the children what they ask for in Fort Bliss is for clean underwear and they go without clean underwear for 2 to 3 weeks.

Martinez said they want transparency between the government and the community about how long the children are being held and what conditions they are living in.

We should be able to tell these children that they are loved, not alone and they will see their families soon, Martinez said. And to give them a place where they feel safe, that is temporary and for these to not be run by corporations. We should not profit off of pain.

Andiola also said these unaccompanied migrant children are only wanting a better life and also highlighted that seeking asylum in the U.S. is not illegal.

Children when they live in poverty they grow up feeling this responsibility that they have to help their families, Andiola said. At the end of the day they are children and to just say no and do everything the governor is doing to ensure we turn them away is just completely heartless and we are not going to stand for that.

The White House/ Wikimedia Commons

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Immigration advocacy organizations call out the Biden administration for their shift on immigration reform at the border. - The Texas Signal

WESLACO, Texas Sergio Contreras, president and CEO of the Rio Grande Valley Partnership, is one of a number of top business leaders across Texas to call for comprehensive immigration reform.

RGVP is a member of FWD.us,a bipartisan political organization that believes Americas families, communities, and economy thrive when more individuals are able to achieve their full potential.

For too long, the group says, the United States broken immigration and criminal justice systems have locked too many people out of the American dream.

Founded by leaders in the technology and business communities, FWD.us says it is seeking to grow and galvanize political support to break through partisan gridlock and achieve meaningful reforms.

Together, the group states, it can move America forward.

Contreras said: The RGV Partnership is a catalyst for prosperity in the Rio Grande Valley unifying stakeholders in the spirit of collaboration and regional progress and aims to be an influential advocate. This mission is extended through our partnership with FWD.us. Today, our nations immigration system is beyond broken and needs a unified front across leaders at the federal and state level to get the job done. More than ever, we need an immigration system that will benefit all workers, farmers, ranchers and businesses across Texas, especially in the Rio Grande Valley.

Contreras made his comments as FWD.us announced an expansion of its work to support bipartisan immigration reform through continued partnerships with Texas business organizations and trade associations.

The announcement comes on the heels of the U.S. House of Representatives passing both the Dream and Promise Act and the Farm Workforce Modernization Act to create a pathway to citizenship for certain undocumented individuals and their families.

Contreras said the partnerships FWD.us is building will include a variety of engagements to highlight the need for bipartisan immigration reform in Texas and across the nation, including public forums, press events, association roundtables, and joint outreach to elected officials.

Texas immigrant community is critical to our states COVID-19 response efforts and overall economic success. Major sectors of our states economy, including agriculture, food and beverage, energy, and real estate, are fueled by the contributions of immigrants, who are driving innovation, creating American jobs, and boosting economic growth, FWD.us said, in a news release.

Today, immigrant Texans contribute billions in tax revenue at the federal, state, and local levels, and create millions of jobs for American workers. However, decades of inaction on immigration policies has hindered our states economic growth while preventing millions of immigrants from contributing their full potential.

Here are the comments of various leaders within FWD.us:

FWD.us is excited to continue expanding our immigration work in Texas, especially through these crucial partnerships. Immigration is critical to the economic success of Texas, and to our states standing as a leading global economy. Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, Texas immigrants including undocumented individuals have remained vital to our states essential workforce, filling roles in industries from healthcare to agriculture, and their continued contributions are needed for a full economic recovery. We have an enormous opportunity to continue building momentum in Congress around bipartisan immigration reform bills and at the state level. By working with local business leaders, we can further emphasize the significant impact immigration has on our state and broader economy to drive meaningful reform in the near future.

The innovative and entrepreneurial spirit championed by immigrant communities is vital to Houstons success. Today, Houstons more than 280,000 undocumented essential workers are critical to our states COVID-19 response efforts and are helping fuel our economic recovery. These are workers in industries from farming to healthcare, working to ensure our businesses and communities are able to make it through this global health crisis. We look forward to our partnership with FWD.us to advance immigration policies that will improve our economy and communities.

With more than 1.7 million undocumented immigrants in Texas, including 300,000 undocumented essential workers in the DFW area, immigrants are vital to Texas economy and are integral to the fabric of our communities. Today, we have a unique opportunity to get sound, bipartisan immigration reforms across the finish line to better support our immigrant communities and industries they contribute to. Especially as we continue to rebuild from the economic downturn brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, it is time for our leaders at the state and federal level to recognize the immense contributions and positive impact of immigration in Texas. We look forward to doing just that through this continued partnership with FWD.us.

As home to the second largest immigrant population in the U.S., Texans understand just how significant the contributions of immigrants are to economic growth, job creation, innovation, cultural diversity, and beyond. This is especially seen in the restaurant industry, which has long been supported by foreign-born individuals who are integral to the future success of businesses and the broader economy. With an estimated 24 percent of restaurant workers being born in foreign countries, their dedication to the industry and to keeping Americans fed, especially through the coronavirus pandemic, has been unmatched. We are excited to build our partnership with FWD.us to support immigrants and their families as we work towards bipartisan, commonsense immigration reform.

A cumbersome immigration system has been a hurdle to the success of Texas businesses. The investment immigrants make in our state is sizable, both financially and socially, and their willingness to persevere has been shown time and time again most notably on the front lines of the pandemic. In fact, immigrants account for 24% of our overall essential COVID-19 response workforce, including health care workers, sanitation workers, agriculture workers, and more. Theyre reinforcing different sectors of the economy at a time when every industry is in need of support. More than ever, we need a new approach to immigration reform, and are excited to work on this through our growing partnership with FWD.us to find solutions that meet Texans needs.

Immigration has been an integral part of Texas past and is key to its future, and now is the time for Congress to develop a bipartisan solution that provides durable protection for Dreamers with a path to citizenship. If these young immigrants were removed, it would result in an annual GDP loss of $6.1 billion for the Lone Star State and remove a key component of Texas workforce. But more importantly, these young men and women are our neighbors, friends and co-workers who have only known the United States as their home, and the Texas Association of Business stands ready to work with its federal representatives to pass immigration reform.

A stronger immigration system will enable Texas foreign-born workforce to supplement our labor needs and power our states economy. In fact, more than half of the landscaping industry in Texas today is comprised of foreign-born individuals. However, our nations crumbling immigration system often fails those who seek to build a new life for themselves and their families here in the U.S. As Congress works advance legislation such as the bipartisan Farm Workforce Modernization Act to support undocumented individuals and their families who are vital to the agriculture workforce, more can and must be done to ensure Texas immigrants can contribute to their fullest ability. With FWD.us, we look forward to changing the conversation to prioritize an immigration system that benefits all Texans.

Producing quality journalism is not cheap. The coronavirus has resulted in falling revenues across the newsrooms of the United States. However, The Rio Grande Guardian is committed to producing quality news reporting on the issues that matter to border residents. The support of our members is vital in ensuring our mission gets fulfilled.

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Contreras: We need an immigration system that benefits all workers, farmers, ranchers and businesses - Rio Grande Guardian

Brooks County Sheriff Martinez said there is a solution to this problem but it does not involve more border walls.

BROOKS COUNTY, Texas The Coastal Bend may not have any international borders, but on a daily basis, local law enforcement are kept extremely busy.

41 immigrants have been found dead in the brush country of South Texas this year, Sheriff of Brooks County Benny Martinez told 3News.

"We picked up number 41. He was sitting underneath the tree, so we just secured the body and he was still in tact," Martinez said.

"Most of the time, they're out there more than four days," Brooks County Deputy Jose Lemus said. "They don't have no water, no food. They just give up."

Almost on a day-to-day basis, the Brooks County Sheriff's Department have their work cut out for them because there are so many people trying to get north of the Sarita checkpoint without documentation, and risking their own lives to do it.

"There was a time last month during one of my shifts, I would get two bodies each day of my shift," Lemus said.

Sheriff Martinez said there is a solution to this problem but it does not involve more border walls, because that won't stop people from coming in. Martinez said the fix needs to start from deeper.

"The issue is that we're kind of staying away from is 'immigration reform.' It has to be that. That will minimize all this death, it will minimize everything," Martinez said. "As you mentioned earlier, the fact that it takes so long. I have a friend of mine that's still in the process. It's been 25-30 years now."

Martinez said one life lost is too many.

"Every single person that we pick up, every single body has a story to it. We'll never know that story."

For the latest updates on coronavirus in the Coastal Bend, click here.

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Sheriff: 41 immigrants have been found dead in Coastal Bend brush country this year - KIIITV.com