our values are simple. the journey is not. www.h4pj.org

Dear [% recip.FIRSTNAME({ifEmpty='Friend'}) %],

The anniversary of the first Mega March for Immigration in downtown Dallas is coming up. On Palm Sunday last year, more than half a million people marched from the Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe to Dallas City Hall protesting proposed enforcement-only laws and the criminalization of undocumented immigrants and people who assist them. It was exhilarating, and even fun, to be a part of it, even though we knew we were there for something far more serious.

Yet, a year later, what has changed?

Congress voted to build a wall between the United States and Mexico, but did nothing to rescind the elements of NAFTA that have eliminated jobs in Mexico. The Mexican agricultural industry was hit especially hard.

Cities across the country have debated and passed ordinances aimed primarily at Mexican and Central American immigrants, but do nothing to prosecute unscrupulous employers who cheat these same immigrants out of their pay.

The rhetoric about immigrants is mean spirited at best and, like many controversial issues, is boiled down to a simplistic and unrealistic dichotomy: “Either come here legally or not at all.” It’s not that easy.

I volunteer monthly at an immigration law clinic. My experience there, along with discussions with the immigration attorney, has convinced me that the system is beyond broken. This is an overview of a handful of the problems with our immigration system:

• Coming to the United States with appropriate documents is a complicated, time-consuming and expensive process.
• There is only one type of visa available to non-skilled immigrants. There are 66,000 available each year, and they are all issued by the end of February. They are primarily for agricultural workers and are only good for one working season (approximately 4-6 months). There are no work visas for construction or hospitality workers.
• In order to receive an H2B visa, an employer must file an application on behalf of the immigrant worker. Under this program, a worker hired in Mexico waits up to 60 days for the visa to be approved and issued, if any are available.
• Even getting a tourist visa can be difficult. There is a $100 fee to apply. The agent at the US Embassy has complete discretion over who is granted one. No reason must be given for denial, and there is no appeal of the decision. If denied, the person must wait six months before applying again.

Is it any wonder that people give up on the system? But wait! There’s more:

• Once in the US, an immigrant can have a spouse, sibling, parent or child sponsor them. However, the current wait for permanent residency for citizens of Mexico is seven to 15 years. During that waiting period, the person is undocumented and subject to deportation. They cannot legally “leave” the United States for any reason.
• If an immigrant has been in the US for more than six months without permission and leaves for any reason, there is an automatic three year penalty. The penalty increases to 10 years if the person has been in the US for more than one year. The immigrant must stay in Mexico for the three-year or 10-year period before being able to apply to return to the United States. Coming across the US border twice without documents leads to a permanent bar to legal residency.

It is a frustrating, complex system that denies people a realistic chance to become legal residents.
When we talk about immigrants, we must remember that we are talking about real people with jobs, families, hopes and dreams for themselves and their children.

Perhaps most of all, we must remember that immigrants are also God’s beloved children and that, as people of faith, we are commanded to welcome them. “When I was a stranger, you welcomed me … Whenever you did it for any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for me." (Matthew 25: 35, 40, Contemporary English Version).

Sincerely,

Lynn Walters
H4PJ Contributor & Activist

HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO Protest Join the Dallas Mega March Petition Sign the One Million Voices United Petition Proclaim Tell your elected officials you support comprehensive immigration reform.