Ortiz, Hinojosa, co-sponsor Gutierrez’s immigration reform bill
By Steve Taylor

Rio Grande Guardian

La Unión del Pueblo Entero community organizer Maria Gomez said good immigration reform will ‘create safe communities at the border.’

EDINBURG, Dec. 15 – Border lawmakers have enthusiastically embraced the new comprehensive immigration reform bill introduced Tuesday by U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez of Illinois.

U.S. Reps. Solomon Ortiz, D-Corpus Christi, and U.S. Rep. Rubén Hinojosa, D-Mercedes, announced they have co-sponsored the Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America’s Security and Prosperity Act of 2009 (CIR-ASAP).

“I come from immigrant grandparents who came to Texas 100 years ago. I know first hand the contributions immigrants make to our great nation,” Hinojosa said. “Immigration reform has taken the slow road until now. We stand united and ready to make the changes that will make this country stronger.”

The bill includes 89 co-sponsors some of whom belong to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), the Black Caucus (CBC), the Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) and the Progressive Caucus.

Hinojosa said the bill will protect workers, keep families together, and promote national security. The bill also:

•        Provides a fair pathway to earned legalization that honors the hard work of immigrants and our tradition as a nation of laws;

•        Promotes and respects family unity to keep spouses together and children with their parents;

•        Protects opportunities for education and service through an expanded DREAM Act;

•        Protects the due process of all; and

•        Enhances our national security by focusing our enforcement and security measures on serious criminals, drug runners and terrorists.

•        Creates an employment-based visa system that is fair to workers and employers.

•        Allows for undocumented farm workers who have been part of the agricultural guest worker program to earn legalization.

“This bill is the product of months of collaboration with immigrant advocates, labor organizations, and members of Congress. I am looking forward to seeing my colleagues from the other side of the aisle support us in getting this bill ready for President Obama’s signature early next year,” Hinojosa added.

Rio Grande Valley immigrants’ rights group La Unión del Pueblo Entero has embraced Gutierrez’s legislation also. The group held a news conference in San Juan on Tuesday morning to discuss the legislation. LUPE members also visited Hinojosa’s office in Edinburg. They said the bill is a “sign of progress and momentum for action on real, common sense immigration reform” by Congress.

“CIR-ASAP outlines a vision for immigration reform that is desperately needed. The people of the Rio Grande Valley, of Texas, and of America know our immigration system is broken, and that it tears families apart,” said Martha Sanchez, LUPE’s organizing coordinator.

“It’s time to do the right thing and pass common sense reform that restores fairness to our labor markets, recognizes the contributions of immigrant workers and families and helps get the economy back on track. We want our leaders to solve tough problems and today we saw leadership from the diverse coalition behind Comprehensive Immigration Reform.”

Juanita Valdez-Cox, LUPE’s executive director, said the country cannot afford more delays. “It’s time to fix out broken immigration system. Today was a big step in the right direction, and we hope Congress follows Rep. Gutierrez’ example,” Valdez-Cox said.

LUPE Organizer Maria Gomez agreed. “We need immigration reform that is just and humane. A good bill would put us on the road to economic recovery and create safe communities at the border,” Gomez said.

Gomez pointed out that Americans all over the country are organizing to pass comprehensive immigration reform. Last month, at least 60,000 Americans participated in more than 1,000 house parties in 45 states. They have been mobilizing, taking action, and making their voices heard by texting “justice” or “justicia” to 69866 and getting connected to the Reform Immigration for America campaign. They are also calling 1-866-974-8813 to tell the White House to keep its promise, and act to pass comprehensive immigration reform this year.

Ortiz said Gutierrez has set in motion “comprehensive and sensible immigration reform” in the House of Representatives.

“I thank Congressman Luis V. Gutierrez of Illinois for pushing this initiative. Luis has traveled throughout the country visiting communities and listening to immigrant’s stories; which highlight the country’s desperate need for immigration reform so we can secure our borders and learn firsthand who is in this country,” Ortiz said.

“Through the diligent efforts of Members of Congress – both in the House and in the Senate – as well as immigration advocate groups, and labor organizations, today, we have a plan that has the potential of truly helping to better this country and its people.”

Ortiz said for too long families have been separated and young children have had to grow up in the U.S. without their parents. “For too long our current system has not allowed for the complete potential of our nation to emerge; for too long productive workers have lived in fear and in the dark,” he said.

Ortiz said the U.S. needs to ensure that children who have grown up in the U.S. not knowing any other country are fully integrated into the American system by allowing them to pursue education. “We cannot punish them for wanting to be better people of this community, and this plan would help that cause,” he said.

“This is about ending illegal immigration, and to do so we need to set up a thorough employment verification system that will prevent employers from abusing the system. We must not limit American workers the right to employment because of bureaucracy in the government’s databases,” Ortiz added.

U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-El Paso, said his PORTS (Putting Our Resources Toward Security) Act will serve as the cornerstone of the security and enforcement provisions in Gutierrez’s legislation. The PORTS bill has been endorsed by the Texas Border Coalition.

“For years, we have fought to change America’s broken immigration system, and we are delivering on our promise to move forward with real, meaningful reform,” Reyes said. “I am pleased that my legislation, to provide additional funding and CBP inspectors at our ports of entry, was included in this historic reform measure. This is critical to the needs of the El Paso community, and I will continue to work closely with the President and the House Leadership to ensure the interests of border communities are met, not just heard.”

Mike Dipp, board president of the El Paso Central Business Association, said Reyes has once again “delivered” for El Paso. Dipp was in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. “Improving the flow of cross border trade at our ports of entry is one of the business community’s top priorities. I thank Congressman Reyes for effectively representing our interests in Washington,” Dipp said.

The first “title” in Gutierrez’s bill includes provisions on border security, detention, and enforcement. By incorporating Reyes’ PORTS legislation, Gutierrez’s bill will:

• provide 5,000 additional Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers across the nation, allowing for an increase in total officers by approximately 30 percent over five years;

• provide 350 additional support personnel and 1,200 agriculture specialists at CBP, which will help ensure that officers will not be pulled away from inspection duties to perform specialized or administrative work, and;

• authorize $5 billion over five years for the General Services Administration (GSA) to repair and reconstruct land ports of entry.  GSA and CBP will be required to work together to prioritize repair work.

Other aspects of Gutierrez’s bill include:

Tough Electronic Verification System

Bill mandates an electronic employment verification system administered by DHS with the collaboration of the Social Security Administration. The verification system would be phased in over time and includes money to study the benefits of a biometric verification system.

Legalization Requirements

Bill requires all undocumented individuals to register with the U.S. government, pass a background check, pay a $500 fine, pay back taxes, learn English and U.S. civics, and enter a 6-year probationary period with conditional LPR status. Conditional LPR status allows them to work and travel legally. After six years and after pending applications from legal migrants are reduced, those individuals who have been working, studying, have served in the Armed Services or otherwise contributing in their communities, may apply for green card status.

Market Based Immigration Policy

The bill creates a Commission on Labor Markets and Immigration that will work to provide labor and market data-based recommendations for better immigration policies that promote America’s economic growth and competitiveness while minimizing job displacement, wage depression, and unauthorized employment in the United States.

Integration of New Americans

The bill incorporates aspects of the DREAM Act, PROUD Act, and AgJobs bills and expands the provisions of the Citizen Promotion Act of last Congress.  It also includes a grant program for community-based organizations to promote and help immigrants prepare for citizenship.