The cost of delay on immigration reform
A recent Time Magazine story about yet another anti-immigrant bill in Arizona caught my eye because it illustrates the deterioration of our immigration system as political leaders in Washington continue to postpone acting on comprehensive reform:
Buoyed by recent public opinion polls suggesting they’re on the right track with illegal immigration, Arizona Republicans will likely introduce legislation this fall that would deny birth certificates to children born in Arizona — and thus American citizens according to the U.S. Constitution — to parents who are not legal U.S. citizens. The law largely is the brainchild of state senator Russell Pearce, a Republican whose suburban district, Mesa, is considered the conservative bastion of the Phoenix political scene. He is a leading architect of the Arizona law that sparked outrage throughout the country: Senate Bill 1070, which allows law-enforcement officers to ask about someone’s immigration status during a traffic stop, detainment or arrest if reasonable suspicion exists — things like poor English skills, acting nervous or avoiding eye contact during a traffic stop.
But the likely new bill is for the kids. While SB1070 essentially requires of-age migrants to have the proper citizenship paperwork, the potential “anchor baby” bill blocks the next generation from ever being able to obtain it. The idea is to make the citizenship process so difficult that illegal immigrants pull up the anchor and leave.
This new anti-family legislation is consistent with the pattern of anti-immigrant bills cropping up in state capitols across the country — which will continue to happen until comprehensive immigration reform is passed at the federal level. As Congressional midterms approach, there’s a strong temptation to sweep controversial legislation such as immigration reform under the rug until the election is over. But these calculated delays exacerbate the need to address the issue, and leave immigrant families vulnerable to draconian measures across the country.