Obama and the Democrats pretend to be on the side of immigrants, and they cry hypocritical tears over families being torn apart. But under Obama the number of people being deported is higher than under Bush (a record 387,790 last year)! And now Obama is supporting comprehensive legislation which is designed to increase the exploitation of immigrant workers, and which will increase families being torn apart by Gestapo-like raids.
In March, with the full support of Obama, Senators Schumer (Democrat) and Graham (Republican) released the framework for new anti-immigrant legislation. Writing in the March 17 Washington Post:
1) Their first concern is bolstering "border security and interior enforcement," which would include requiring a police-state biometric Social Security card for all legal U.S. workers, citizen and immigrant.
2) They lay out a plan for "circular migration," or "creating a process for admitting temporary workers," which is merely a different way of saying that they want to bring back something like the notorious bracero program of half a century ago. Their minor revision of this program would be that if these super-exploited workers return to the U.S. time and again "over many years," maybe they'll have "the chance to earn a green card."
3) Meanwhile, they would "award green cards to immigrants who
receive a
PhD or master's degree in science, technology, engineering or math from
a U.S. university" with no problems. But all other
undocumented people would be treated as criminals. For example,
they would have to "admit they broke the law," perform "community
service" and pay fines in order to get a green card. And Schumer
and Graham join with the anti-democratic "English first" demagogues in
demanding that "these people (their words!) be proficient
in English."
Schumer and Graham’s emphasis on "enforcement" (more ICE raids and
deportations), temporary labor, and punitive provisions serves the
exploiting class, the capitalists, who make untold $billions yearly
through the super-exploitation of the labor power of migrant
workers. And this denial of rights and equality to the
undocumented is used to drive down the wages and conditions of all
workers. Hence, the framework of the working class must be to
fight for full rights for all immigrants.
But while Obama and the Democrats hatch further attacks against immigrants they also know that they must deal with the immigrant rights movement. In the spring of 2006 this movement mobilized millions of people into the streets against the reactionary legislative proposals of that year, and Obama and Co. now fear such a movement developing against themselves. Thus, the so-called progressive politicians of the Democratic Party machine and allied immigrant rights groups and trade union officials have been organizing rallies to cheer on immigration reform this year . . . while hiding the thoroughly reactionary nature of the comprehensive reform that Obama wants. At the huge Mar. 21 "March for America" event in Washington D.C. they even played a special video from Obama, while the Washington Immigration Reform Coalition (WIRC) website advertising the Seattle April 10 rally praises the anti-immigrant Graham framework and Obama’s support for it! This is betrayal of immigrants, and betrayal of the entire working class.
Various members of WIRC may not be happy with this, or happy about the fact that WIRC takes up the right-wing's incitements against immigrants when it writes of "keep(ing) America safe," and "learn(ing) our language." But since the coalition leaders do say they want some just things these members may think that they must put up with covering up for Obama in the hope that he’ll reward this subservience by insisting that a few nice things be put in the eventual Schumer-Graham bill. This is vanity. Obama has already staked out his viciously anti-immigrant position, and the healthcare debate has just shown that when he compromises it is to the right.
More than 200,000 people marching in Washington D.C. Mar. 21 revealed that the immigrant rights movement is alive and wants reform. Yet a progressive reform is not going to come this year, or in the current political situation. The only way to win one is to organize, over time, a conscious and fighting mass movement that becomes powerful enough to put fear in the hearts of both parties in Washington, and their capitalist masters.
But this cannot begin to happen as long as the masses of people are being kept in the dark about the vicious, anti-immigrant nature of things like the Obama-supported Schumer-Graham comprehensive framework. All those who know about Schumer-Graham should therefore organize to spread the word with home-made signs, in leaflets and verbally on May Day, the day of international working-class solidarity. And long-term groups that are not under the thumb of the Democratic Party need to be organized or strengthened. We need a new generation of working-class organizers.
Stop Obama's ICE raids and
deportations!
Full rights for all immigrants, now!
Seattle Anti-Imperialist Committee, April 9, 2010
3 Comments:
Author: Frank Date/Time: Monday, April 12, 2010 at 2:27 pm
Senators Schumer and Graham lay out their Obama-supported viciously
anti-immigrant legislative framework at
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/17/AR2010031703115.html
Meanwhile, after the rally the Washington Immigration Reform Coalition (http://www.weareoneamerica.org/wirc) appears to have now removed the following statement from it’s website:
'In just the last few weeks, momentum for comprehensive immigration reform has escalated. Nationally, Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Graham (R-SC) issued a framework of a bill in a Washington Post op-ed and President Obama signaled support for a bi-partisan bill in both a video message at the 'March for America' and in a meeting with leaders of the Reform Immigration FOR America movement. In Washington State, elected officials from every level of government have issued letters of support. These gains. . ."
Nevertheless, it still uncritically carries a news article that begins
"CNN - Tens of thousands of people turned out on Washington’s National Mall on Sunday to support the Obama administration in its next big battle, a renewed effort to overhaul U.S. immigration laws.
Speaking by video to the crowd, President Obama said he would do “everything in my power” to get a bipartisan deal within the year. . .”
So, just as at the April 10 rally, WIRC sounds no warning against the huge attack being plotted by Obama & Co., and it continues to gush over the local Democratic Party politicians. This will not do. The only way that a progressive reform can be won is by mass mobilizations demanding full rights now! And while May Day is an important mobilization, WIRC still is not advertising it on its website. Hopefully, it will, as it SHOULD.
Of course, there are many other immigrant rights groups besides WIRC. One of these, the National Immigrant Solidarity Network, includes the following demands for the May Day marches:
1) No to anti-immigrant legislation, and the criminalization of the
immigrant communities.
2) No to militarization of the border.
3) No to the immigrant detention and deportation.
4) No to the guest worker program.
5) No to employer sanction and “no match” letters.
6) Yes to a path to legalization without condition for undocumented immigrants NOW
While neither Schumer-Graham framework nor the Guiterrez bill are mentioned, the demands are against both.
All out for May Day!
Author: Frank Date/Time: Monday, April 12, 2010 at 8:05 pm
I should add that perhaps 5000 people (wild guess) turned out to the event. It was a great crowd, and the Seattle Anti-Imperialist Committee gave out lots of leaflets plus having good (and informative) discussions with numerous people. But as you can gather from the above, the speakers platform, was dominated by Democratic Party politicians and others who led in cheering for immigration reform this year, while hiding the attack that Obama & Co. are preparing.
Author: Eric Date/Time: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 at 7:42 am
That WIRC statement which Frank quotes in comment 1 above still appears at this URL:
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=22118360040&topic=13535
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