Earlier this week we wrote about The Alabama Immigrant in Part 1 of our feature. We heard from a lot of our visitors who had the chance to check out this great blog. We hope you enjoy the concluding feature on “The Alabama Immigrant”. Make sure to show them some love.
Through your eyes what do people need to understand about what is happening in Alabama?
People need to understand that although what we are seeing is disturbing, our hope can not be left in the hands of elected officials. People tend to elect reflections of themselves. We as individuals need to decide that we are going to treat other people with dignity, regardless of where they were born.
How has life changed in Alabama?
I can see things changing little by little in Alabama. For example, sometimes I overhear people’s conversations about immigration issues. The things they say are so horrible. I hear stories about how bad things were in the 50s, but I never thought Alabama would be like that again. When they are saying such hateful things about non-americans, I wonder what they would say if they knew I was married to a Mexican. I wonder if they could say those things if they spent even 5 minutes with my beautiful nieces and nephews. I know that they couldn’t. The only reason they are acting like that is because they are grossly misinformed. The girls my wife and I are friends with tell us shocking stories about life in school as well. The kids use racial name calling, and make violent threats. It’s very sad, and it misrepresents the feelings of the masses.
Are there any groups down in Alabama that you support or have been able to work with?
I am in contact with a girl named Jessica Ordenana who is helping children with deported parents. She is starting a non-profit organization “to have a place young children & adolescents can do their homework, talk to other kids in the same situation and communicate with their parents. In addition offer services to help these children with social, financial, employment, education, legal and mental health. We want to keep the families as close together as possible.” her site is http://jesscares.tumblr.com/
Please check out their site HERE and Follow them on Twitter.
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Immigrant of the Year: The DREAMer
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Despite the lack of immigration reform (few seriously expected it to come in an election year), 2012 was far from quiet on the immigration front.
While the issue was not discussed as often as some would like during the presidential campaign, immigration did play a part in the political conversation. The year started out with candidates trying to out-conservative each other in the Republican primaries and ended with voters flatly rejecting Mitt Romney’s proposal of “self-deportation” and fresh promises from the re-elected president to pursue comprehensive immigration reform in 2013.
Outside the rhetoric, both President Obama and the U.S. Supreme Court spoke on the matter, with the former extending deferred action to certain childhood arrivals and the latter striking down the majority of Arizona’s anti-immigrant SB 1070.
Of course, President Obama also oversaw a record number of deportations in 2012.
Regardless of the fears expressed by some, immigrants continued to make valuable contributions to the U.S. in 2012, including the army’s soldier of the year. Immigrants and their children continued to contribute to our sciences, businesses, government & politics, education, athletics and society.
Still, very few risked more than those brought here as children, so called DREAMers.
Countless risked deportation to countries they do not know in order to publicly advocate for the rights of other immigrants as well as their own. They organized regional and national organizations, took to the streets and informed their communities through blogs and social media.
In an election season in which their votes would not be counted, they made sure their voices were heard, turning up at campaign rallies and at campaign offices to make sure they were not ignored.
When President Obama announced the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services would be extending deferred action to some DREAMers, many set up immigration forums and application drives to make sure their communities were informed.
DREAMers were active on the state and local levels as well, standing up to the spread of Alabama and Arizona-style immigration laws in other states, filing lawsuits and influencing state and local policies.
Such actions take guts. They also deserve recognition.
Had many DREAMers not taken the time to stand up for their themselves and their communities, it is doubtful deferred action would have ever come to pass. It is also doubtful comprehensive immigration reform would be such a big priority for both political parties going into 2013. Without such efforts, it is likely that anti-immigrant laws in the same vein as those found in Arizona and Alabama would have spread.
If the promise of immigration reform is achieved this coming year, the DREAMers will be in large part the ones to thank.
Photo courtesy of Justice, Peace, & Integrity of Creation