Push Is on for Immigration Reform 
From left are Jessica Yoon, Community Organizer at the Tompkins County Worker’s Center; Carlos Gutierrez of the Latino Civic Association of Tompkins County; Ute Ritz- Deutch of the Tompkins County Immigrant Rights Coalition; and Laurie Konwinski, Coordinator of Justice and Peace Ministry at Catholic Charities in Tompkins County.
Ute Ritz-Deutch is passionate about immigration laws, which she feels are both unfair and outdated. Deportation undermines the principles that the United States is supposed to stand for, she says, referencing the Bill of Rights and the Statue of Liberty. “This is supposed to be a country where we all have equality before the law and that isn’t happening right now.”
A common misperception is that immigration is a criminal issue, a belief that is enhanced by calling undocumented residents “illegal immigrants.” Ritz-Deutch explains that, in reality, immigration is a civil issue. She notes that there is a big difference between receiving a traffic ticket and committing a murder, though both are against the law.
Ritz-Deutch, along with many others like Carlos Gutierrez of the Latino Civic Association of Tompkins County, has been working hard to revitalize the Immigrant Rights Coalition in the Ithaca area.
Their goal is to raise public awareness of immigration law reform efforts and to increase the lobbying efforts to pass the federal Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America’s Security and Prosperity legislation sponsored in part by Sen. Charles Schumer (DN. Y.) The proposed bill has six titles, developed in an effort to make immigration a better and more streamlined process for all involved.
Border Security, Detention and Enforcement (Title I) is the section that would increase protection for individuals subject to immigration detainers. Improving the conditions of detention would include things like ensuring adequate medical treatment, access to telephones and legal counsel for detainees.
Another key component of this section is protecting family unity by discouraging the separation of families and children. Ritz-Deutch believes that current immigration policies negatively affect families, especially those with U.S. citizen children and mixed-status parents. For example, if parents get deported, their children will often end up separated from them, living with friends or neighbors or placed in foster care — or they may be deported, too.
“Then you have U.S. citizen children living in a less than ideal environment with higher poverty and malnutrition rates and a poorer educational system,” Ritz-Deutch says. “These kids have rights, too.” She is also concerned about older children of undocumented residents who, because of their U.S. citizen status, often are saddled with the responsibility of getting a job, a credit card, a bank account, a car or signing legal documents like mortgages. “It’s a tremendous strain on these kids,” she acknowledges.
Ritz-Deutch asserts that the cost of maintaining border security in the current fashion is diverting financial resources that could be better used elsewhere. Increasing English as a Second Language classes, training social workers and prison guards in the detainee prisons to be more culturally sensitive, and offering judicial training on preserving family unity are several suggestions that she offers.
The expressed fear that “immigrants will take our jobs” is unfounded, says Ritz-Deutch, because, even with the high unemployment rates, the demand for migrant workers in the agricultural sector hasn’t changed and Finger Lakes agricultural and farming communities rely heavily on this supply of labor.
She explains that all workers, including immigrants, must be protected under the same laws because, “If one particular group isn’t protected it drags the labor standard down for everyone.” Title II, the Employment Verification section of the bill, responds to this and would protect workers from employers who use their immigrant status to exploit them.
The proposed bill ends optimistically with Title VI, Integration of New Americans, designed to “make citizenship more accessible and affordable” by measures such as reducing the citizenship application process fees, making the naturalization process easier to navigate and encouraging new Americans to acclimate into their new communities.
Those interested in learning more about immigration policy can become involved on a number of levels, including signing up to receive regular e-mail updates, text message alerts, or volunteering. Ellen Harrison at ellenzharrison@ gmail.com.
Ritz-Deutch and Gutierrez also urge people to contact Schumer to show their support for passage of a comprehensive immigration bill and to lobby representatives like Eric Massa, Michael Arcurri and Maurice Hinchey.
The reform effort will only be successful if the people that are putting it through have the courage to do it, says Gutierrez. “But legislators will need the support of the community through phone calls and emails.” He believes that community support of elected representatives is crucial to combat a fairly strong opposition immigration reform which he says has “a loud voice and money being poured into the media for negative campaigning against immigration reform.”
President Obama also must take an active lead on the immigration rights issue, says Gutierrez, adding emphatically, “It needs to be a priority for his administration!” Ritz-Deutch acknowledges, “Obama campaigned in-part on immigration reform and has the support of the Latino community but he’s been quiet about immigration since the election.”
On Sunday, March 21, there will be a March on Washington for Comprehensive Immigration Reform. The Immigrant Rights Coalition is organizing a one-day bus trip, and updates will be posted at tcirc.wordpress.blog and on www.reformimmigrationforamerica. org. For information on the Immigrant Rights Coalition call Gutierrez at 277-8699 or e-mail Ritz-Deutch at uteritzdeutch@ yahoo.com.
