Video on Postville Immigration Raid--How should we be discussing immigration reform?

[Will Boyd]

I came across the following video today about the Postville immigration raid and it really made me think.


How should we be talking about immigration reform? Here in the US, it is certainly a touchy subject. I will fully admit that I tend to fall into the camp that sees immigration as an issue of social justice. However, many I know see the issue of immigration reform about economics and security. What bother me about the discussion my country seems to be having is not that their are differences in opinion. Instead, I am bothered at the way a lot of our discussion dehumanizes the people who are trying to better their lives.

How can we stop using words like "alien" and "illegal" and continue our discussion about how to best serve all of the human beings involved? I would love your feedback.

[Jeff]

More kismet: Check out blogtalkradio.com/marsound. For more information, contact Mike Orshan.

[Jeff]

Kismet: this link was sent to me within minutes of writing the above.

[Jeff]

Absolutely. In addition, the language we use is key - I don't agree with replacing "illegal" with "undocumented" or with dropping the word altogether. In my mind, rule of law is one of the critical ideas in this discussion. However, "alien" -- which, let's face it, today conjures up images of bug-eyed, tentacled things from another world -- is not helpful. It not-so-subtly demonizes the human beings at the center of the issue. Likewise, an intelligent policy has to include some form of what some on my side of the aisle would call "amnesty" while conveniently ignoring the "impact on families" of the status quo. We're not going to solve this overnight, but that's no reason not to start working on it today.

[Will Boyd]

I think the one thing that stands out to me as I read your comment is that, no matter where you come down on the issue, ignoring the issue and doing nothing is definitely not the answer.

[Jeff]

Will: Great video and thought-provoking post. I'm thinking that you and I probably come from different traditions of political thought, but we agree that the discussion in the U.S. has not been very fruitful. Illegal immigration (like abortion and gun control) is one of those subjects about which it has become almost impossible to talk rationally in our country. Although, as quickly as I say this I feel I have to take part of it back. Unlike abortion and gun control, there seems to be a thread that runs from left to right that recognizes this as a serious social, economic, and security issue that must be understood to be solved. The problem, I suspect, is that a load of unstated premises writhes beneath the surface. Maybe immigration policy is more like our dependence on fossil fuel - something it has been easy to ignore for a long time but is no longer so.