Three links today examine how the issue of immigration will affect
politics in the US in the coming years. This country has to decide how,
not if, to integrate immigrants into the political sphere. Republican's
opposition to reform and generally anti-immigrant talking points are a
short-sighted strategy which can only alienate most immigrants.
Joshua Green on Boston.com writes about The issue Washington ignores,
but voters
don't.
While the growth of the immigrant population is fueled by legal
immigration, most opponents believe the causes are illegal immigration
and higher birth rates among immigrants. Not surprisingly, he observes
that poor economic prospects are the primary cause of the division
between natives (for lack of a better term) and immigrants.
And yet Americans are troubled by the growing number of minorities.
For many Americans, the old division between blacks and whites has
been replaced by a new division between native-born citizens and
immigrants. This is most apparent in the stark difference in economic
outlook between whites and minorities (particularly Asians and
Hispanics). Whites are far more pessimistic about their prospects and
their children's prospects --- and many mistakenly believe that
illegal immigrants are the primary culprit.
At the Atlantic Wire, Adam Martin speculates that the Obama
administration may be trying to get in front of the issue ahead of
2012. The Fortunate Timing of an Immigration Fraud Crackdown -
National - The Atlantic
Wire
These are the kinds of scams that target immigrants, legal and
illegal, every day. And this is what the federal government says it
wants to combat with a new
crackdown on
immigration scams. According to The New York Times, immigration
authorities, federal and state prosecutors, the Federal Trade
Commission, lawyers' groups, and advocate groups are cooperating on a
major new push to protect immigrants from those who would prey on
Finally, California is set to pass its own DREM acts, which lets
children who came to the US illegally pay in state tuition. Republicans
in the state are cloaking their opposition to this legislation on
budgetary terms, saying the state can't afford it. On May 5, the state
Assembly approved AB 130, the other half of the California DREAM Act,
which allows undocumented students access to scholarships offered by the
UC and CSU system from their own reserves. However, AB 131, which would
allow undocumented students to access state financial aid and cal grants
and would have an estimated impact of \$32.5 million on state coffers,
has been on hold for nearly two
months.
On May 5, the state Assembly approved AB 130, the other half of the
California DREAM Act, which allows undocumented students access to
scholarships offered by the UC and CSU system from their own reserves.
However, AB 131, which would allow undocumented students to access
state financial aid and cal grants and would have an estimated impact
of \$32.5 million on state coffers, has been on hold for nearly two
months.