Undocumented immigrants among us
A lot of buzz today about Pulitzer prize winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas' public confession that he is an undocumented immigrant. If like me, you've run of out of free views at the NYT before you ran out of month, you can watch this shorter video version:
It also appears that the NYT article is reprinted here. Vargas is for all practical purposes an American and the DREAM Act was written to cover people like him, who were brought here as children. It can't be denied he has contributed to our society and it would be a great loss if he were to be deported. A distinct possibility.
There are thousands like him who don't have the cover to make this sort of brave admission. Under Obama's watch, the US has deported around 800K undocumented immigrants. Some were no doubt criminals, but for many their only crime was entering our country without papers in order to lift themselves and their families out of crushing poverty in their home countries.
Meanwhile, in thanks to the good ole bigots that run the state, Georgia farmers are watching their crops rot in the fields because the immigrants fled after an draconian anti-immigrant law was passed. Shockingly, no legal Americans are flocking to take over the backbreaking work in the blazing sun for the low wages the farmers are willing to pay. Which won't stop the GOPers xenophobes who passed that hateful legislation from blaming Obama for the rising cost of produce. [hat tip to Chris L Hayes for the video.]
It also appears that the NYT article is reprinted here. Vargas is for all practical purposes an American and the DREAM Act was written to cover people like him, who were brought here as children. It can't be denied he has contributed to our society and it would be a great loss if he were to be deported. A distinct possibility.
There are thousands like him who don't have the cover to make this sort of brave admission. Under Obama's watch, the US has deported around 800K undocumented immigrants. Some were no doubt criminals, but for many their only crime was entering our country without papers in order to lift themselves and their families out of crushing poverty in their home countries.
Meanwhile, in thanks to the good ole bigots that run the state, Georgia farmers are watching their crops rot in the fields because the immigrants fled after an draconian anti-immigrant law was passed. Shockingly, no legal Americans are flocking to take over the backbreaking work in the blazing sun for the low wages the farmers are willing to pay. Which won't stop the GOPers xenophobes who passed that hateful legislation from blaming Obama for the rising cost of produce. [hat tip to Chris L Hayes for the video.]
Labels: economy, immigration, society
posted by Libby Spencer at 7:37 PM
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