More Aloha For Immigrants
Tony is a high school student in Hawaii but is undocumented. Up until he was approved for deferred action (DACA) he lived in daily fear of being deported. His dad was deported three years ago. Tony鈥檚 mom and older brother work to earn enough to support the family and send some money聽to Mexico to support the dad because he cannot get a job. Splitting hard working families like this is not what America means and definitely is not the Hawaiian way.
During the past five years FACE (Faith Action for Community Equity) has waged local and national campaigns to obtain civil rights for immigrants. This year signs are clear that Congress has awakened to the realization that immigrants are an asset to this country and that it is good policy to open the way for the eleven million persons without legal status to apply for citizenship. FACE joins with immigrant communities and our allies in Hawaii and across the nation to demand that President Obama and Congress make immigration reform a top priority. This time they聽must not relent until our lawmakers complete the necessary work to assure a just and fair reform of the nation鈥檚 broken system. We welcome the proposals made by President Obama and the bipartisan Senate 鈥済ang of eight鈥. But we want to make sure that it does enough.
We are clear what reform legislation must include the following, (to name only a few of our priorities):
- A clear pathway to citizenship for the people already in this country, which would include a quick legalization process while they move through the long process of citizenship. This would include an immediate halt to requiring spouses and minor children of U.S. citizens to return to the country of origin in order to apply for resident status. Likewise, undocumented parents of U.S. born children should not be required to leave in order to apply for status.
- Family unity; stop splitting up families by detention and deportation. Expedite the admission of family members who apply for visas in order to join their family members who are already citizens. The reform legislation must include updating the quota system to address the needs of Asian and Pacific nations. Many Hawaii families have been waiting for more than ten years for their elderly parents or adult children to be granted entry permits. FACE member organizations and some churches and temples will hold prayer vigils for family unity during the season of Lent.
- Immigrant workers must enjoy the same workplace protections and benefits as their citizen co-workers. Legalization of the current undocumented population will benefit hardworking immigrants and their families as well as established workers and employers by providing immigrant workers with the same labor protections as native-born workers and stabilizing our labor force. Our economy and revenue stream will be much enhanced. Immigrants do not take jobs away from citizens and they contribute much more in taxes than they consume. They have helped to make this country great.
Finally, as fair and just immigration is making its way through Congress, we call upon President Obama to use his executive powers to immediately stop the separation of families by halting the deportation of immigrant workers and to declare a moratorium on work-place raids. We ask the President to eliminate contracts (287g and 鈥渟ecure communities鈥) between DHS and local police.
Here at home, we call upon the people of aloha to move away from security mania and fear of the stranger and move toward true aloha of welcoming the newcomer and the person who looks different and sounds and acts differently. We can each vow to stop using the 鈥淚鈥 word, for no person is an Illegal. Many undocumented persons entered the country legally but have overstayed. Furthermore, to enter without a visa is not a crime; it is a civil infraction.
As people of faith we believe that migration throughout the world is God鈥檚 way of continuing to create something new. Our scriptures contain many stories of people on the move, always conscious that God travels with them. We believe that God prefers diversity and that migration is God鈥檚 way of mixing us to become a variety of hues, languages, customs and beliefs. What better place to see God at work than Hawaii nei? May we all join God鈥檚 parade toward the new life in a new world.
About the author: Rev. Bain is a United Methodist pastor who has served congregations on Kauai and Oahu since 1976 until retirement in 2001. In 鈥渞etirement鈥, as an Organizer with FACE his ministry continues to advocate for equity and justice for the many who get pushed aside and away from the joys and benefits of our society.
A native of Virginia, upon graduation from the College of William and Mary he went to Sarawak, Malaysia as a missionary teacher and later (after theological training at Drew University in N.J.) as a pastor and Bible translator among the Iban people.
He was married to the late Florence McKay Bain for 46 years. They have two children, one in Alaska and the other in Brooklyn, New York.
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