Yesterday I had the privilege of going to Ellis Island in New York City, the entry point for over 12 million immigrants to the US from 1892 to 1954. It was an awesome experience for me to stand in the Registry Room where every newcomer packed in with nervous excitement and fear. They waited to be questioned, examined and deemed worthy or unworthy of entrance to a new life in the US. From the displays in the museum, the process seemed rough. My great grandparents stood in line to be check to make sure they were fit to come into the US. Thankfully, they passed the tests, along with 98% of the immigrants that entered Ellis Island during those times.
The trip here would have been the worst part, but after that, the process took days in normal circumstances and weeks if the person was sick or otherwise questionable. The policies were tough and unfair at times (people with disabilities weren't allowed entrance). However, this is nothing compared to what immigrants to the US face now. I can't even begin to understand the sacrifice that people go through to taste the opportunity for a better life here in the US. Even the brothers and sisters of US citizens are waiting up to 10 years for a visa!
The family I am staying with in the DC area said that our neighborhood was more populated before some of our neighbors termed "illegal aliens" were kicked out of the country. It breaks my heart to hear stories of families being split up just because parents were trying to give their children better opportunities here.
I don't have a ton of answers to the issues around immigration, but I do know one thing, people are coming here for opportunities that they wouldn't have had at home. If these opportunities were available in their homelands, I am almost certain they would stay. So, I suggest that if we wanted a sustainable solution to immigration, we would focus more on development and less on fences. Outreach International doesn't work specifically on immigration, but I am proud that the work they are doing in poor countries is helping those people to stay in their homes and their communities, because they are getting opportunities.
As I was herded off the ferry from Ellis Island, I felt a little like an immigrant, coming to this country for the first time. I was surrounded by people of every ethnicity, and I realized again how thankful I am to be from the "Nation of Immigrants." I was also very sad that immigration is such a contentious issue, that immigrants are treated so poorly.
If you want to read more about immigration, check out posts tagged "immigration" by my friend Alexandra on the "Of Peace and Politics" blog. I also suggest reading the letter from the Interfaith Immigration Coalition to Congress and learning what actions you can take to get involved in fixing this system.
To close, here is a little scripture to think about: Proverbs 22:2- A commandment from God: "Treat the alien as one of you, because you were aliens in Egypt."
-Stephen
A Reedwood Friends (Quaker) Church Minute on United States of America Immigration Policy and Enforcement (March 2008)
“Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all.” - Proverbs 22:2
Recent enforcement actions in the State of Oregon and across the nation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have resulted in the arrest and pending deportation of hundreds of people. Many of these people have committed no crime other than that of coming without documentation to the United States in order to find work and provide for their families. Those arrested now face losing all that they have earned through years of toil, and their families are being ripped apart.
Many of those recently arrested have been working here for years and have school age children who were born here and are citizens of the United States of America. In many cases these children have been asked to make a decision whether to be deported to a foreign country with their parents, or remain in the United States in foster care. These citizens of the United States must now choose between relinquishing their birthrights in order to remain with their parents, or remaining in their home country and being separated from their parents for the foreseeable future.
As Christians and Quakers we declare that such treatment of our fellow human beings is inhumane, and that the policies which have dictated this course of action are abhorrent and unconscionable to us.
We ask that our elected political leaders put an end to these intolerable and unconscionable practices and conditions. A just and workable program offering legal status to those caught up in this situation with legal opportunities for those who want to remain here to work is one way to heal the wounds our society has inflicted upon these, our brothers and sisters, and upon itself.
We have heard the command of God through Moses, “Treat the alien as one of you, because you were aliens in Egypt.” We are also mindful of the words of Jesus Christ, “As you have done to the least of these, you have done to me.”
The above is an approved minute from Reedwood Friends Church, stating our concern about U.S. immigration officials’ actions separating families. We know this minute is the beginning of an ongoing consideration of the issues around immigration, undocumented workers, families and citizenship. To contact us, write Kara Newell, clerk, Reedwood Friends Church, 2901 S.E. Steele St., Portland OR 97202; or call 503/234-5017.
Posted by: John Price | January 29, 2009 at 11:12 PM