Friday, August 24, 2007

Walberg Exploits Tragedy For Politics



Most of you have probably heard about the tragic deaths of three college students in New Jersey and the controversy that has ensued. One of the six suspects, Jose Carranza, was found to be an illegal immigrant from Peru. He had been out on bail for other crimes when the murders took place.

As would be expected, the cable news channels jumped on the story, examining the New Jersey laws that could have prevented this. In New Jersey, immigration officials are notified after the conviction, not after the arrest, of an illegal immigrant. This may change in the near future and, admittedly, could perhaps have prevented this one incident.

The media coverage is understandable, if a little inappropriate. However, I didn't expect Congressman Tim Walberg to mention it:
Washington, Aug 24 - Though the immigration debate may have cooled for now in Congress, immigration issues continue to affect most Americans every day.

On August 4, four young college students were held at gunpoint in Newark, New Jersey by an illegal immigrant. Three of the students were killed, while the fourth escaped with injuries.

Sadly, news broke that the shooter came to America illegally from Peru, and, despite prior arrests in 2007, including one for the rape of a young girl, the shooter was not forced to leave American soil. This is simply unacceptable, yet communities across our country are forced to deal with similar situations involving illegal immigrants every day in their schools, hospitals, police stations, etc.

Illegal immigration poses an unacceptable threat to our national security and must not be allowed to continue. It is my belief that any and all attempts to enact immigration reform must not include amnesty for illegal immigrants.
I simply cannot believe that he brought this up. How do you go from three tragic deaths to "national security" to "reform must not include amnesty"? Reading what he writes, one would get the idea that there are roaming gangs of illegal immigrants planning to attack, and the only way to prevent it would be defeating the "guest-worker program"!

Walberg implies that illegal immigrants are a primary source of violent crime in this country, but that is simply not true:
"The misperception that immigrants, especially illegal immigrants, are responsible for higher crime rates is deeply rooted in American public opinion and is sustained by media anecdotes and popular myth," said Ruben G. Rumbaut, a sociology professor at the University of California-Irvine. "This perception is not supported empirically. In fact, it is refuted by the preponderance of scientific evidence."

The incarceration rate of U.S.- born men 18 to 39 years old in 2000 was 3.5 percent — five times higher than the incarceration rate of their immigrant counterparts, the study found.

The report — which analyzed data from the U.S. Census Bureau, police records and other sources — also shows that a large increase in illegal immigrants has not resulted in a rise in crime. Since 1994, violent crime in the United States has declined 34 percent, and property crime has fallen 26 percent. At the same time, the illegal immigrant population has doubled to around 12 million.
Tim Walberg's position on illegal immigration is a valid opinion, which I can agree or disagree with. But when he cites one tragic incident, involving one person out of 12 million, and embraces false, potentially racist stereotypes, he crosses the line.

There are plenty of violent criminals in this country legally, and most of them were born here. Crime is a serious problem that needs our government's attention, but it's dishonest to try to blame illegal immigrants.

Men and women are murdered every day in this country, and each time it happens, it's a tragedy. Those deaths and other crimes justify more police, or tougher sentencing, or working toward better education and economic opportunity.

They do not justify tougher immigration laws or border patrol. That is simply an unrelated issue. Congressman Walberg ought to apologize.

Labels: , , , ,


posted by Fitzy  # 4:53 PM 1 Comments

Sunday, April 22, 2007

Walberg Supports Liberian Refugees



A change of pace for today, folks. I have something good to say about Congressman Tim Walberg.

On April 19, 2007, Congressman Walberg (R-MI) introduced the "Liberian Refugee Immigration Protection Act of 2007," bipartisan legislation created with Congressman Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) and Keith Ellison (D-MN). The bill would allow refugees from Liberia currently in the United States as on Temporary Protected Status to apply for Permanent Residency status.

For those unfamiliar with the history, Liberia is a country on the west coast of Africa, founded in 1821 by former American slaves. It's capital, Monrovia, is even named for President James Monroe. In recent decades, Liberia has suffered through tragic, long-lasting civil wars, the subject of amazing documentaries and books. This is something Americans should be aware of, and tragically aren't.

This is a bill Congressman Kennedy has been introducing every year since 1998, and it has repeatedly been rejected by a Republican-controlled Congress. Perhaps a different majority will yield better results.

I'd like to thank Congressman Walberg for supporting this legislation. It's not a matter of left-wing versus right-wing, it's simply a matter of human compassion. Personally, I think the United States needs to take a much more active role in Africa, especially Liberia. But this bill is one step toward correcting many, many injustices.

This is the subject of Walberg's "Weekly Wrap-Up," which is actually worth reading, for a change.

The Liberian Refugee Immigration Protection Act of 2007 addresses an urgent situation faced by Liberian refugees who have legally come to America (many over a decade ago), established careers, bought homes, raised American-born children and become valued members of their communities.

Currently, all Liberian refugees living in the United States under Temporary Protective Status have until October of this year, and then they will be forced to return to Liberia.

My wife Sue and I have a unique personal story which led us to become involved in this issue.

For almost a year, we had a Liberian refugee stay in our home. This gentleman came from dire circumstances in Liberia, as his wife was brutally assaulted and he was beaten and forced to leave his country. He still has scars from when he was beaten with the blunt end of a rifle.

During the time our friend lived in our home, we developed an appreciation for his culture and were deeply moved by his commitment to his family and his homeland. He pursued higher education and worked several jobs so he could send financial assistance back to Liberia.
I'm certain that this is a fascinating story, and, frankly, I'd be more interested in learning more. I only wish Congressman Walberg could have a personal experience with representatives of other people in need-- including, perhaps, the millions of illegal immigrants in this country that, through a different set of circumstances, are working hard to support their families and enjoy the educational resources America has to offer. If Walberg got to know a few of them in the same way, perhaps he'd be more forgiving and open in his immigration policies.

But that's a different issue, and I'm straying from the point. Thank you, Congressman Walberg, for supporting a good, solid piece of legislation that should have been passed years ago.

Labels: , , ,


posted by Fitzy  # 10:40 AM 5 Comments

Archives

August 2006   September 2006   October 2006   November 2006   December 2006   January 2007   February 2007   March 2007   April 2007   May 2007   June 2007   July 2007   August 2007   September 2007   October 2007   November 2007   December 2007   January 2008   February 2008   March 2008   April 2008   May 2008   June 2008   July 2008   August 2008   September 2008   October 2008   November 2008