OntheWilderSide

The Great South Bay Forum on Public Affairs presents

URGENTLY NEEDED: A NATIONAL IMMIGRATION LAW FAIR TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND TO AMERICAN CITIZENS

Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 7:30 PM at the Bar Harbor Library, 40 Harbor Lane, Massapequa Park,

Featured Speakers:

• Dr. Luis Valenzuela, Director Long Island Immigration Alliance, sociologist, expert on immigration
• Patrick Young, attorney for Central American Refugee Center, Professor of immigration law at Hofstra, social activist on immigration issues.
• Bill McNulty, Chairman, Social Activist, Radio Broadcaster

Admission is free. Coffee is served from 7:15 PM on. Ample time for questions and comments.  For directions and more information call (516) 795-1085 or (516) 799-4088

[googlevideo=http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=996340508190772731#]

Since our early school days we were reminded WE ARE A NATION OF IMMIGRANTS, except Native Indian American Indians who came long ago. But European immigrants , including our own ancestors, came mainly to make a better living, but also to enjoy more religious and political freedom. However, they suffered bitter prejudice and mistreatment at the hands of those whose descendants emigrated to this country prior to them.

Currently the growing immigration crisis can cause internal strife and a deterioration of living conditions in the U.S. that will be detrimental to all concerned.  Now the recent undocumented Hispanics are bearing the brunt of vilification. But they have come to the U.S. illegally out of desperation. On one hand, significantly less legal migration to the US is allowed by new laws, but under NAFTA Mexican farmers are poorer and have a greater need to emigrate.

In coming here, Hispanic immigrants have frequently endangered their lives in risky border crossings. Often they have obtained jobs illegally from employers who carried them “off the books” to avoid taxes and to pay them a sub-minimum wage. And many of these immigrants have feared to complain about atrocious labor conditions out of fear of deportation. But the sub-wages of “illegals” have also cut the wages of their competing US workers .

Now fresh disputes are occurring. A new Arizona law, which has ample popular support, enables police to search anyone for his ID card. The 4th Amendment of our Constitution allows search if there is “a reasonable suspicion” of wrongdoing. Is such suspicion warranted if one has a midrange dark complexion? Instead of a punitive approach, should ameliorative measures be initiated by which illegal immigrants would make fair compensation over time to achieve legal status –is this ”coddling” or a fair outcome?

We hope our two expert speakers with your participation will help resolve these issues.

Cosponsors: L.I. Alliance for Peaceful Altrnatives, L.I. Progressive Coalition, L.I. Pax Christi, Peacesmiths, L.I. Veterans for Peace, L.I. School of Americas Watch

Filed under: Action Alert!, activism, Calendar, events, immigration, international politics, News