To protect the rule of law, states should take the lead on immigration legislation August 14, 2007 We are a country of immigrants. But the strength of our nation is founded upon a collective respect for our society of laws. The passion stirred by debate over immigration shows that it touches the core of what our country is built upon. Now we must ask what we can learn from our past and where do we go from here. The immigration “issue” has taken on a broad range of characterizations, with virtually every group on the political spectrum weighing in based on their interests. With every passing week, the debate became more emotional and charged. As the dust settles, perhaps we should remember this issue is not immigration; it is more precisely illegal immigration. The real question before us is whether we follow today’s laws while we debate how to create new laws. When our Founding Fathers declared our independence, they understood the tremendous responsibility that comes with independence. America built its economic and moral strength on a collective responsibility to create and follow the rule of law. Balancing state interests and federal perspectives, our society is now as open, fair and prosperous as any on earth. In many cases, states led the way on such key issues as civil rights, minimum wage, welfare reform, and other important issues that demanded practical and timely resolution. With the federal government’s inability to resolve the national immigration issue, we must ask ourselves what we can do in Rhode Island. I believe that the answer is straightforward. We must respect the rule of law and the right of citizens and legal immigrants to live their lives and pursue their dreams in an orderly and fair fashion. This means following the rules and ensuring that state services and benefits are accessible to those who deserve them. This does not mean cutting corners or looking the other way. While many claim “illegal” immigrants are needed to do the jobs U.S. citizens do not want, there is compelling evidence, including right in our neighborhood, that this is just not true. From all accounts, many citizens and legal immigrants lined up at the Michael Bianco factory in Massachusetts for the jobs that 361 illegal immigrants had held. Other reports from across the country underline the same demand for these jobs. Our job, as representatives of the people who elected us, is first and foremost to protect their families and their livelihoods. While we will continue to debate the appropriate national response to the issue of border security and how to manage the number of illegal immigrants in America, estimated at 12 million to 20 million, we must protect our citizens’ rights at home. Many polls suggest that voters expect their states to take action on this issue. And well they should, as the debates may be national, but the impact on families and businesses is local. In the last session, the Rhode Island House took initiative and passed a common-sense piece of legislation (H-5392) requiring business to use a free federal database to ensure that the workers they hire are not illegal immigrants. This law was not punitive, did not address border security, create new immigration laws or supplant enforcement of federal laws. It simply mandated following the current laws on the books to ensure our citizens a fair shot at jobs otherwise taken by those who may have not followed the rules and waited their turn for legal immigration. In the next session, it will be again up to Rhode Island to determine whether we follow the rule of law and protect our citizens. As a nation of immigrants and a society of laws, I hope we will respect the former and never waiver from the latter. Jon D. Brien, a Democrat, is a Rhode Island state representative from Woonsocket. |