SAN’s
Townhall Meetings to Focus on Immigration Problems
By Hamid Khan
South Asian Network
Los Angeles, CA
In December 2005, the US House
of Representatives passed H.R. 4437 – the
“Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal
Immigration Control Act of 2005”. The bill
is being called the harshest in recent history.
While this bill represents the continuing criminalization
of immigrants in the United States, it also takes
many extra steps to deny due process, strip the
courts of their role in protecting the individual
against excessive governmental power, and authorize
state and local police to enforce federal immigration
law. Among the many provisions, listed below are
some that will have a disastrous affect on the
South Asian community:•
Makes conviction of unlawful presence in the US
an aggravated felony, which could make millions
of undocumented immigrants permanently ineligible
for any legalization program. •
Expands the definition of criminal “alien
smuggling” in such a way that anyone who
assists an undocumented person to live or remain
in the US could be charged with a criminal offense.
• Severely limits due process protections
and access to judicial review for immigrants.
• Eliminates the diversity visa program.
In addition to these, crafted within H.R. 4437
were provisions denying citizenship to the US-born
children of undocumented persons and denying admission
to the US to pregnant women. Although the Rules
Committee disallowed such provisions, they reflect
the deep animosity toward immigrants and the extent
to which the anti immigrant forces are willing
to go. But this will not end here; there will
be other bills and actions that will continue
to dehumanize those who do not speak up.
We cannot allow such forces to define our future
in this country. Oppression in all its shapes
has been fought and defeated in the past. It is
time for our communities to step up and join the
fight against hatred toward immigrants. South
Asian Network (SAN) plans to host a series of
community forums, dialogues and actions to ensure
full participation of the South Asian community
in claiming equality and ensuring justice. Our
first event will be a Town Hall on Sunday, April
9 from 2 pm-5 pm at the Artesia Community Hall
at 18750 Clarkdale Ave., Artesia, CA 90701. Please
join us in our fight for full human rights and
dignity for all communities. We cannot move forward
without your ideas, thoughts, perspectives, and
involvement. For further information call us at
562-403-0488 or email at hamid@southasiannetwork.org.
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