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ELECTION ISSUES IMMIGRATION: The event was cancelled but the issue lives on by Jessica Lipowski
The now-cancelled "Catch an Illegal Immigrant Day"
put the spotlight on illegal immigration, a controversial issue on campus
and around the nation. The event was to be sponsored by Young Americans
for Freedom (YAF), a student group led by
Kyle Bristow at Michigan State. It was meant to send a message that
illegal immigrants are not wanted here. Other
campus groups, such as ALANA (African-American, Latino, Asian American,
Native American, and Arab American), Cultures United Races (CRU), Students
for Economic Justice (SEJ) and the North American Indian Student Organization
(NASO) organized a counter-protest at the Rock, to speak up
for immigrant rights. Ezequiel Garcia, a CRU spokesperson, spoke out against the intolerance exhibited by YAF. “They are contributing to the destruction of the culture within,” said Garcia. “We are all Americans. It doesn’t matter what we are and where we’ve come from.” Rosa Morales, director of the Hispanics in Journalism Program, said that Michigan State would suffer a black eye if such events take place. "We don’t need this reputation,” she
said. The numbers vary, but somewhere between 12 to 20 million illegal immigrants are estimated to live in the United States. Some end up dead trying to cross into this country. Those who succeed in getting in often end up in low-paying jobs, unable to demand better treatment for fear of deportation, which tends to depress wages at the bottom end of the scale. Undocumented workers often go months without contacting their families back home for fear of detection. “When
will it end?” said Morales. Edson McLean of ALANA thinks anti-immigration fervor is focused on a specific ethnic group, those brown in color. “Here
I think that if we want to discuss it, we need to get in contact with
those who are being elected,” said McLean. “If it’s
such a huge issue then it needs to be on the front burner.” Undocumented workers make up about 12% of the workforce. They fill many jobs in the agricultural, industrial and service sectors. “They
do everything from picking apples to zucchinis and Christmas trees to
the egg industry,” said Morales. “Just because they
all look the same bronze color, we make assumptions.” There have been several proposals to solve this problem. In Washington DC, there have been protests to allow immigrants to gain legal status and rights. On a more local scale, peaceful solutions have been offered. On Michigan State’s campus, students and faculty can start with something simple: educating the public about the issue. “We
need to talk about it,” said Morales. “Throwing accusations
is not the solution. This is the place we need to have serious
discussions by the students.” "Building
a wall will not do anything,” said Garcia. “It only
represents the loneliness in our hearts. It tears us away from
other countries.” Through peaceful protest, education and unifying organizations, Garcia knows what needs to be done. The future of American depends on how the government and the people respond. “Diversity is powerful. The Constitution begins with ‘We the people.’ People from other countries aren’t people?” he said. “Discrimination and racism will not disappear. However, if you love this country, you will know what’s good for it.” |
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