On June 27th, the US Senate passed a major overhaul of
the nation’s current immigration policies and structure, especially concerning
that of the Mexican-American border. The proposed legislation marked Congress’s
first major attempt at immigration reform since 2006.
The measure, introduced by the Gang of Eight – a bipartisan
group of senators who wrote and negotiated the bill – will allow undocumented
immigrants to gain legal status and eventual citizenship, boost border security
by introducing a new agricultural guest worker program and require all
employers to use the E-Verify system in order to determine worker eligibility
in the US.
The bill is currently being debated in the House of
Representatives amid national concern and controversy.
Miguel Levario, author of Militarizing the Border:
When Mexicans Became the Enemy, stated his strong opposition to the new bill
and what it means for illegal immigrants in a recent op-ed column.
“Everything from legalizing the status of millions
of undocumented residents to militarizing the border is not a shift of
improvement in American policy,” said Levario. “Immigration suggests openness
and movement while border militarization and security suggests closure and
resistance to outside influences.”
In his book, Levario focuses on the history of the
relationship between the Mexican and American border and its impact on current
tensions and controversy. He highlights the antagonism found on both sides of
the border in order to help pave the way for a better understanding of current
policy and hopeful future change.
“If we are to hold true to our tradition of
immigration in this country,” Levario argues, “we must address it apart from
border security and lay a path that is welcoming and just and not meant to
punish and marginalize.”
To find out more information about Militarizing the Border and Dr.
Levario’s stance on the new bill, be sure to visit our website
and check out his article here.
-Taylor Phillips
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