June 19, 2009
President Obama (click here) this morning told a Hispanic audience that he remains committed to comprehensive immigration reform and upholding "America's tradition of a nation of laws and a nation of immigration."
"Those things aren't contradictory, they're complementary," Mr. Obama said at the Esperanza National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast. "That's why I'm committed to passing comprehensive immigration reform."
He said the United States should strengthen its border security and also "clarify the status of miillions who are here illegally."
Those who wish to become citizens should be required to pay a penalty, learn English, and get to the back of the line behind those who came here by the rules, he said.
"We must never forget the promise of America has been renewed by immigrants who make their story part of the American story," Mr. Obama said....
Was it all lip service for political gain? Some of the focus was due to legislation passed under "W." The Guest Worker was his. The border came into focus because of the September 11th attacks. The border still isn't secure. It never will be 100% secure and is a problem to move immigration reform forward. The Republicans know there are no chance of 100% security.
There is significant immigration reform surrounding the Guest Worker program. If the program isn't working then reform should include getting rid of it. The USA doesn't need human rights abuses of their Undocumented.
February 2013
...Congress should look before it leaps. (click here) The current H-2 program, which provides temporary farmworkers and non-farm laborers for a variety of U.S. industries, is rife with labor and human rights violations committed by employers who prey on a highly vulnerable workforce. It harms the interests of U.S. workers, as well, by undercutting wages and working conditions for those who labor at the lowest rungs of the economic ladder. This program should not be expanded or used as a model for immigration reform....
,,,Bound to a single employer and without access to legal resources, guestworkers are routinely:
There are many reasons the reform should go forward, this is just one of them.
...When the Southern Poverty Law Center published the first version of this report in 2007, we recommended reform or repeal of the H-2 program. Unfortunately, even after the enactment of modest reforms in recent years, guestworker programs today are still inherently abusive and unfair to both U.S. and foreign workers....
The Southern Poverty Law Center offers the conclusion it is an abusive program that has to end. The H-2 Visa program has been the excuse for politicians who evade immigration reform. All too often a politician will state, "We just have to add more H-2s and that will solve the problem. That is not the case.
Although the H-2A and H-2B programs (click here) offer different terms and benefits, they are similar in one significant way: Both programs permit the guestworker to work only for the employer who petitioned the Department of Labor (DOL) for his or her services. If the work situation is abusive or not what was promised, the worker has little or no recourse other than to go home. That puts the worker at a distinct disadvantage in terms of future opportunities in the United States, because his ability to return during any subsequent season depends entirely on an employer’s willingness to submit a request to the U.S. government. In practical terms, it means that an employee is much less likely to complain about wage violations or other abuses.
President Obama (click here) this morning told a Hispanic audience that he remains committed to comprehensive immigration reform and upholding "America's tradition of a nation of laws and a nation of immigration."
"Those things aren't contradictory, they're complementary," Mr. Obama said at the Esperanza National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast. "That's why I'm committed to passing comprehensive immigration reform."
He said the United States should strengthen its border security and also "clarify the status of miillions who are here illegally."
Those who wish to become citizens should be required to pay a penalty, learn English, and get to the back of the line behind those who came here by the rules, he said.
"We must never forget the promise of America has been renewed by immigrants who make their story part of the American story," Mr. Obama said....
Was it all lip service for political gain? Some of the focus was due to legislation passed under "W." The Guest Worker was his. The border came into focus because of the September 11th attacks. The border still isn't secure. It never will be 100% secure and is a problem to move immigration reform forward. The Republicans know there are no chance of 100% security.
There is significant immigration reform surrounding the Guest Worker program. If the program isn't working then reform should include getting rid of it. The USA doesn't need human rights abuses of their Undocumented.
February 2013
...Congress should look before it leaps. (click here) The current H-2 program, which provides temporary farmworkers and non-farm laborers for a variety of U.S. industries, is rife with labor and human rights violations committed by employers who prey on a highly vulnerable workforce. It harms the interests of U.S. workers, as well, by undercutting wages and working conditions for those who labor at the lowest rungs of the economic ladder. This program should not be expanded or used as a model for immigration reform....
,,,Bound to a single employer and without access to legal resources, guestworkers are routinely:
- Cheated out of wages
- Forced to mortgage their futures to obtain low-wage, temporary jobs
- Held virtually captive by employers or labor brokers who seize their documents
- Subjected to human trafficking and debt servitude
- Forced to live in squalid conditions
- Denied medical benefits for on-the-job injuries.
There are many reasons the reform should go forward, this is just one of them.
...When the Southern Poverty Law Center published the first version of this report in 2007, we recommended reform or repeal of the H-2 program. Unfortunately, even after the enactment of modest reforms in recent years, guestworker programs today are still inherently abusive and unfair to both U.S. and foreign workers....
The Southern Poverty Law Center offers the conclusion it is an abusive program that has to end. The H-2 Visa program has been the excuse for politicians who evade immigration reform. All too often a politician will state, "We just have to add more H-2s and that will solve the problem. That is not the case.
Although the H-2A and H-2B programs (click here) offer different terms and benefits, they are similar in one significant way: Both programs permit the guestworker to work only for the employer who petitioned the Department of Labor (DOL) for his or her services. If the work situation is abusive or not what was promised, the worker has little or no recourse other than to go home. That puts the worker at a distinct disadvantage in terms of future opportunities in the United States, because his ability to return during any subsequent season depends entirely on an employer’s willingness to submit a request to the U.S. government. In practical terms, it means that an employee is much less likely to complain about wage violations or other abuses.
