Who hears the cry of the young mothers and children detained at the border? asks Giulio Grecchi, Tucson, AZ, Western Region Voice of the Poor Representative. “They are our brothers and sisters, who are the crucified members of the Body of Christ.”
After describing the situation that echoes the gospel story of the Lazarus outside the banquet he pleads “Something has to be changed” and offers suggestions about what Vincentian can do.
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In many ways, these are not migrants, but refugees. They are similar to the Syrian and Iraqis who have fled to Jordan or to Turkey. As Vincentians deeply committed to caring for the poor and the vulnerable ofour society wherever we find them, are we willing to understand their fear, their precarious situation and welcome
them?Sectors of the US-Mexico-border (From U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
Background
The current crisis comes on top of the ongoing migration issues, caused by lack of economic opportunities in Central American countries (the so-called “push factor”) and by the desperate need of cheap labor bymany US industries (the so-called “pull factor”).As we all know, because there are no simple, reasonable and practical legal ways to migrate to this country, migrants from Mexico, Central America and elsewhere, both children and adults, have been cominginto our country undocumented. Our immigration system, not updated for decades, is at the source of the 10-12 million undocumented migrants currently in the US and the root cause of thousands of deaths in the desert, millions of deportations, separated families and many social ills.
Something has to change
Everyone says that something has to change, ordinary citizens say it, members of the Border Patrol say it and so are the Border Communities, the Governors of Border States, and the US Government.
What has to change?
We have little control over the violence or lack of economic opportunities that made migrants leave their country.
What we can control is what is happening in this country.
We need to address what is at the heart of the problem:
•How do we meet the tremendous need for labor in agriculture, in chicken farms, in construction, in home services, etc.?
•How do we limit the huge inflow of illegal narcotics, a flourishing hidden market?
•How do we heal those who have fallen victim to narcotic addiction and prevent others from becoming so?
These are the questions that we should be asking.
Updating immigration legislation to meet the economic requirements of our country can go a long way in addressing undocumented immigration. An orderly migration process that allows workers and theirfamilies to enter our country legally and provides asylum for victims of violence would leave only drug carriers and other criminals that have something to hide trudging through the desert to cross the border. TheBorder Patrol could then concentrate its efforts to catch those criminal and limit the import of narcotics!
Border Patrol vehicle near Tucson (From Wikimedia Commons)
What can we do?
1.Continue to advocate for immigration reform, the only thing that can ensure the long- term stability and well-being of many migrant families. The Senate passed Comprehensive Immigration Reform last year.The House has yet to do so. It is essential that the House of Representatives forthrightly address these complex and divisive issue. There is good support in the House for Immigration Reform, but unfortunately,the House leadership has not allowed legislation to come to the floor. It is imperative that we continue to put pressure on our Representatives by writing to them or, better yet, by bringing groups of Vincentians tomeet with their staff at their local district offices.
2.We can also advocate that the US Government allocate sufficient resources for the compassionate handling of children and families, detained at the Border or with temporary stay, pending further proceeding and deportation.
3.We can provide immediate help to immigrant families living in our communities (often split families or families living in hiding) or twin with Councils in the border areas that are supporting the new immigrants upon their arrival.
4. Pray that our country treats these children and families with compassion and gives them protection. They are our brothers and sisters, who are the crucified members of the Body of Christ.
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