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Just hours after news broke Monday that dozens of people later confirmed to be migrants were found dead inside a tractor-trailer in San Antonio, lawmakers and advocacy groups took part in a partisan blame game.

Gov. Greg Abbott blamed the president in a tweet: These deaths are on at Biden. They are a result of his deadly open border policies.

The League of United Latin American Citizens, or LULAC, instead blamed Abbotts Operation Lone Star, a state-funded and -operated border-security mission, and former President Trumps immigration policies.

The politics of President Trump and Governor Abbott to build the wall, deport them all, and Operation Lone Star have all been abysmal failures, said Domingo Garcia, LULACs national president.

But policy experts and immigration attorneys argue that its decades of failed immigration policy not one party or administration that led to the tragedy and others like it.

The idea that any one president is responsible for things like this is simply not in line with the facts. And, similarly, we have seen incidents like this occur in countries around the world, said Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, the policy director at the American Immigration Council, a Washington-based research and advocacy organization. This is evidence of the systematic failure of the United States and other nations to update their legal immigration systems for a modern era of global displacement.

The death toll after Mondays discovery increased to at least 51 Tuesday after some migrants taken to the hospital later died, Texas Public Radio reported. Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrand said 22 of the migrants were Mexican, seven were from Guatemala, two were from Honduras, and the remaining people have not yet been identified.

Though the number of fatalities is staggering compared to other smuggling events, Reichlin-Melnick said, the motivation that led to similar tragedies was the same.

The last time we updated our legal immigration system was November 1990, months before the first website went online, he said, referring to the Immigration Act of 1990 that raised the cap on legal migration. For many migrants [now], there is simply no way to legally immigrate to the United States. And even for people who do have a path to get a visa to the United States, that path is often so expensive and time consuming that it is not practically possible.

Eduardo Beckett, an El Paso-based immigration attorney who specializes in asylum cases, said Republicans have had success in crafting an anti-immigrant message while Democrats cant or wont push back on the policy front.

The right-wing, the Trump [supporters], the anti-immigrants are loud and more in the open, they dont hold back, but in reality, its the whole system, he said.

Beckett specifically said that Title 42, a Trump-era, public health policy that allows federal border officials to immediately expel migrants at the United States southern border, likely increased the migrants sense of desperation. The policy has been in place since March 2020 and the Biden administration, despite an outcry from immigrant rights groups, kept it in place until earlier this year. (The policy is still in effect due to a court order issued last month.)

Title 42 should have ended right away, Biden dragged his feet, he said. So hes to blame for that. But this has been going on for years, all the way back to the Clinton administration. I think the system is working exactly as its supposed to be. Less people are getting in the legal way.

That leads more people to turn to criminals and smugglers for a chance at entering the country, Beckett added.

Things need to change. There needs to be a humane way for people to apply, to come here whether its for asylum or whether its to work as an agricultural worker. Because the system is creating death, right now. At the border and everywhere around the world.

Mondays fatal smuggling attempts came as the number of migrants encountered by U.S. Border Patrol agents at the southern border continues to climb to near-record levels. There were about 239,400 encounters between federal agents and migrants at the southwest border in May, a 2% increase compared to April, according to Customs and Border Protection. Texas continues to see the highest number of apprehensions, especially in the Rio Grande Valley, where there have been more than 333,000 encounters since the beginning of the federal governments fiscal year in October, according to CBP statistics. Thats followed by the Del Rio Sector, where there have been more than 280,600 in the same time frame.

Reichlin-Melnick said those numbers are somewhat misleading because the statistics include tens of thousands of migrants who have tried to cross multiple times.

Title 42 incentivizes them to cross the border repeatedly. That's because Title 42 is not an immigration law. It's a public health law, he said. That means there are no immigration-related consequences for a migrant expelled under Title 42. Thats compared to a conviction for violating federal immigration laws, which bar a migrant from trying to enter for several years.

A person can cross the border as many times as they want, safe in the knowledge that if caught, they will simply be expelled back to Mexico where they can, if they still have the resources, make another attempt to cross, he said. And that means every time somebody is crossing, they're rolling the die. And leads to the possibility of something tragic happening.

Mondays horrific discovery has led advocacy groups to urge the Biden administration to make immigration reform a priority. After blasting Abbott and Republicans in its statement, LULAC said Democrats needed to join their GOP colleagues to usher in change.

It's time for politicians in Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reforms to address these issues and avoid other tragedies, said Domingo Garcia, LULACs national president. It's also time for the politicians in Austin to stop using immigrants as political piatas and start treating them as people in this humanitarian crisis, not a police enforcement issue."

Krish OMara Vignarajah, the CEO and president of the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, said there are moral and legal obligations to adopt a system that is fair to people seeking safety.

Our nation requires a reckoning with the fatal fallout of its deterrence-only framework. Real reforms are sorely needed to move us past the partisan politics that have plagued discussions of asylum and our southern border for far too long, she said in a tweet.

KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, considermaking a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you.

Got a tip? Email Julin Aguilar atjaguilar@kera.org.You can follow Julin on Twitter@nachoaguilar.

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'The system is creating death': Calls for immigration reform follow migrant tragedy in San Antonio - KERA News

"If we dont take notice to 53 innocent migrants dying, then when are we going to take notice to it?" U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales (TX-23) told Inside Texas Politics.

DALLAS It is the deadliest human smuggling incident in the history of the United States: Fifty-three migrants dead after being locked inside a tractor-trailer that was later abandoned in San Antonio.

The Republican congressman from that area says if this doesnt open our eyes, nothing will.

If we dont take notice to 53 innocent migrants dying, then when are we going to take notice to it, U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales (TX-23) asked on Inside Texas Politics.

And now that the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the Biden Administration can dump the Trump-era Remain in Mexico border policy, Gonzales says two things must happen.

First, the San Antonio Republican says the legislative branch needs to find a long-term solution, so judges arent the folks deciding immigration policy, which can vary from court to court and year to year.

And second, he says the executive branch needs to implement policies that work. While he thinks the Remain in Mexico policy was flawed, he says it was working. It required asylum seekers to remain in Mexico while their cases were heard in U.S. courts.

Gonzales also thinks more immigration judges must be added to the equation.

What needs to happen is folks need to get their asylum cases heard in days, not years, the Republican said. They need to have due process. But once their process is through, if they do not qualify for asylum, they need to return back to their country of origin.

The congressmans last priority is a legal route to obtain work visas, a program he says is currently broken.

The Republican says he represents 42% of the Texas border with Mexico and he thinks you can have both security and compassion.

I think you can have both a strong border security package and an immigration reform package that welcomes those that want to come and work and live the American dream, he said. Now, you cant start with amnesty. And you cant start with the wall. I mean, that immediately tanks any kind of package. I think you start with work visas and you build out from there.

The rest is here:
Texas congressman says immigration reform should start with better work visa program - WFAA.com

This commentary has been adapted from a homily delivered during a memorial mass for immigrants at San Fernando Cathedral Thursday night.

The Lord says, in Exodus, You shall not oppress or afflict a resident alien, for you were once aliens residing in the land of Egypt. If ever you wrong them and they cry out to me, I will surely listen to their cry (Ex 22:20.22).

Not all sins have the same degree of intrinsic evil by which God is offended, nor are their consequences equally serious. The exploitation of the poor, and in particular of migrants who flee dramatic situations in search of opportunities and hope is particularly grave.

The carnage by abandonment whether intentional or negligent of our 53 brothers and sisters killed on Monday, is one of those sins that cry to heaven. Anyone who is not outraged is complicit to at least some degree. They are Gods children. We grieve the loss of these immigrant brothers and sisters because they are members of Gods family.

Certainly, it is traders of death who consider lives as merchandise and ultimately as collateral damage. However, it is not permissible for anyone in our society to remain idle and look the other way in the face of the humanitarian crisis caused to unregulated migration. We all have a role to play in solidarity with people fleeing in search of opportunities for development.

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Even though it is everyones responsibility, it falls primarily on the lay faithful to create the political incentives for our elected representatives to fulfill their duty to pass comprehensive immigration reform. The Catholic lay faithful must assume their baptismal duty to sanctify social life by organizing it according to the values of the Gospel. Everyone must do their bit to be part of the solution.

Catholic social teaching provides moral guidance primarily for the laity in their duty of civic engagement. All social life is based on our shared responsibility to uphold human dignity and to pursue the common good, through the practice of solidarity and subsidiarity.

Immigration is a natural phenomenon that arises from the supply and demand for labor and security. It is like a stream of water. If it is not given a channel, it finds it naturally, but not in the right way. Migration is a natural human right. Likewise, the receiving country has the right and the duty to regulate it.

In very concrete ways, the path of immigrants often identifies with the itinerary of the beatitudes described in the gospel of Matthew. It does us good to hear their experiences beyond headlines and editorials. As much as possible, I suggest listening first-hand to the stories of immigrants. It is not uncommon to realize that they have traveled challenging spiritual journeys throughout their physical exodus. They are a great gift for receiving countries, like ours, which owes its greatness largely to its immigrant spirit.

As Pope Francis has said, these beloved men and women mostly young adults were following their hope of a better life.

As we entrust them to Gods merciful embrace, we are warned so that their lives have not been lost in vain. This tragedy must prevent others. Like Pope Francis said, may the Lord open our hearts so these misfortunes never happen again.

May we learn to walk through the journey of the beatitudes in our civic engagement, coming to realize that politics rightly understood is the opposite of ideological confrontation. It is one of the highest forms of charity. It is a path that begins by loving our closest neighbor in order to be able to love even those we do not know.

May the hopes that these deceased pursued be more than fulfilled in heaven through the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe. May she guide them on their final journey to restful waters, where their souls are refreshed.

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We must uphold human dignity by passing immigration reform - San Antonio Report

The BDN Editorial Board operates independently from the newsroom, and does not set policies or contribute to reporting or editing articles elsewhere in the newspaper or onbangordailynews.com.

Fifty-three people recentlydied horrific deathson a roadside in San Antonio, Texas. Several others were taken to the hospital with heat-related injuries. They were found trapped and abandonedin a scorching hot tractor trailer.

Federal officials have said it is likely the deadliest instance of human smuggling in modern U.S. history, according to CBS News. The victims arepresumed to be migrants. Some had still yet to be identified days later.

The scene was tragic beyond words, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said. I dont understand how anyone could be so callous as to allow it [to] happen and run from the scene.

This is a painful, outrageous reminder of how our broken immigration system breaks lives.

The entire country should be outraged. And perhaps more importantly, our leaders should turn that outrage finally into action on the long stalled issue of comprehensive immigration reform in Congress.

Now is not the time for finger pointing. There is enough blame to go around. Administrations and Congresses led by both parties have failed on this issue for decades.

A recent exchange between guests on Fox News highlighted a huge part of what has been wrong in the immigration debate. Ben Domenech, publisher of the conservative web magazinethe Federalist, and Jose Aristimuno, a commentator and former Democratic spokesperson, had what could hardly be called a debate on Tuesday. They basically just talked, and shouted, over each other for a few minutes, trading plenty of blame but few actual ideas.

Nationally, weve been having a version of this unproductive conversation for years now. It doesnt have to be this way. Various attempts at comprehensive reform have come close, only to fail because of partisan pressure and campaign politics. These efforts have rightly tried to balance compassion for immigrants looking to start a new life in America (or continue that life if theyre already here) and security at the border.

In 2013, the U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan immigration reform bill by a vote of 68-32. Fourteen Republicans, including Maine Sen. Susan Collins, joined all Democrats to support that bill. Unfortunately, it never even received a votein the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. Its a safe bet that electoral considerations heading into a midterm election in 2014 played a role in the ultimate failure, despite a clear bipartisan path forward.

In 2018, independent Maine Sen. Angus King and Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota were at the center of another bipartisan push that took a similarly balanced approach. Then-President Donald Trump helped scuttle that effort, which again recognized both the need to provide a pathway to citizenship for some people already here and bolster border security.

We dont raise these instances to lay blame for their failures in the past. We highlight them againbecause they represent the balanced approach that continues to be needed on immigration reform, and they show what can be possible when partisan politics are set aside.

The last major immigration reform package became law in 1986(though there have been some smaller updates more recently). That means our country is trying to confront a changing situation with outdated laws. It is not working, and it hasnt been working for some time.

Officials in Washington must decide that addressing this issue is more important than campaigning on it. Senators recently proved this is possible with their modest but significant breakthroughon gun legislation. Perhaps there is just the smallest sliver of hope this approach and bipartisan goodwill can carry over to the immigration debate. It is long overdue.

More articles from the BDN

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A broken immigration system is breaking lives. We need comprehensive reform. - Bangor Daily News

The following is from Accountable Northwest:

OLYMPIA (June 30, 2022) Interpreters for Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) will soon be voting on forming a union, and which organization to partner with. One of their options is to join Interpreters United (WFSE/AFSCME), a well-established public sector union with a track record of negotiating great collective bargaining agreements that bring higher wages, access to health care, and improved working conditions for working families, as well as staff and resources to protect workers year-round.

In fact, the 2018 legislation giving L&I interpreters collective bargaining rights was championed by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE), which was already representing Medicaid and social services interpreters in the state. Those interpreters have won benefits like an hourly minimum pay per appointment, reimbursement for no-shows, and protection against clawbacks. WFSE also successfully changed the law to allow interpreters to bargain over health care with the state.

Another outfit calling itself WA Interpreters, and led by Juan Bloise, is vying to be the self-appointed leader of L&I interpreters. Concerningly, leaked emails reveal that Bloise has been coordinating his efforts with the Freedom Foundation, an anti-worker group with ties to anti-immigrant leaders and funders. While its not a complete picture of their close ties, the damning emails show:

Bloise coordinated multiple times with the Freedom Foundations Max Nelsen on designing a mailer to interpreters. The Freedom Foundation may have even helped with printing and postage expenses.

Bloise asked the Freedom Foundation for money and thanked them for the help theyve provided so far.

The Freedom Foundations Max Nelsen helped set up a telemarketing system for Bloise.

Why is this so concerning? Because the so-called Freedom Foundation actively works to undercut workers. The group has opposed measures that would benefit workers, such as raising the minimum wage, implementing paid sick leave, and increasing retirement security.

Their founder helped write a toolkit on shrinking state governments by cutting employee pensions, raising the retirement age, increasing out-of-pocket health insurance costs, and delaying raises.

Even more disturbingly, they have a track record of hate and division, including against immigrants. Many L&I interpreters are first or second-generation Americans, holding proud ties to a heritage that started outside our borders. People that immigrated to the United States have empowered our country for centuries, so why would Bloise accept help from a group like the Freedom Foundation?

Mike Nearman was a senior employee of the Freedom Foundation and a leader of the anti-immigrant hate group Oregonians for Immigration Reform. They pushed a ballot initiative in Oregon to revoke its status as a sanctuary state. Nearman became the first legislator in Oregon history to be expelled from the state legislature for opening the doors to armed, far-right activists.

In 2019, Fox News Laura Ingraham was the keynote speaker at the Freedom Foundations banquet. She has said that immigrants are coming to replace old America with new America and that Mexican immigrants have come here to murder and rape our people.

Jac Cates, a former staffer at the Freedom Foundation, called for the deportation of all Muslims saying that the religion is the problem.

The Freedom Foundation received funding from the Scaife Foundations, which have also sent millions of dollars to a web of radical anti-immigrant groups including the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS). CIS testified in Congress against immigration reform, claiming virtually all illegal aliens are guilty of multiple felonies. CIS was founded by white supremacist John Tanton.

L&I interpreters are voting soon. With the shocking revelation about Bloises work with the Freedom Foundation, their choice may be a lot simpler. One option is Interpreters United (WFSE), a time-tested organization that has already won pay raises and job improvements for thousands of interpreters. The other is Juan Bloises outfit, which has secretly coordinated with an anti-worker group with ties to the anti-immigrant movement. He owes a big explanation for that choice to the workers he wants to represent.

The rest is here:
'WA Interpreters' group linked to anti-union, anti-immigrant forces - TheStand.org