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There are many things politically happening these days and our communities have been dividedby political maneuvering and shameful tactics. I think that everyone can agree on one thing aboutpolitics we need more transparency, honesty and consistency.

I am an immigrant, and I work full time on the west side of South Bend serving our current waveof immigrants to this area. The west side has been, for a long time,the neighborhood where our community welcomed immigrants. Unfortunately, this current waveof immigrants hasnt felt that welcome, and hasnt been given the same opportunities as theirpredecessors.

Efforts to seriouslyreform our nations immigration system began in 2013 when a bipartisan group of senators announced plans for a comprehensive approach to immigration reform calledthe Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and ImmigrationModernization Act of 2013. Immigrants were encouraged when Sen. Joe Donnellypublicly supported our community by voting for this important bill that promised realimmigration reform. Donnelly was with the bipartisan majority in the Senate that passedthat bill one that offered a pathway to citizenship for the more than 11 millionundocumented immigrants. But, the House of Representatives failed to take up this bill. Despiterepeated efforts to get U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski to support immigration reform, oreven to support bringing the bill to the House for a vote, she did neither. Progress made by the Senate was now stalled.

Our community rallied at the words of President Obama when, in November 2014, he stood byhis claims to fix our immigration problems. The inaction of our Congress required Obama to takethis action to help keep families and community together, and to help our economy continue torecover. When a federal judge in Texas placed an injunction on the presidents executiveorder and stopped the process of aiding so many immigrant families, it justtook the air out of everyones sails. Immigrants wondered what would happen.

What added insult to injury was the unexplainable position that Donnelly took on hissubsequent votes against immigrants. To thwart Obamas executive order that wouldhelp immigrant families, Congress placed language in the funding provisions necessary to keepthe Department of Homeland Security working and that would overturn the presidentsimmigration actions. Donnelly refused to support such a funding bill for DHSand that was the right thing to do. But when a political deal was made to allow a clean fundingbill for DHS, if there was a separate bill to overturn the presidents executive orders, Donnelly voted for it but the bill was nowhere near the 60 votes needed to advance and itfailed.

I am perplexed by Donnellys original vote to support our community, and thensubsequent vote to deport contributing members of our community and siding with extremeviews in our countrys fractured political structure. It also didnt help him as it didnt pass and hewas once again on the wrong side voting against our community. I hope Donnelly sticks to theprinciples that he showed when he supported the immigration reform bill that passedthe Senate in 2013.

I want people in our community to work together. I want them to see the facts, and thoseare that immigration reform is good for our economy. Look at all the reports, reform will benefitlabor, increase wages and create economic growth. More importantly, reform will keep familiestogether and its the right thing to do for so many people who have worked hard to make ourcommunity a better place.

I have had the honor of working alongside members of the Northern Indiana Coalition forImmigration Reform and their support of our work at La Casa de Amistad has been refreshing. Itis a diverse group of citizens coming together, compromising and working to make America andour community a stronger place. I wish our politicians could do the same.

Sam Centellas is executive director of La Casa de Amistad.

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Viewpoint: Donnelly's immigration vote flip disappointing