'American's Broken Immigration System' Panel Discussion at UB Feb. 28
February 17, 2006
Contact: University Relations
Phone: 410.837.5739
Radical ideas about the nation’s immigration policies—including vigilante groups patrolling the Mexican border and a proposed federal law that would declare U.S. citizens to be “alien smugglers” if they “assist” undocumented immigrants in any way, even if they don’t know the immigrants’ status—are indicators of a growing sense of frustration toward these policies, from both anti- and pro-immigration factions.
On Tuesday, Feb. 28, the University of Baltimore School of Law’s Immigrant Rights Project and the American Friends Service Committee’s Project Voice will present a panel discussion on this issue, featuring guest speakers with extensive experience in the system and its net effects. “America’s Broken Immigration System: The Impact on Immigrants, Their Families and Our Communities” will take place beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the UB Langsdale Library Auditorium, 1420 Maryland Ave. The event is free and open to the public.
Guest speakers and their organizations include:
• Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia, National Immigration Forum
• Ruben Chandrasekar, American Friends Service Committee Project Voice
• Brad Peabody, Episcopal Refugee and Immigrant Center Alliance
• Matthew Wilch, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service
• Patricia Hatch, Maryland Office for New Americans (invited)
• Jayesh Rathod, CASA of Maryland (invited).
One topic of conversation will be U.S. Rep. James Sensenbrenner’s proposed bill (HR 4437), which is scheduled to come before the Senate Judiciary Committee for a hearing on March 2. The bill, one of several proposed reforms of federal immigration law, will declare undocumented immigrants, including children, to be “aggravated felons,” subject to mandatory detention and permanently ineligible for lawful residence. Citizens who provide assistance to these immigrants, knowingly or not, will be declared alien smugglers. Employers who hire undocumented immigrants will be subject to fines of up to $25,000 per immigrant. Current undocumented immigrants would be ineligible for President Bush’s “guestworker” program because they would be considered criminals. Finally, legal residents who fail to inform the Department of Homeland Security within 10 days of a new address will be subject to arrest.
Critics of the proposed reform say that teachers, doctors, lawyers and neighbors of undocumented immigrants could be fined under the statute.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Border Patrol continues to receive harsh criticism from those who believe that illegal immigrants are responsible for some of the country’s long-term economic and social problems. A proposal to construct a fence along the U.S. border with Mexico is still in the news, as are private groups that have taken up armed patrols along sparsely populated areas of the southern border. On the Canadian side, controversy continues about shifting policies concerning proof of citizenship and reasons for entering and exiting the country.
The panel will discuss these and other topics, and will take questions from the audience.
Questions about this event may be directed to Helen Harnett, UB School of Law clinical fellow, at 410.837.5732.
The University of Baltimore is a member of the University System of Maryland and comprises the School of Law, the Yale Gordon College of Liberal Arts and the Merrick School of Business.