He's successful -- and undocumented!

There was a recent story from American Public Media’s Marketplace on KPCC Southern California Public Radio (89.3 FM) about a successful entrepreneur in Minneapolis with an 11 year-old business fixing tires. It seems the guy has been successful, remodeled his house, raising kids, etc. The story was that this entrepreneur immigrated to this country extra-legally, without the benefit of documents. So apparently, when he first came to this country he used fraudulent name, social security account, and id which he purchased somewhere for $100. Somehow that caught up to him and he is waiting for his day in court for that infraction.

I had heard the story in the car and wanted to make sure I had heard the whole story so I visited Marketplace’s website. After reading the story there, I left this comment:

“Maybe successful immigrant businesses are unusual in Minneapolis. Here in Southern California immigrants are often entrepreneurs, have successful businesses, and contribute to their families [and communities]. It is time for the legal system to catch up with the economics of our community.”

Today, I received an email and then a phone call about my “letter” there and they asked me a few questions. A sound bite from my comments may be heard tomorrow on their letters segment.

The point I hope that I made is that the reason so many people are out-of-status is that the legal system has failed to keep pace with the realities of a global economy and migrating labor force. I encouraged Marketplace to address this in future programming.

You can read the story, listen to it and see the other comments here.

JFK on Immigration

“This was the secret of America: a nation of people with the fresh memory of old traditions who dared to explore new frontiers, people eager to build lives for themselves in a spacious society that did not restrict their freedom of choice and action.”

“Immigration policy should be generous; it should be fair; it should be ... Read More flexible. With such a policy we can turn to the world, and to our own past, with clean hands and a clear conscience.”

“Every ethnic minority, in seeking in its own freedom, helped strengthen the fabric of liberty in American life. Similarly, every aspect of the American economy has profited from the contributions of immigrants.”

“The contribution of immigrants can be seen in every aspect of our national life. We see it in religion, in politics, in business, in the arts, in education, even in athletics and in entertainment. There is no part of our nation that has not been touched by our immigrant background.”

Obama adminstration and faith leadership

I was on a conference call yesterday, December 17, 2008, facilitated by Alison Johnson of Sojourners' Christian's for Comprehensive Immigration Reform and Patty Kupfer of America's Voice with an interesting group of church and faith related leaders from across the country. I will report out more information on the call soon. But for now:

(1) The incoming Obama administration is committed to action in the first 100 days and to immigration reform in this next year 2009.

(2) Obama's transition team is meeting with a group of faith leaders on Friday, December 19, 2008 to hear the faith communities perspective on immigration reform that is compassionate.

(3) Member's of Congress are setting agenda priorities for the 111th congress (2009) right now--I have some materials that I would like to share on how we can help educate our members of congress and inform the legislative agenda.

There is reason to be encouraged about what might happen in 2009.

Stay tuned for more here. I will be posting information here and on Facebook about how to educate and help move this important issue forward with your member of congress

Carrying the Crosses of Christmas

Sojourners has this article about farm workers in North Carolina on their website: Carrying the crosses of Christmas.

I am often impressed with the values of work and faith that I have experienced with my immigrant friends. Please remember these people in your conversations and prayers.

Thanks to Juan Martinez of La Red and Allison Johnson of Sojourners for bringing this article to my attention.

May you have a hopeful and grace-filled Advent and Christmas.

"Peace on earth good will to all (hu)mans"

This morning in church we sang a contemporary version of I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day which borrows words from a few of the verses of a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882). It was written on Christmas day after he had received that his son had been wounded in battle during the civil war and several years after his wife had died in a tragic fire accident.

The verse that struck me today speaks of hate and despair that mocking the Christmas message of "Peace on earth, good will to men." There is far too little Peace on Earth this Christmas. Even those who name Christ and call themselves Christian are prone to speak evil and act on evil.

May this Christmas be one of peace to many regardless of their ethnicity, migration status, language or any other difference.

Christmas Bells

I HEARD the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime,
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;
"For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men."

NPR series on the border

NPR is doing a series on the economics, geography, people, water implications and other factors that contribute to the southern border of the United States which is shared with the northern frontier of Mexico.

The U.S. is building hundreds of miles of fence along the boundary and aggressively deporting more illegal immigrants than at any point in history. Yet, at the same time, trade across the border continues to grow.

from NPR, Series Overview: Examining a Relationship in Flux

A Prayer for the Immigrant

God of the journey, God of the traveler,

We pray for those who leave their homes
in search of new beginnings and possibilities,
may they know your presence with them.

We pray that those who seek to make a home
in this country may find us welcoming
and willing to help them find a path toward citizenship,

We pray that our legislators,
as they craft new immigration legislation
may find the wisdom and courage to enact new policies
that do justice for our country
and for those who would immigrate here.

We pray for those who fan the flames of fear
and discrimination against the undocumented
may be touched with your divine compassion.

We pray in Jesus' name.
Amen.

� The Archdiocese of Chicago, adapted

Lucky country. Poor Arizona.

The New York Times agrees with my friend in Arizona.

As governor of a border state, Ms. Napolitano knows the landscape intimately. She has a cool head and a proven willingness to pursue policies that conform to reality, rather than the other way around. For years, the country has stumbled in a state of immigration panic, using harsh tactics to create the illusion of control while rejecting comprehensive strategies that would attack the problem at its roots.