sensenbrenner shmensenbrenner

This is what I've been doing instead of starting my dagnabbed religion paper-- advocacy. Oh well, right? Maybe I'll change a few minds even if it mean that I'm up until four on Thursday. This is the version I sent to the Argus...

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: What would you say if the government were able to dictate to which charities you could donate? What would you say if the government began to mandate charitable acts? What would you say if the government outlawed charitable acts? It may—although it shouldn’t—surprise you to know that, in the lattermost case at least, some of our elected officials are trying to do exactly that.

The “Border Protection, Anti-Terrorism, and Illegal Immigration Protection Act of 2005” (HR 4437), would make acts of assistance and mercy towards undocumented immigrants a criminal offense—assistance to a felon, in fact. The security of our national borders is important, and should be maintained, but when security trumps the right of individuals, schools, churches, and other social organizations to engage in acts of charity—clearly, this is going too far.

Proposed by Wisconsin representative James Sensenbrenner, this bill has already cleared the US House of Representatives, and is currently under consideration in the Senate. If passed into law, it will pose serious challenges to humanitarian work in our country—undermining the ability of individuals to engage in charity towards their neighbors with the threat of criminal prosecution.

Advocates for this bill trumpet the role that it will play in keeping terrorists out of our country—and help find those already hiding. But it does not take into account the fact that terrorist organizations have the money and resources to enter our country legally. Undocumented immigrants are those seeking better lives for themselves and their families. Maintaining interior security is important—but it should not be attained at the expense of the marginalized, or by violating the rights of citizens to exercise their moral values. There is an alternative.

Senators McCain and Kennedy have proposed the “Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act” (S-1033). This bill requires undocumented aliens to pay a fine and to demonstrate English skills, before they are allowed to “earn” resident status by working and paying taxes for six years. Not only will this act be efficient and humane in keeping track of and accounting for undocumented aliens, but it does better justice to our “land of opportunities.”

Our policies towards immigration and naturalization must walk a very fine line between security and liberty. We must remember to honor our “land of opportunities” mantra for those who would seek better lives. But, most importantly, we must allow citizens to act freely on their consciences—helping your neighbor should never be criminalized.

So anyway, I've got a HECUA meeting tonight, my PA interview tomorrow night, and Tim Johnson is coming on Wednesday. Thursday is going to be packing day, and we're holding a screening of Invisible Children for Advocacy. I think we're going to try to organize a night commute on April 29th; we're so pumped since we've been back from Washington!