Tag: Boston

Editorial: Immigration and Fear

On By mexicoinstituteIn Migration and MigrantsLeave a comment

shutterstock_10213060The New York Times, 4/20/13

The country is beginning to discuss seriously the most sweeping overhaul of immigration since 1986, with hearings in the Senate last week and this week, and a possible vote by early summer. After years of stalemate, the mood has shifted sharply, with bipartisan Congressional coalitions, business and labor leaders, law-enforcement and religious groups, and a majority of the public united behind a long-delayed overhaul of the crippled system.

Until the bombing came along, the antis were running out of arguments. They cannot rail against “illegals,” since the bill is all about making things legal and upright, with registration, fines and fees. They cannot argue seriously that reform is bad for business: turning a shadow population of anonymous, underpaid laborers into on-the-books employees and taxpayers, with papers and workplace protections, will only help the economy grow. About all they have left is scary aliens.

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Patrick to focus on change for immigrants: Says he wants to integrate foreign-born into state

On By mexicoinstituteIn Democracy and Elections, Media and Society, Migration and MigrantsLeave a comment

Boston Globe, 11/17/2010

Governor Deval Patrick, fresh from a bruising campaign in which he was sharply criticized for his positions on immigration, vowed yesterday to spend the next four years pushing for changes for legal and illegal immigrants alike, reigniting a debate that consumed the state only a few months ago.

Speaking to thunderous applause at a Thanksgiving luncheon for immigrant advocates, Patrick promised to advance an ambitious agenda he launched during his first term to integrate immigrants into Massachusetts. He said he wants to implement all 131 recommendations contained in an administration report last year, which includes controversial measures such as in-state tuition at public colleges and driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants.

“Now, as we stand on the threshold of another four years, I want to commit to you that we will implement this report in its entirety, working with you over the next several years,’’ Patrick said.

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