Talking Points - Senate Immigration Reform
AS OF May 19, 2007
(Note: Typically, the aide who answers the phone will ask for your name and city or zip code. They usually will not engage in conversation or challenge you on your points, as their role is to simply record your views and represent them to the Senator. In case they do ask for clarification, we have provided the rationale beneath each of the four points below.)
"I am calling to express my views on immigration reform legislation. And I urge the Senator to consider the following four points when debating and voting on immigration reform..."
- "Please preserve a priority for family unity in our immigration system - ensuring that those current immigrants who obtain a 'Z-visa' are able to live with their families in the US."
- Not permitting immigrant workers to maintain family unity treats them merely as economic units, rather than recognizing their full humanity.
- Families are the core unit of societies, and family unification serves the common good.
- Division of families will have unintended consequences on the social fabric within the United States as well as in the home countries of the immigrants.
- Failure to allow family members to join workers would continue to encourage undocumented immigration by family members left behind in their home countries.
- Please support a new worker program of 400,000 visas with full worker protections for these workers, including a portable visa and mobility back to their home countries; and a preference for family unity."
- A smaller number of visas would fail to reduce pressure on the southern US border, rendering immigration reform ineffective. The number of visas can be designed to fluctuate annually according to US economic needs.
- We believe in the dignity of work and the inherent dignity of all workers - regardless of their immigration status; full protections need to be extended so that we don’t create an exploited underclass of temporary workers.
- "Please ensure that future immigrant workers who are admitted with a 'Y-visa' are provided a reasonable opportunity to apply for citizenship, including lower-income and lesser-skilled immigrants."
- The points-system proposed in the compromise legislation skews the immigration system to prefer the well-off over those in real economic need.
- Limiting the economic contributions of low-income immigrants to a period of a few years fails to provide businesses with worker continuity they seek, nor does it foster economic development among poor immigrants that could substantially reduce the future flow of immigrants to our country.
- Without a path to citizenship, low-income and low-skilled labors will be exploited by businesses seeking a permanent and docile supply of minimum-wage labor.
- "Please ensure the restoration of due process for all immigrants."
- Due process is a critical right for all people in the United States, in order to protect and preserve their inherent dignity. It is a foundation of our constitution and critical to the protection of all, especially refugees and asylum-seekers.
"I would like to thank the Senator for considering my views."
Telephone Numbers for Senators from the California Province:
Sen. Jon Kyl (AZ): (202) 224-4521
Sen. John McCain (AZ): (202) 224-2235
Sen. Barbara Boxer (CA): (202) 224-3553
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (CA): (202) 224-3841
Sen. Daniel Akaka (HI): (202) 224-6361
Sen. Daniel Inouye (HI): (202) 224-3934
Sen. John Ensign (NV): (202) 224-6244
Sen. Harry Reid (NV): (202) 224-3542
Sen. Robert Bennet (UT): (202) 224-5444
Sen. Orrin Hatch (UT): (202) 224-5251
- Print out a copy of the Telephone Talking Points above (PDF - opens in new window)