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November 12, 2008
U.S. Mexico Border Policy Report
"This U.S.-Mexico Border Policy Report is the culmination of years of effort among border
leaders to provide local law enforcement, government and community expertise to the
national debate over immigration policy and border security. For too many years, we have
witnessed efforts to secure the border that are grounded not in the complex realities of
border life but in simplistic sound bites and assumptions that building a wall can somehow
keep our country safe. Our conclusions and policy recommendations start with the premise
that the “border” is a dynamic concept, that border communities have important ties to
both the United States and Mexico, and that these ties create a unique set of opportunities
and challenges that affect both the border areas and the broader national interest.
Recognizing that millions live and work in U.S. border communities, border and
immigration policies must be formulated and implemented in a way that respects the
rights of these community members and the needs of their hometowns and cities. When
properly carried out, these policies can substantially improve security and safety in the
border region and in the nation as a whole."
Release and presented by the Border Network for Human Rights, the Border Action
Network, and the U.S.-Mexico Border and Immigration Task Force, in collaboration with the
National Immigration Forum.
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November 12, 2008 | Permalink
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Comments
I agree with the proposition that the border is a dynamic concept. One aspect of this dynamism is that immigration from Mexico is qualitatively different than from other areas of the world. For instance, thousands of Thai citizens (and citizens of other Southeast Asian countries) would like to work as migrant workers in the US . However, based on the practices (and abuses) of labor recruiters that have resulted in multiple civil and criminal cases in the US , there has been a ban on the issuance of temporary farm labor visas to the US from Thailand .
Immigration policies have different effects based on the nature of their “border.” The same policy has a vastly different effect with a country that has a contiguous border with the US than with a country that is separated by a 10,000 mile ocean. From one perspective, the suspension of visas by the US Embassy in Thailand for Thai farm laborers may have protected Thai workers from exploitation. On the other hand, many of these workers are denied the same opportunities that are available to other migrant workers in Mexico , and the US agricultural industry is also denied quality workers from Thailand .
Posted by: Joe Leeds | Nov 13, 2008 1:28:25 AM
I agree with what you say about how important is for these immigrants to have their rights respected, no only in their communities but also in detention centers. By the way, I just read a very interesting Human Rights Watch report on the immigrant women's health and their rights in detention centers in the
United States:
www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/03/17/misery-danger-hidden-and-unheard
Posted by: Ivette | Mar 18, 2009 7:50:43 AM
