[AAACE-NLA] immigration and adult ed

Andrea Wilder andreawilder at comcast.net
Tue May 15 13:54:26 EDT 2007


Andres

Isn't "crime" the larger category, while misdemeanor and felony are  
subcategories?  Just trying to get  the terms straight.

Andrea

On May 15, 2007, at 1:27 PM, andresmuro at aol.com wrote:

> Ok, under the law, various illegal activities fall under various  
> categories based on the deemed importance, risk, etc. There are  
> crimes, misdemeanors, and offences. For example, killing someone or  
> robbing a bank are crimes. Shoplifting is a misdemeanor. Speeding, not  
> fully stopping at a stop sign, jay walking and entering the US w/o  
> documents are minor offences that don't result in incarceration.  
> Undocumented entry is a federal offence that may result in detention  
> and deportation depending on circumstances. However, under the law, it  
> is not considered a crime.
>
>  Now, Arizona's politicians are merely grandstanding. They are passing  
> unenforceable laws that in many cases violate federal laws. Checking  
> for someone legal's status is a complicated procedure and public  
> service employees do not have the training, the knowledge and the  
> desire to enforce it.
>
>  To begin with, there are thousand of people that were born and raised  
> here that don't have documentation. Are they going to be denyied  
> service when they go to the hospital in the middle of the night. There  
> are thousands of people that are legally residing here and don't have  
> anything beyond a case number that allows them to reside here. Are  
> public employees going to be trained to check immigration case  
> numbers?
>
>  There are also a myriad of permits, passes, visas, and supporting  
> documents that allow people to enter the united states and visit, or  
> reside for determinate or indeterminate amounts of time. Visas are  
> coded with letters and numbers to determine their use including  
> working, going to school, visiting, conducting business, accompanying  
> someone else, etc. They are usually accompanied by other legal  
> documents with codes that give them their validity and depend on a  
> variety of things. People from certain countries do not need visas or  
> permits to enter the US. Thousands have ss cards and driver licenses  
> or state ids and are illegally residing in the US. Legal and illegal  
> immigrants come in all colors, speak many languages, have different  
> eye shapes, and belong to different social classes. 
>
>  Most of us have SS cards and state ids and that is it. These are not  
> proof of legal residence under the law. You can get these with foreign  
> documents under many circumstances. The circumstances that allow  
> people to obtain these ids may pass but people continue to have them.  
> so technically, if we want to prove legal residences, we need other  
> documents that many don't have. Would you like to be asked for a  
> passport, birth certificate, or other documentation next time you go  
> to the hospital, enroll in a class, etc, etc?
>
>  So, ultimately, to determine the status of a person you need an  
> office dedicated to this, a data base, security clearance to access  
> federal records, lots of training and in many cases a lot of time to  
> determine the legal status of a person. Legal residence is federally  
> regulated, meaning that the feds will have to train local public  
> employees on how to do their jobs. Either that, or they would have to  
> open federal offices in every community to regulate documentation.  
> Moreover, everyone will have to carry proof of legal residence. So, it  
> is really an unenforceable thing.
>
>  Politicians in AZ know this and they don't care. They have a few rich  
> patrons who want a law so they passed one knowing that it is  
> unenforceable.
>
> Andres
>
>
>
>
>
>  
> Please take a look at my artwork: www.geocities.com/andresmuro/art.html
>  
>   
>  -----Original Message-----
>  From: andreawilder at comcast.net
>  To: aaace-nla at lists.literacytent.org
>  Sent: Tue, 15 May 2007 9:44 AM
>  Subject: Re: [AAACE-NLA] immigration and adult ed
>
> Andres, 
>   
>  A couple of questions about this simple problem. 
>   
>  1. A crime is an act that violates a political, religious, or moral  
> command.....protecting the interests of the state (Wikepedia). 
>  2. Command = law 
>  3. So illegal immigration is not unlawful? Please clarify what you  
> are saying. 
>   
>  So what states do things differently? Arizona, apparently. What do  
> they do differently, and what do other states do differently? 
>   
>  Ethics = personal sense of right/wrong. This may or may not coincide  
> with legal definitions of right and wrong. When Art intervened a  
> couple of emails ago, I felt he was interjecting ethics into the  
> conversation, because he was angry, and anger is personal. 
>   
>  Andrea 
>   
>   
>  On May 15, 2007, at 9:03 AM, andresmuro at aol.com wrote: 
>   
>  > Andrea: 
>>  > It is very simple. In most things that we do, we don't ask for >  
> documentation about anything. In certain places, we ask for certain >  
> documentation as required by the law. You simply stick to that. If you  
> > are an employer, you must ask for SS#. If you are a cop stopping >  
> someone for a speeding ticket, you ask for driver's license, proof of  
> > insurance, vehicle registration, etc. Not even cops can ask for >  
> immigration status. It is illegal. If you are a teacher, you ask for >  
> whatever the school dictates that you ask students that go into your >  
> classroom. It may be a referral slip from the registrar, or maybe >  
> nothing. If you are in a hospital, you ask whatever the hospital >  
> policy dictates. They usually want health insurance, or the like. If >  
> it is an emergency, hospitals must treat patients with or w/o >  
> insurance. However, people shouldn't go around asking for proof of >  
> immigration status. That is the role of ICE (immigration and customs >  
> enforcement). By the way, in this country, entering the US illegally >  
> is not even a crime. While it is a violation of the law, it is not an  
> > arrestable crime. It is the jurisdiction of ICE to handle  
> immigration > issues. 
>>  > We don't go around asking everyone if they have a driver's license  
> > because we see them driving. Even if we suspect that they may not  
> have > one, we don't take that responsibility. We don't go around  
> asking > employers to show us that they have W2 forms for every  
> employee that > works with them. You don't ask your friends to show  
> you the W2 for the > lady that they hired to babysit or clean their  
> homes. 
>>  > This 'asking about immigration status thing' is some sort of new >  
> nonsense. You spent your life w/o worrying about this. Now, all of a >  
> sudden we are worrying about undocumented immigrants because Lou Dobbs  
> > tells us so. If we have extra time and we need something to do for  
> the > good of society, we ought to go to a soup kitchen and feed the  
> poor, > volunteer our spare time with the elderly, fix bicycles for  
> children > or spend time at the shelter for battered women. Otherwise,  
> go > running, go to the gym, have more sex, or read a book. 
>>  > Now, if you see that someone may be violating a law and it really >  
> bothers you, you can call the proper authorities. It is not really >  
> that complicated. 
>>  > Andres 
>>  >   
>  > Please take a look at my artwork:  
> www.geocities.com/andresmuro/art.html 
>  >   
>  >   
>  > -----Original Message----- 
>  > From: andreawilder at comcast.net 
>  > To: aaace-nla at lists.literacytent.org 
>  > Sent: Mon, 14 May 2007 2:56 PM 
>  > Subject: Re: [AAACE-NLA] immigration and adult ed 
>>  > All:  
>  >   
>  > Would someone please clarify this issue for me? The legal one. This  
> > seems to me to be at the heart of this discussion: who is legal, who  
> > is not, and under what circumstances. So in most states it is  
> illegal > to ask for documentation? But when people cross borders  
> without > documentation, that is illegal. Busnesses? Hospitals and >  
> schools?Taxes? Anybody got any clarity on ALL these issues? Can we >  
> come up with a statement that clarifies these issues as to where the >  
> law is NOW in these multiple circumstances?  
>  >   
>  > Andrea  
>  >   
>  > On May 14, 2007, at 11:44 AM, Ellison, Art wrote:  
>  >   
>  > >  
>  > > To the list,  
>  > >    
>  > >   I generally try to stay out of these discussions since there  
> are > > many people on this list who share my views, but are much more  
> > > articulate than I am on many issues. However, the message below  
> raises > > the interesting issue of how far a teacher in an adult  
> education > > program should go as the enforcer of his/her own  
> political philosophy. > > In the absence of a law such as the one in  
> Arizona and in a program > > that has no legal right to screen  
> students for immigrant status or > > citizenship, an individual  
> teacher has no right to ask for > > documentation on this issue from  
> students. This behavior on the part > > of the teacher should be  
> grounds for dismissal from the program.   
>  > > Art Ellison, NH Department of Education  
>  > >    
>  > >  
>  > > From: aaace-nla-bounces at lists.literacytent.org > >  
> [mailto:aaace-nla-bounces at lists.literacytent.org] On Behalf Of Kearney  
> > > Lykins  
>  > > Sent: Monday, May 14, 2007 7:51 AM  
>  > > To: aaace-nla at lists.literacytent.org  
>  > > Subject: Re: [AAACE-NLA] immigration and adult ed  
>  > >    
>  > >  
>  > > John,  
>  > >  
>  > > How are educators who would provide free or nearly free ESOL >  
> services > to known illegal aliens in a substantially different >  
> ethical position > than the employers who knowingly hire the same?  
>  > >  
>  > > I don't know that you are as complicit as the coyote, but yes,  
> you > > and anyone else who who turns a blind eye to illegal activity  
> is > > certainly contributing to creating an illegal-friendly  
> environment. I > > don't find it at all disingenuous or conflicting to  
> be an adult ESOL > > educator and a patriot. In fact, love of my  
> country and its culture > is > one of the biggest motivators for me to  
> teach ESOL to immigrants. > But > I am not going to help a single  
> illegal immigrant if I can help > it. I > have suspected several of my  
> previous students were here > illegally. > Even though I know such  
> things are easily faked, I asked > several to > show me their SSAN  
> cards. One student, who had a very > good attendance > record, and  
> with whom I had developed great rapport, > immediately > stopped  
> coming to class.  
>  > >  
>  > > Loving one's country doesn't make one a fascist or a nativist. >  
> > Wanting to enforce immigration laws that recognize our border, that  
> > > protect our culture and national security, and that allow for the  
> > > continued viability of our health services, education programs,  
> social > > services, state budgets, etc. doesn't equate to hating  
> brown > people.  
>  > >  
>  > >  
>  > > Kearney Lykins  
>  > >    
>  > > ----- Original Message ----  
>  > >  
>  > > From: "aaace-nla-request at lists.literacytent.org" > >  
> <aaace-nla-request at lists.literacytent.org>  
>  > > To: aaace-nla at lists.literacytent.org  
>  > > Sent: Monday, May 14, 2007 12:21:20 AM  
>  > > Subject: AAACE-NLA Digest, Vol 48, Issue 42  
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>  > > than "Re: Contents of AAACE-NLA digest..."  
>  > >  
>  > >  
>  > > Today's Topics:  
>  > >  
>  > >    1.  immigration and adult education (Holst, John D.)  
>  > >    2. Re:  A primer on immigration (andresmuro at aol.com)  
>  > >  
>  > >  
>  > > >  
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------  
>  
>  > >  
>  > > Message: 1  
>  > > Date: Sat, 12 May 2007 13:44:58 -0500  
>  > > From: "Holst, John D." <JDHOLST at stthomas.edu>  
>  > > Subject: [AAACE-NLA] immigration and adult education  
>  > > To: aaace-nla at lists.literacytent.org  
>  > > Message-ID:  
>  > > >  
>     <2EFE80177AFF964D903D1F1E0CC5E767029F1D7D at UST- 
> EXCH8.stthomas.edu>  
>  > > Content-Type: text/plain;    charset="iso-8859-1"  
>  > >  
>  > > I have been following with interest the debate on immigration and  
> > > have the  
>  > > following comments to add to the discussion.  
>  > >  
>  > >  
>  > >  
>  > > Trying to claim that the national discussion on immigration  
> should > > center on  
>  > > the narrow issue of the legality or illegality of crossing the >  
> border > is  
>  > > fruitless and leads, as this discussion has shown, to, on the one  
> > > hand,  
>  > > abstract appeals to dictionary definitions, etymological origins  
> of > > words,  
>  > > and moral principles, and, on the other, calls for the mass >  
> detention > and  
>  > > removal of large sectors of a nation's population not seen since  
> > the > days,  
>  > > and with similar ideological foundations, of European fascism.  
>  > >  
>  > >  
>  > >  
>  > > Claiming this is a narrow legal issue, is like saying the  
> national > > debate on  
>  > > abortion is merely about a medical procedure.  It really leads >  
> nowhere  
>  > > because it detaches the issue from its foundations in the >  
> historical,  
>  > > economic and social development of the nation.  
>  > >  
>  > >  
>  > >  
>  > > It also strikes me as disingenuous if not outright hypocritical  
> for > > adult  
>  > > educators to take anti-immigration stances, and to be so > >  
> sanctimoniously  
>  > > outraged by 'these' people's "criminal" act of crossing  
> borders.  I > > spent  
>  > > about 7 years in the ABE classroom.  During these years, most of  
> my > > work was  
>  > > with "illegal" immigrants.  In fact, the entire ABE program in >  
> > Chicago,  
>  > > funded based on attendance, depended on the mass participation of  
> > > "illegal"  
>  > > immigrants.  All of our jobs, whether we were in the ESL or the  
> GED  
>  > > classroom, depended on the "criminality" of immigration.  The ABE  
> > > classroom,  
>  > > overflowing with "illegals" was my first entry into >  
> education.  Both  
>  > > literally and figuratively "illegal" immigrants put food on my >  
> > table.  Now  
>  > > as a professor of education, I have to honestly admit that my  
> whole > > career  
>  > > is founded on this original sin.  I can't help but think that  
> from > the  
>  > > narrow legalistic framing of the immigration debate, my entire >  
> career > is  
>  > > really fraudulent and illegal.   How can I as someone who has > >  
> benefited so  
>  > > much from the field of ABE, now call for the confinement and/or >  
> > deportation  
>  > > of those upon which I built a whole career?  Am I not as  
> complicit > as > the  
>  > > coyote, himself?  Are not our programs?  
>  > >  
>  > >  
>  > >  
>  > > John Holst  
>  > >  
>  > >  
>  > >  
>  > > ------------------------------  
>  > >  
>  > > Message: 2  
>  > > Date: Sat, 12 May 2007 15:35:06 -0400  
>  > > From: andresmuro at aol.com  
>  > > Subject: Re: [AAACE-NLA] A primer on immigration  
>  > > To: aaace-nla at lists.literacytent.org  
>  > > Message-ID:  
> <8C962E3C77F3FE7-1D18-199D at WEBMAIL-MC17.sysops.aol.com>  
>  > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"  
>  > >  
>  > > Regarding educators, the policies that they should follow are the  
> > > ones of the school, funding, etc.  
>  > > they really have no choice. Teachers are not immigration  
> officers, > > so, they shouldn't be asked to enforce immigration  
> policy. In our > > program we serve the students that come. the  
> funding pretty much > > dictates who we can serve. Our adult education  
> ESL funding is for > > people who want to learn English. Our GED  
> funding is for people who > > want to get a GED. Our migrant education  
> funding is for people > > involved in agricultural work. Our health  
> education funds are to > > provide health literacy classes and so  
> on.  
>  > >  
>  > > Schools should serve people that want to learn, provided that  
> they > > teach what people are asking for. It should be pretty  
> straight > > forward.  
>  > >  
>  > > Regarding national or global immigration policy, I cannot speak  
> of > > one definite policy. The immigration issues are the result of  
> global > > economic issues of poverty, displacement, inequality, etc.  
> Policies > > will not prevent immigration issues as long as there are  
> issues of > > poverty, inequality, etc. People will talk about  
> immigration policy > > for a while. In a couple of years, after the  
> next election, and a > > couple of Paris Hilton type scandals, a few  
> sports tournaments, etc > > people will have forgotten that we have an  
> immigration issue. We will > > continue to co-exist with pretty much  
> the same immigrants and get > > along fine. At some point, a few years  
> later, another Lou Dobbs will > > come along and make immigrants the  
> scapegoats for the all problem of > > the time.  
>  > >  
>  > > My personal policy is to treat people as people. I try not to  
> make > > distinctions about nationality, race, gender, class, sexual >  
> > preference, religion.  
>  > >  
>  > >  Andres  
>  > >    
>  > >    
>  > >    
>  > >  
>  > > Boardwalk for $500? In 2007? Ha!  
>  > > Play Monopoly Here and Now (it's updated for today's economy) at  
> > > Yahoo! Games.  
>  > > _______________________________________________  
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