Jewish Values and Immigrants and Refugees
from the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism

"There shall be one law for the citizen and for the stranger who dwells among you" (Exodus 12:49). The Torah articulates a basic principle to which the Jewish people clung through two millennia of diaspora and disenfranchisement: "When strangers sojourn with you in your land, you shall not do them wrong. The strangers who sojourn with you shall be to you as the natives among you, and you shall love them as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt" (Leviticus 19:33-34). This principle of equal rights for citizens and non-citizens alike permeates not only Jewish tradition, but the American legal tradition as well. As citizens fully integrated into the fabric of this country, we have a unique responsibility as inheritors of an immigrant history to ensure that the rights of non-citizens are not trampled upon today. Likewise, Jews have a traditional appreciation for, and interest in, maintaining the civil liberties that have allowed us to thrive in this country. The great strength of the American system of governance is that it provides its inhabitants with inalienable individual rights, including the right to due process, the right to be punished in proportion to the crime committed, the right not to be imprisoned without cause. These modern political rights derive at least part of their power from an ancient moral charge: "Justice, justice shall you pursue" (Deuteronomy 16:20). This biblical directive teaches us that we must act justly in the pursuit of justice; that we must insist on both just ends and just means.

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SHARE E-Newsletter 2/3/06

In this issue

• The Fallacy of CAFTA and Maquilas as Cure-Alls for Salvadoran Migration
• Upcoming Policy Changes and Legislation Regarding Immigration Reform in the U.S. by Jill Stiehl, SHARE DC Intern
• Temporary Protected Status Up For Renewal
  
• Sidebar Reflection: Jewish Values and Immigrants and Refugees from the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism

The Fallacy of CAFTA and Maquilas as Cure-Alls for Salvadoran Migration

Leading up to the U.S. Congressional vote on the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) last July, many CAFTA supporters explained their stance by claiming the pact would decrease the amount of undocumented immigration to the United States. According to the argument, free trade would help industries develop throughout Central America so that more people would want to remain to explore job opportunities in the region, instead of opting for migration to the U.S. This argument was used particularly in the case of El Salvador, where out of a population of 6.5 million, approximately 2 million already live and work in the U.S. With such a large percentage of the population working in the U.S., remittances (money earned in the U.S. which is sent back to El Salvador) have increased steadily in the last decade and reached an all-time high of $12.5 billion in 2004, which is approximately 17.1% of the Salvadoran Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The argument, however, does not hold up under the lens of experience. Read more .

Upcoming Policy Changes and Legislation Regarding Immigration Reform in the US

By Jill Stiehl, SHARE DC Intern

Legislation and policy changes often attempt to alleviate the battles raging over immigration and migration. However as long as legislation is looking only to short term, immediate solutions- and not to remedying the root causes- such as lack of access to education and jobs that pay a living wage, real immigration reform will be impossible. Read the highlights of three bills being considered in Congress that also face these challenges. Please stay tuned for more information and advocacy opportunities related to the three bills:

Kennedy-McCain Bill: Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act of 2005
(S 1003, H.R. 2330)

Sensenbrenner-King Bill: Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005 (H.R. 4437, Passed in House)

Cornyn-Kohl Bill: Comprehensive Enforcement and Immigration Reform Act of 2005 (S 1438)

Temporary Protected Status Up For Renewal

Temporary Protected Status is a program which was originally designed by the United States Congress in 1990, to provide undocumented immigrants in the United States with temporary protection from deportation, and with the ability to work legally. However, TPS can only be granted to those who are from a select list of countries and who are temporarily unable to safely return to their home country because of ongoing armed conflict, the temporary effects of an environmental disaster, or other extraordinary and temporary conditions. (View more information).

TPS could be applied to the thousands who were impacted by Hurricane Stan which pounded both El Salvador and Guatemala in October 2005. However, thus far, the U.S. has failed to extend the registration period for El Salvador, and Guatemala has not been granted eligibility for the TPS program.

For those with TPS, their status will remain legal until September of 2006. However, it is up to the Bush Administration as to whether or not this status will be renewed. The White House is expected to make an announcement on the issue anytime over the next several months.

SHARE supports the extension of TPS, although we do not work directly on immigration and migration policy. We see TPS as a temporary solution to a much larger problem. TPS should not be a long term solution to maintain the Salvadoran economy, but until the Salvadoran government commits to creating sustainable opportunities in El Salvador, TPS will remain essential. As noted above, CAFTA is not such an alternative. SHARE will continue its efforts to accompany the creation of sustainable alternatives to immigration in El Salvador, including support of the rural sector. In lieu of these efforts, SHARE, as a member of the Latin America Working Group, has signed a letter promoting TPS for the victims of Hurricane Stan. Read the letter and view the other signatories.

For additional information on TPS and what your local community is doing on this issue, please contact your local social services agencies, immigration rights groups, churches, or community groups to see how you can help. Please stay tuned for more information and updates on TPS renewal from SHARE.