By Irvin H. Jacobs

SAN DIEGO, Calif.—Panelists in a joint Jewish and Latino forum on immigration generally expressed sympathy for ‘undocumented’ immigrants and their children, suggesting reform of the immigration system was an issue on which the two communities could make common cause.

Rabbi Gary Greenebaum, Los Angeles director of the American Jewish Committee, said throughout American history virtually each immigrant group has suffered from ugly propaganda despite their ultimate contributions to American society. He emphasized to approximately 40 people attending a forum last month at the University of San Diego that all groups need allies in common causes.  Jews in this case are working with Latinos. 

Greenebaum also drew a contrast between the absorption process in Israel and that of the USA.  Israel has received large numbers of new citizens from numerous and diverse places, including Blacks from Ethiopia, Arabic-speaking Jews, and those from the former Soviet Union.  Israel’s success in handling inevitable tensions among the strange newcomers and the established citizens can be partially attributed to specialized absorption centers, where immigrants learn Hebrew as well as Israeli customs.  He wondered out loud why the USA has no absorption centers.

David J. Vallodolid, president and chief executive officer of San Diego Parents Institute for Quality Education, stated that he is a 6^th generation American, dating from before there were any borders between Mexico and the United States.  

He quoted Englishman Willie Lynch, an 18^th century advisor to the colonial slave owners, whose methodology for long term subservience was to divide the slaves into various subgroups, e.g. by shade of color, and create fear between the groups, so that they could never unite and rise up.  He suggested that some of the same technique persists today, dividing the Latino community.  His request:  Educate us!  Latino parents report to him, “We don’t have a clue how to educate our kids.”

Attorney Ginger Jacobs, secretary of the San Diego Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, reported that the U.S. rules for citizenship are complex and rife with obstacles and delays.  Some persons with special talents such as athletes, scientists, and artists have a favored priority.  Even people with visas tend to overstay their visas, aware that re-application for a visa must be done in their home country with certainty of multi-year delays.  They become ‘trapped’ as illegals inside the US.  She indicated that the current U.S. Senate bill, an attempt at comprehensive immigration reform, extends over 400 pages.  Although it offers twice the rate of the current visas offered and such features as a “Dream Act” for expedited citizenship of youth who finish high school, the package is unlikely to be accepted by the House of Representatives.

John Ramirez, an agent with the Homeland Security Department’s Citizen & Immigration Services (formerly the now abolished Immigration & Naturalization Service) said his agency naturalizes 15,000 new citizens a year in San Diego County.  These represent 94 countries, of which two-thirds are Mexican and a large percentage Filipinos.  He said like everyone else he awaits a final version of a new law from Congress and direction on its interpretations and enforcement.

Bernardo M. Ferdman, Ph.D., professor of Organizational Psychology in the School of Management at Alliant International University and a Latino who is Jewish, chaired the panel cosponsored by the Latino-Jewish Coalition and the San Diego chapter of the American Jewish Committee.

The panelists also commented briefly on their concerns as Congress works on proposed immigration legislation.  Jacobs noted that the Senate bill contains already 20 amendments, likely to water it down to a state of ineffectiveness. Villadolid worried that local police will be called on to enforce federal legislation.  Greenebaum feared excess politicization in the new legislation, and he encouraged pressure action by coalitions to mitigate this. Ramirez said regardless of the legislation's specific provisions, immigrants would benefit by studying English, civics, and American history early on.  He did anticipate that future processing of applicants will become faster, via scheduled appointment slots and use of the Internet in submitting forms.

Having reported the news of the above event, I will now turn to commentary.  I had the feeling during the presentations that both the audience and the participants believe they can achieve legal status and expedited citizenships, even for undocumented aliens, simply by coalition building and brute pressure.  

This ignores the anger felt in large sectors of the American public over disregard for our nation's immigration policy by non-citizens and their supporters.  A comprehensive government plan, if such ever arrives, will still involve numerous obstacles for both illegal and legal immigrants.  A patch up plan (or none at all) will be as ineffective as the current status. 

In private conversations later with a few of those in attendance, I learned they too have the same reservations.