As we mentioned earlier, C&L is co-hosting a Google Hangout video conversation this morning with an esteemed gathering of immigration reformers -- and yours truly -- to talk about the noxious right-wing fetish about "border security" that dominates the conservative response to immigration reform.
I discussed this at length at America's Voice, and now we're going to have the following panel discuss it in serious detail:
- Juanita Molina from the Border Action Network in Tucson, Arizona, will discuss how these groups and personalities shaped the debate over immigration reform in her state.
- Julieta Garibay from United We DREAM will explain how that discussion led to a growing push to militarize the border.
- Frank Sharry from America's Voice will moderate.
As AV's press release explains:
As Congress returns to Washington, the House is expected to consider several pieces of legislation dealing with immigration. Among those are bills relating to border security - an issue that has been at the forefront of the immigration debate for several years. In June, the Senate passed an immigration bill that included a path to citizenship for undocumented Americans along with a $40 billion “border surge” that would double the size of the border patrol to 40,000 troops. This fall, the House is set to consider a raft of immigration measures including the "SAFE Act" (or Safe to Harass Act), which would make Arizona’s SB 1070 the law of the land.
Most Americans support a balanced approach to immigration policy and reform. So where did the relentless focus on more and more aggressive enforcement originate? During the last decade, border security groups like the Minutemen pushed this issue into the forefront. Their extreme messaging was adopted by the media, members of Congress and other officials including the notorious, anti-immigrant Sherriff Joe Arpaio in Arizona. But, increasingly the leaders of that movement are being exposed for their shady pasts and suspect motivations.
All those elements are raised to the fore in my new book, And Hell Followed With Her: Crossing the Dark Side of the American Border, which is why we are hosting this conversation at Google Hangout.
Please come join us!
