AMNESTY IN 2020?

Let’s resolve to forget about last year’s immigration disappointments.  When Congress failed to pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill, the hopes of millions came crashing down.  Suffice it to say that the government failed in solving one of our country’s most troubling issues – immigration.  However 2020 ushers a fresh perspective and lessons learned from the past can help in creating a solution.    
     Despite that relentless effort of thousands of immigrant groups and activists; we witnessed the slow and agonizing death of a comprehensive immigration reform bill on the floor of Congress.  Despite criticism that the bill did not go far enough, it would’ve given some respite to the 12 million undocumented residents in this country. 
   But the shifting political winds may bring some needed solution in 2020.  Immigration experts including law professors and veteran immigration lawyers agree that the immigration bill may be revived before the next election. 
       If democrats win this coming election, the bill may be much kinder and gentler than past proposals.  Please recall that the Republican immigration bill called for more enforcement and raids and greater militarization of the border and erosion of some basic due-process rights.  And under the Trump Administration this is exactly what we are getting.  Critics pointed out that the Trump Administration abandoned long-standing US policy favoring the reunification of families and failed to protect workers’ most basic rights. This coming year the issues may be similar: Should US immigration policy become a labor supply system for corporations, or should it support families and communities?  But the bottom line is something must be done.
         There is guarded optimism in the air as we enter 2020 and the next election.  The millions of families, workers, students, and parents who have been waiting for years for the government to legalize their status are again hopeful. It’s not too early to again prepare for what can be the next immigration amnesty.  Let’s keep our fingers crossed.