Immigration, hypocrisy, and the absurdity of detention

It doesn't take much to realize that most of (I'm being conservative here in my language) the anti-immigrant position is based on a racist and irrational fear. And, it doesn't take much more to realize the hypocrisy in a lot of the arguments used by anti-immigrant groups, often trying to cover up this racism...as if middle class white communities would actually be willing to sacrifice some of the comfort provided to them by their social standing only to realize that yes, dark skinned people are nothing to fear. Of course, its not about race, but the whole "shrinking middle class" thing must be a result of these "illegals" and all the other freeloaders on the economy...

Anti-immigrant groups often talk about what they have such a big problem with is that so many immigrants live in this country undocumented. Because, you know, anonymous "brown" people in the country automatically pose a security threat. As if somehow a person being undocumented means that they're always hiding in the shadows, or in some other way more to fear than your average white person walking down the street who you've never seen before. Then we may also hear that undocumented immigrants are disgracing the value of citizenship in this "great country." As if undocumented immigrants are doing nothing for this country, and somehow by migrating, a human act for as long as we've existed, they threaten to ruin everything the white US population has.

But, when the suggestion is made that a path to citizenship, a mere possibility for the immigrants currently undocumented in this country to become documented, be provided, you'll find these anti-immigrant groups again in an uproar. Somehow, when presented with the true face of undocumented immigrants - for the most part hardworking out of necessity to support their families, who chose to find work in the US facing the challenge of increased economic hardships in their home country, very often among the lowest in socio-economic stratification - these groups would rather deny the realities, increase the costs of documented migration, increase the raids and detentions, yet continue to eat the foods, buy the products and use the services provided by many undocumented immigrants. Looking to have their cake and eat it to, while only creating conditions which push more immigrants to choose the less legal path into the country.

Then, to add ignorance to arrogance, its as if all immigrants become "illegals" in the public conscious. All brown skinned people with accents are convicted of being illegal human beings simply for the supposed threat to comfortable white communities. So its not just the "illegals" who should be deported, or killed, but anyone speaking Spanish, dressing differently, or with darker skin. And all those who fit this description are labeled criminals, with the minimal cases of actual criminal incidents sensationalized as justification for all of the above. And all this as if white people or other citizens never commit the same crimes, more often. Then what's the solution here? (Unfortunately, the justice system and the weight of different crimes in the US and the whole prison-industrial complex only creates more problems than solutions.)

For so many undocumented immigrants, the official policy on enforcing immigration laws are based on racial profiling and the denial of human and constitutional rights. Border Patrol and ICE are on buses and trains, at workplaces, churches and neighborhoods searching for undocumented immigrants to fulfill their job of creating even more fear and problems for those who have gone through more than enough just to provide for their families and themselves. How else can ICE and BP achieve their goals without racial profiling? The level of accepted racism in their methods is astounding, to the point that it might almost make sense in an environment of fear and war. A significant number of undocumented immigrants may fit a certain, albeit broad criteria, so some might argue it would only make sense to target people who fit that description. Of course, we can see how ineffective and problematic this has been at other times, such as the treatment of communities of color by police, media and other social institutions. What you end up with is a whole population living in fear, facing more challenges in providing for themselves and family. Then its as if simply for fitting this criteria, constitutional and human rights don't apply: detention in a system which tries to maintain anonymity, holding people for weeks, months, years with no criminal charge.

Why detention? If its the anonymity that people are so afraid of, why is it not enough to fill out the necessary paperwork and let people be on their way? Detention often has a profoundly devastating affect on families and communities, ripping families apart and creating stress on the farms and businesses which rely on migrant workers. Constitutional rights apply to all people within the imaginary borders of this country, not just citizens. Yet, somehow this all still passes for acceptable policy on the immigration issue.

No human is illegal, no border is legitimate. And the racist white power structure needs to be burnt to the ground.