2022: Pathway to Citizenship

Sponsor: Latinx Caucus
Co-Chairs: Diana C. Brown, muzikismy1stluv@gmail.com
Alejandro Ortega-Morales, Alexanderejames02@gmail.com
Manuel Pintado, matronman2003ayahoo.com

Brief explanation of approval process and date of approval:
Latinx Caucus discussed the updated language for several weeks. It was voted forward on September 30, 2021.

Proposed new plank

Language has been updated to reflect a more concrete stance on immigration by replacing and adding language in regards to Pathway to Citizenship

Latinx Caucus is asking for “Social Justice, Section J. ‘Immigration’ ”  to be moved under “Section A. Civil Rights and Equal Rights” between the bullet point for Violence Against Women and Reparations. We have updated the language to reflect the new title: “Pathway To Citizenship”

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Social Justice

A: Civil Rights and Equal Rights

Pathway To Citizenship

Laws to oppress immigrants have been proposed by states, Congress, and numerous administrations. Millions of immigrants and supporters of justice for immigrants have marched in the streets. Politicians have constantly stirred up anti-immigrant sentiment among sections of the U.S. population. U.S. imperialism; a policy of extending a country’s power and influence through diplomacy or military force, and colonialism; the policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, economic exploitation, unfair trade policies, economic sanctions, unequal distribution of assets, increase in violence, and climate change have caused many  of the world’s citizens to migrate for better opportunities. We must address all people’s humanitarian needs as we chart a course toward a less cumbersome pathway to citizenship.

The Green Party stands firmly for social justice for all living in this country regardless of immigration status. Above all, policy and law must be humane. Anything less would be inconsistent with our Green Values, and with our nation’s values.

The Green Party strives for a world in which persons can freely choose to live in and work in any country they desire. We recognize that this would be impractical without reciprocity between nations. We seek that reciprocity as a practical goal. 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

There are over 10,200 forms, hundreds of immigration statuses, hefty annual renewal fees, and varying steps immigrants must take to start the process for their specific situation. Many times applications are denied because the applicant submitted forms for the incorrect category and cause them to lose all filing fees paid up to that point (no refunds.) This cumbersome immigration process along with unreasonable Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and lawyers fees must be streamlined. 

INHUMANE TREATMENT OF IMMIGRANTS

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), local police, and for-profit/private prison corporations such as GEO Group and CoreCivic have taken advantage of the increase in anti-immigrant legislation and created a symbiotic relationship. ICE’s mission, “To protect America from cross border crime and illegal immigration that threaten national security and public safety. This mission is executed through the enforcement of more than 400 federal statutes and focuses on immigration enforcement and combating transnational crime,” subscribes to the belief that every Latin American citizen is a criminal. Mass incarceration fuels the proliferation of for-profit prisons while for-profit prison corporations encourage policies that increase the number of people behind bars. With various states implementing anti-immigrant legislation, setting up detention centers has been an easy contractual agreement with the “incentive” that they must meet 80% to 100% fill capacity for payment. ICE reports they have paid $85,000 per incarcerated individual and a total of $807 million to 19 for-profit detention centers.

Racist policies must be abolished. Undocumented immigrants boost America’s economic growth and raise the general productivity of American workers by providing much-needed skills. Immigrant workers allow important sectors of the economy to expand, attract investment and create employment opportunities for native-born Americans, contribute more in tax revenue than they collect, reduce American firms’ incentives to offshore jobs and import foreign-produced goods, and benefit consumers by reducing the prices of goods and services. Economists estimate that legalization of the undocumented immigrant population would increase the immigrants’ earnings and consumption considerably, and increase U.S. gross domestic product. 

STEPS FORWARD

The U.S. needs a complete overhaul of its immigration laws, procedures, and programs. Our current situation has created extreme social injustice. Millions of people are living and working in the U.S. with no legal status, making them subject to extreme exploitation and abuse. Immigration raids are terrorizing the immigrant community. Families are being broken up. Employer abuses of undocumented workers are rampant. Immigration policies such as separating families at the border, kids in cages, and the Title 42 program which allows the United States Border Patrol and U.S. Customs to prohibit the entry of persons who potentially pose a health risk (a racist policy to fast track deportations and prohibit refugees to seek asylum on U.S. soil) must immediately cease.

The Green Party must consider immigration issues from an international standpoint, taking into account international labor and environmental standards, and human rights.

The following proposals may not yield perfect answers, but they provide better answers than the status quo. We must recognize that there cannot be any true solutions to the conflicts created by immigration until we are able to organize globally to overcome the power of multinational corporations, which are engaged in an unending campaign to drive down workers’ living standards everywhere. International cooperation and solidarity among labor organizations, to advance the rights of labor and raise such living standards globally, are essential to combat this trend. Until the power of the multinationals is curbed, we will continue to be confronted with seemingly “no win” choices.

When the government has the power to deny legal rights and due process to one vulnerable group, everyone’s rights are at risk. We must end xenophobia and white supremacy to address laws and practices that punish and target individuals for their immigration status, national origin, ethnicity and race, to build power among the people. We must stand up for community members who have been excluded, oppressed, and maltreated and for people who have been subjected to multiple systems of oppression and exclusion. Our goal is for the many diverse immigrant communities to possess true freedom and equality. We propose the following immigration policies, consistent with the Ten Key Values.

1. Policy Reform

In many countries economic policies, military actions of the U.S. government or U.S. based corporations, and natural disasters have caused extreme hardships. These individuals must be prioritized to escape the intolerable conditions. We believe all immigrants must be granted a pathway to citizenship without cumbersome fees nor civil rights restrictions. In addition, we demand a recognition of past, uncredited payments into Social Security as part of any fees assessed for regularization of status. Persons should only be excluded if their background check presents a clear and present danger. We believe the following policies should be enacted:

• Undocumented immigrants who are already residing and working in the United States, and their families, should be granted legal status  which allows a pathway to citizenship.  
• All DACA and TPS recipients must be immediately granted a pathway to citizenship. 
• All essential workers such as farm workers must be granted permanent residency and a pathway citizenship
• Permanent border passes to all citizens of Mexico and Canada whose identity can be traced and verified. The “matricula consular” should be accepted as one means of proving one’s identity.
• Work permits for citizens of Mexico and Canada must be easily obtainable, thereby decriminalizing the act of gainful employment. This action would help eliminate exploitation of undocumented persons by criminals engaged in human contraband (coyotes) and unethical employers. It would also help ensure that taxes will be paid in each corresponding nation per its laws. These measures will also help temporary residents from Mexico and Canada to secure driving privileges and liability insurance.
• All persons fleeing political, racial, religious, or other types of persecution must be welcomed and granted permanent resident status and a pathway to citizenship. The history of arbitrary denial of political asylum claims must end. Particular attention should be given to those minorities who are political exiles and refugees and those whose lives would be at risk if asylum is not granted
• All those who are issued work permits must have the option to come and go from the U.S. as they desire. They must also be granted a pathway to citizenship
• The long wait to petition for a family member to join them in the US. must end. We must prioritize family reunification for the sake of safety.
• Permanent residency should not be denied based on political views, racial or national origin, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, disability, or any other arbitrary basis.
• We must keep faith with our commitment to the United Nations, to assist in the resettlement, including to our own country, of refugees currently stranded in refugee camps in other parts of the world.

2: Interim Measures

First two sentences reworded:

D. Immigrant workers do not compete for jobs with current citizens and should not be punished for being victims of U.S. corporatist policies.