Democrats emphasize immigrants' work-place rights

The Democrats control both houses of Congress, so we should listen to what party leaders — and the candidates vying for the party’s presidential nomination for 2008 — say about the future of immigration legislation now that the bill aiming to overhaul the U.S. immigration policies failed.

In a forum sponsored by the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials at Disney World, three candidates said they support stronger border security — but also support cracking down on employers who exploit undocumented workers. “As president, I will sign comprehensive immigration reform,” said Senator Barack Obama (Illinois). “I want my daughters to be raised in a community in which all people, and not just some, are considered part of the American dream.” Former North Carolina senator John Edwards garnered rousing applause when he said he “would never be for building a wall all the way across our Southern border.” Edwards said he would deploy more personnel and more technology along the border, while offering illegal immigrants “an absolute path to citizenship.”

Senator Hillary Clinton (New York) said she was disappointed that the Senate did pass its immigration bill and that the cornerstone of any future measure must be a “path to legalization” for the 12 million undocumented immigrants already here. “The first thing that will go down when I’m president is this wall,” said New Mexico governor Bill Richardson, the only Hispanic candidate and fluent Spanish-speaker.

Richardson was wildly cheered when he criticized the U.S. media’s portrayal of immigrants as people jumping over walls. He said the images should include farm workers “who break their backs to bring agriculture to this country,” people who clean the toilets at hotels, and the “Latino immigrant who has died for this country” in the military.