AFL-CIO's Marc Laitin wrote about the panel:
Moderating the discussion at Netroots Nation was Mark Lauritsen, UFCW
international vice president and director of Food Processing, Packing and
Manufacturing Division, who opened with an emotional recounting of both the
positive and negative sides of immigration, particularly in the meatpacking
industry and how employers use immigration as a tool to oppress workers...
Lauritsen first turned to state Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.) who gave
her take on S.B. 1070, Arizona’s anti-immigration law. Sinema described it as
misguided. The lesson Sinema takes from Arizona is that if Congress doesn’t act,
those who want comprehensive immigration reform must respond proactively with
localized legislation rather than waiting for federal action. Immigration reform
is a problem that needs a federal solution, but Sinema argues that we cannot
wait.
Giving a perspective from the law enforcement side, Arturo
Venegas, an immigrant, Vietnam veteran and former chief of police for the city
of Sacramento, laid out the risks of legally codified racial profling and how
enforcement-only tactics are insufficient. Law enforcement officers like Chief
Venegas are some of the most powerful voices on immigration reform and we all
owe a great debt to all the brave officers who have spoken out against racial
profiling as an enforcement tactic.
Looking beyond enforcement, Adam Luna, political director at America’s Voice, described the political implications of immigration reform, particularly how popular comprehensive immigration reform is, and how candidates and activists can talk about immigration.
Rounding out the panel discussion, Think Progress blogger, former UFCW communications specialist and immigrant from Guatemala, Andrea Nill, addressed the coordinated opposition to immigration reform and outlined who’s funding it and how they operate...For more, click here.
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