Immigrants assert in America

Historically America is country of immigrants since its inception as a nation state in the 18th century. It has often been called the melting pot. America has traditionally opened its doors to immigrants from all over the world. These immigrants migrated to America to improve their living conditions as most of them were poor in their country of origin. Backgrounds of immigrants are vastly different. Since 1780 complexion of immigrants has changed. Most of the immigrants were from Europe before 1780. The Europeans, particularly the Portuguese, began transatlantic slave trade that brought millions of Africans to America.

The backgrounds of today's immigrants expand beyond the European borders. Immigrants from Asia, Africa and Latin America are flocking to America to enjoy free life style, and to make money to have improved living condition. Racial discrimination and slavery in America were so focused that led to civil rights movement in 1955 which culminated in 1968 in poor peoples' march spearheaded by Martin Luther King. He was awarded Nobel peace prize in 1964 for his non-violent movement to establish the rights of black Americans. This non-violent campaign was adopted by him from Mahatma Gandhi's concept. Following his assassination in April, 1968 by white supremacist, riots broke out in every major city of America. The civil rights movement succeeded in bringing about such laws as Civil Rights Act of 1964 that banned discrimination in employment practices and public accommodations; Voting Rights Act of 1965; Immigration and Nationality Services Act of 1965 which changed immigration policy and Civil Rights Act of 1968 that banned discrimination in the sale or rental of housing.

Possibly this civil rights movement inspired undocumented immigrants in America to organise protest demonstrations on April 10. Massive gatherings turned up on the National Mall in Washington DC where tens of thousands peacefully demonstrated their view points. It was unprecedented. Similar demonstrations were also held on May 01 throughout the country. Bill H.R 4437 was the cause of these demonstrations. The bill contains border protection, anti-terrorism, and illegal immigrant control act of 2005 which has a myriad of measures against illegal immigrants. It makes working class people felons and punishes any person or organisation that provides support of any kind to undocumented immigrants. The Bill would, among other things, build a 700-mile fence along the US-Mexico border, authorise local police to arrest illegal aliens, and make illegal presence a felony. While commenting on this bill, Hilary Clinton, Senator from Democratic Party said: this bill would make Jesus Christ a felon.

As a compromise solution to the existing immigration problem, Republican Senator John McCain and Democrat Senator Edward Kennedy placed a bill in the Senate, which, interalia, provides scope to illegal immigrants to become citizen over a period of five plus years and a guest worker visa programme for future immigrants. If this bill is passed by the Senate, illegal immigrants would be required to pay a fine of $ 2000 plus all back taxes. Already Senate Judiciary Committee has approved the bipartisan bill. Bill Frist, Republican Majority Leader in the Senate circulated a proposal without guest worker programme. Neither the house bill nor the Senate proposed bills recognised President Bush's guest worker program. It seems that opinion at least is not divided on one count that no amnesty would be granted to illegal immigrants.

However, it seems that there is bipartisan consensus in the Senate in favour of some of the House measures to curtail illegal influx, but on balance the Senate is more inclined to regulate and regularise the presence of 10 to 12 million illegal immigrants. In a dramatic move the Senate passed a bill on April 26 to spend $ 2 billion to stop illegal aliens entering along Mexico and Canadian borders.

The nation wide demonstrations sponsored by National Day of Action and coordinated by an umbrella organisation known as the National Capital Immigration Coalition raised slogans: "we are American; we are not criminal; and we are workforce for America's economy". Organising such massive gatherings at the capital reflects the strength and unity of the undocumented immigrants. It may be mentioned that 22 million voters in America are Spanish speaking population. The presence of such massive protesters at the capital encouraged Democratic members of the House of Representatives and Senate to join them and support their cause. Congressman Jim Moran, Democrat from Virginia, Congressman Al Wynn, Democrat from Maryland, Senator Edward Kennedy, Democrat from Massachusetts addressed the gatherings.

Since this year is the election year for the House of Representatives and Senate, Democrats took the opportunity to extend their support to the undocumented immigrants, but a good chunk of Americans do not support to extend a kind of amnesty to illegal immigrants. They are of the opinion that it makes no sense to legalise illegal aliens because they are here already. That turns out to be defeatism at its worst. Americans consider the 1986 amnesty designed mainly for the third world illegal aliens, mostly from Mexico and Central America, was a slap in the face of legal immigrants. On the other hand, business leaders and advocate for immigrants' rights argue that America's economy would collapse if all the illegal immigrants are deported.

It is estimated that illegal immigrants cover 25 percent of agricultural work; 17 percent of office and house cleaning positions; 14 percent construction jobs; 12 percent food preparation and servicing and 4.9 percent labor forces. 56 percent of the illegal immigrants are from Mexico. It was followed by 22 percent from Latin America; 13 percent from Asia and 6 percent from Europe and Canada. According to Bengali newspaper Thikana of New York, there are roughly 86,000 illegal Bangladeshis in America. They are mostly located in New York, Florida, Miami and Boston.

Population in America is increasing by leaps and bounds. It has increased by 100 million since 1970. The Census Bureau estimated projection of the population by 2050 will be 420 billion. A group of anti-immigration reform in America speaks that if any of those bills in the Senate is passed a minimum of six million wives and as high as another 10 million will cross from Mexico alone which will quadruplicate the Spanish speaking population. Apart from illegal immigrants, America is accepting a million legal aliens every year which speaks of population explosion in foreseeable future.

Over the past weekend hundreds of thousands illegal immigrants took to the streets in Los Angeles and other cities also to demonstrate to establish their rights to stay in America. But many demonstrators were chanting slogans in Spanish and waving flag of Mexico. That caused anxiety in American society. This reminds me of Professor Samuel Huntington's theory that Spanish speaking Mexicans have hidden agenda to recapture the territories which they lost during America-Mexican war in 1846-48.

Protest demonstrations by undocumented immigrants have shifted focus on a contentious issue in a way seen seldom in politics in America. Possibly the main purpose of these kinds of demonstrations is to convey their message to Americans to seek their understanding of the immigration problem. It is better late than never to resolve this problem as America could turn out to be Hispanic. Without proper diagnosis the issue would become explosive for America.

Mohammad Amjad Hossain, a former diplomat, resides in Virginia.