The immigration reform debate began with a bang, with positions staked out by both President Obama and the Senate’s “Gang of 8,” so I have plenty of insightful, powerful posts for this Monday’s Top Picks. I’d especially like to lift up the inspiring piece by Janet Murguia of the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), and Lisa Sharon Harper of Sojourner’s reflections on redemption in the immigration justice system.
- In her post “Unity: The Solution We Are Searching For,” Janet Murguia, President and CEO of NCLR, makes an emotional appeal for a united movement on immigration reform.
- Mario Ramos of the American Immigration Lawyers Association writes in his piece “A Call for a Journey” why, after so many years of waiting and disappointment, he believes that Obama’s speech is the call to action that will finally make reform a reality.
- Writing for America’s Voice, Frank Sharry argues that, under any reform plan, the wait for citizenship should be no more than 8 years.
- In her piece “Immigration Profile: Is There Room for Redemption,” Lisa Sharon Harper of Sojourners tells the story of one undocumented immigrant with a criminal history, reflecting on the lack of space for individual reform in the current immigration system.
- In his Mother Jones commentary “Immigration Reform and the English Language,” Kevin Drum explores how nationalism and cultural insecurity are influencing the role of the English language in the immigration debate.
Please email me or leave a comment if you have any thoughts on this week’s Top Picks or suggestions for future weeks’ posts. Thank you for taking the time to visit our blog today, and I look forward to bringing you the best online commentary on immigration and refugee issues every Monday.