As members of the U.S. House of Representatives head back to Washington, D.C. after their August recess, I’m reassured that so many leaders are speaking up for compassionate immigration reform. Today, I’m honored to share an op-ed by Wilmot Collins that was published in The Helena Independent Record.
Wilmot Collins is an Administrative Officer/Minority Veterans Coordinator for the VA Montana and a member of the Montana Immigration Justice Alliance, Montana Human Rights Network, and The Refugee Center Online. His experience as a former refugee gives him a valuable perspective on immigration. He has also been a powerful voice on Capitol Hill on World Refugee Day as part of LIRS delegations to congressional offices.
In his September 4 piece, “The Time is Now for Comprehensive Immigration Reform,” he writes:
I know Montanans are very concerned about the federal deficit, as we should be. What few of us realize, however, is that the Congressional Budget Office says the Senate immigration bill (S.744) will dramatically reduce our national deficit. The reality is, immigration reform is part of keeping America, and therefore Montana, on the path to prosperity.
He concludes his piece by writing:
The health and well-being of our state depend not just on what we do here in Montana, but also on what happens with the United States as a whole. The numbers show that comprehensive immigration reform at the national level would bring economic and social benefits to Montana. Now is the time to quit letting politics get in the way of doing the right thing. We need the House to act right away and pass a fair and compassionate immigration reform bill.
You can read the entire piece by clicking the link in the headline above. Please show your support by Liking and Sharing this piece via Facebook and other social media, and by sending the link to your friends, colleagues, and family members. It’s critical that we share op-eds of this type, and these are some of the most effective ways.
Elected officials and their staff pay close attention to op-eds, so I am very grateful to Wilmot Collins for leading on immigration and refugee issues in this way. I’m also thankful to The Helena Independent Record for publishing his op-ed.
After reading this op-ed, if you feel inspired, now is the time to raise your own voice for fair and compassionate immigration reform via the LIRS Action Center. Also, please don’t forget to sign up to receive alerts from this blog, and check out our new Immigration Reform Mythbuster.