Get involved in the Immigration Reform Debate -Latse

Attorney Evelyn Latse has urged African immigrants to actively participate in the recently stalled immigration reform debate if they expect any real change in U.S. immigration law and policy. Speaking alongside Gubernatorial Candidate, Barbara Buono, at an immigration forum co-hosted by Organizing for Action and the New Jersey Council of Associations (NJ COGA) in Orange, New Jersey, Ms. Latse bemoaned Africans’ docility with matters that affect them.

Ms. Latse recounted how during the height of the debate she was invited to a press conference by Senator Bob Menendez, New Jersey’s leading Senator. According to Ms. Latse, her quest to bring one African “Dreamer,” (a person who benefitted from the recent Dreamer Act) from her community to share their story yielded no result. No Dreamer was willing to stand up to be counted. Africans are unwilling to participate in civic affairs in the U.S., said Ms. Latse. That attitude may be borne out of fear, Ms. Latse added.

It is fairly well documented that Africans suffer the adverse impact of U.S. immigration laws disparately, yet they are more focused on pursuing economic and educational activities quietly under the radar. United States census data shows that African immigrants are among the most educated ethnic group in the U.S. However, their presence and impact is hardly noticeable. Ms. Latse stated that perhaps another reason Africans do not participate in the immigration discussion is because once Africans become legal residents or citizens, they believe they are no longer affected by U.S. immigration laws. This thought is ill-advised, especially because of the interdependence of family members, some of whom may be undocumented, Ms. Latse remarked. She said “until African immigrants join the immigration debate, immigration will continue to largely be a Hispanic issue” and Africans will continue to deprive the entire movement for immigration reform its large and important voter population whose voices also need to be heard.

Ms. Latse advised Africans to collaborate under one umbrella, and called for increased strategizing among the 53 African countries represented in the U.S., to strengthen Africans’ demands and issues, adding that Africans can play an important role and be a catalyst for immigration reform.

Other speakers including Barbara Buono, who runs on the Democratic ticket against New Jersey’s incumbent republican candidate, Chris Christie, highlighted the immense contributions of immigrants to job creation, the economy and healthcare. Joseph Champagne, Mayor of South Toms River, New Jersey, a Haitian immigrant debunked popular myths leveled against immigration reforms by its adversaries.

Evelyn D. Latse, Attorney-at-Law, practices in New York & New Jersey. She can be reached at Evelyn.Latse@LatseLaw.Com.; www.latselaw.com.