Response to NYT Room for Debate
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Rosi Carrasco
Aug 3, 2012, 11:47:27 AM8/3/12
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Response to NYT Room for Debate
August 01, 2012 by No Papers No Fear
On August 1st, the New York Times published a debate "Is getting on the 'Undocubus' a good idea? Should illegal immigrants to the United States be encouraged to come out about their status?"
Below is our response:
As
undocumented immigrants we face risks every day. We wake up every
morning wondering whether our loved ones will return home. While many of
us pay taxes, we don’t have access to work, education or healthcare. We
have few effective avenues to participate in the democratic process and
the creation of the laws that frame our lives.
Despite some administrative relief for a small group of undocumented youth, there is no question: immigrant communities are living through a crisis. Yet, wherever there is injustice there is also resistance and survival.
People around the country are beginning to lose fear and talk about their experiences publicly.
Every time one of us does this, we bring to the light what is happening in the shadows. We’re happy to see our journey already causing discussion. But for us, the question to ask is not whether undocumented immigrants face risks when we come out, the question we asked ourselves before getting on the bus was whether we can afford to stay in the shadows.
For those of us on the tour, the answer is “No.” We are tired of mistreatment and can no longer wait for change. By putting our lives on the line, we join a long history of courageous people in the United States who have fought for human rights and dignity of our communities, often defying unjust laws to do so. The question we hope gets asked is what can each of us do, what risk could each of us take to join that same legacy that moves history forward.
Below is our response:
As
undocumented immigrants we face risks every day. We wake up every
morning wondering whether our loved ones will return home. While many of
us pay taxes, we don’t have access to work, education or healthcare. We
have few effective avenues to participate in the democratic process and
the creation of the laws that frame our lives.Despite some administrative relief for a small group of undocumented youth, there is no question: immigrant communities are living through a crisis. Yet, wherever there is injustice there is also resistance and survival.
People around the country are beginning to lose fear and talk about their experiences publicly.
Every time one of us does this, we bring to the light what is happening in the shadows. We’re happy to see our journey already causing discussion. But for us, the question to ask is not whether undocumented immigrants face risks when we come out, the question we asked ourselves before getting on the bus was whether we can afford to stay in the shadows.
For those of us on the tour, the answer is “No.” We are tired of mistreatment and can no longer wait for change. By putting our lives on the line, we join a long history of courageous people in the United States who have fought for human rights and dignity of our communities, often defying unjust laws to do so. The question we hope gets asked is what can each of us do, what risk could each of us take to join that same legacy that moves history forward.
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