Minnesota Chicano Latino Affairs Council Statement on Immigration

CLAC is a state agency created by the Minnesota legislature in 1978. Eleven of the 15 council members are appointed by the governor, with one member coming from each congressional district and three serving at-large. Two state senators and two representatives make up the remaining four members of the council. According to its web site, "The primary mission of CLAC is to advise the governor and the state legislature on the issues of importance to Minnesota\’s Chicano Latino community."

The CLAC statement said:

The Chicano Latino Affairs Council strongly endorses instituting a comprehensive immigration reform policy that is nondiscriminatory and consistent with American laws and values. The Council encourages an informed and open dialogue to address issues around the U.S. immigration system. Additionally, it promotes awareness around the contributions of immigrants to the state\’s economy, culture, and society; and to ensure Minnesota is a welcoming state with a future of strength and economic competitiveness residing in its vibrant and diverse social capital.

The Council supports a fair and just immigration policy that:
• Respects the human and civil rights of immigrants and their families
• Includes provisions that expand work visas for both low and high skilled workers
• Offers measures to prioritize and expedite family reunification
• Provides pathways for an earned legalization program for unauthorized immigrants
• Procures an integration pipeline to ensure equitable access to education, health care, and English and civic classes
• Recognizes present and future contributions of immigrants to the state\’s economy and vitality

Minnesota\’s foreign-born population plays an integral role in the state\’s economy, although it reflects slightly over 6 percent of the state\’s population when compared to 12 percent nationwide. In 2004, the top five sources of immigration to Minnesota were Somalia, Ethiopia, India, Mexico and the Philippines. Minnesota has the highest proportion of refuges of any state. In the case of foreign-born Latinos, it is estimated that 17 percent come from Mexico and 27.9 percent from the rest of Latin America. In the face of an aging and retiring population, migration – both domestic and international – will represent three-fourths of the growth in Minnesota\’s workforce in the next decade.

The current U.S. immigration policy is unable to absorb the labor demand for both high and low-skilled workers through a functional work visa system; is ineffective to expedite family reunification requests, and remains uncertain about the legalization path of millions of undocumented immigrants. This broken system is inducing state legislatures to enact disconnected legislation dealing with employment, law enforcement, benefits and education. These remedies might cause economic and legal costs to the state and municipalities, and the perpetuation of an immigrant underclass unable to fully integrate to American society.

This article is reprinted from the Twin Cities Daily Planet,

www.tcdailyplanet.net

For more information
Visit the CLAC website, http://www.clac.state.mn.us/index.html

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