Migrant Policy with Ed McCullough

Waking up at 5 a.m. and returning home at around 3 in the afternoon, I spent the better part Sunday, Sep. 28 on a humanitarian effort with retired UA Geology professor Ed McCullough. Accompanied by a fellow classmate, Osama Naser, we drove down to a heavy migrant travel area about five miles north of the U.S. - Mexico border. The group that McCullough is a part of, No More Deaths, tracks migrant trails so that they can map these routes in an effort to aide them in their long journey. Volunteers from No More Deaths provide Hispanic migrants with water, food and medical relief.

Osama and I will detail our experience in a story to appear on BorderBeat.net in the near future, but it is the political implication of the conversations that we had with McCullough that I wish to discuss in this blog entry.

On the hour-long dive from Tucson to various spots in the Coronado National Forest, McCullough explained the problems that migrants and his organization come into with the Border Patrol and other policies that the U.S. Government has set in place.

"The Border Patrol is constantly hurting our efforts, sometimes directly and sometimes indirectly," said McCullough.

He explained that the Border Patrol's various attempts to curb illegal immigration have been set up by inhumane policies. "They (the Border Patrol) fly over groups of immigrants with their helicopters, causing them to scatter in every which direction; this really hurts their chances of survival," said McCullough.

Additionally, McCullough explained how the Border Patrol will often try to walk the same trails that the volunteers of No More Deaths do, sabotaging their work by slicing open water jugs and removing food.

Is this really an effective use of tax payer money? Almost everyone in this country agrees that illegal immigration is a problem, but agreeing on a solution has proven far more difficult. McCullough shot off some rather disturbing statistics. Over the past several years, where the Border Patrol has seen a large increase in their budget, there haven't been many positive results. Apprehensions are about the same as they have always been, while the number of illegal immigrants entering the country, as well as those who die in an attempt to do so, have both risen drastically. I wouldn't imagine that this was the intention of lawmakers when they decided to increase funding.

"Throwing money at a problem won't solve it," said McCullough. "You need to treat the cause of the problem, not the symptoms." Likening it to America's War on Drugs, McCullough feels that the U.S. government's attempts to solve a large issue by attacking it on a small scale and with misguided and inhumane tactics is bound to fail, and the numbers are in his favor. In fact, the Bush administration's immigration policies are so inhumane that the U.N. has found them in violation of international human right's laws, a violation that the administration rebukes and hides under the veil of national security.

My opinion on the issue is similar to that of McCullough's. We need to solve this problem by attacking it's cause rather than treating it's symptoms. Trying to stop immigrants from entering this country by making it easier for them to parish along their trip is disgusting. What's equally as disturbing is the claim that we can do whatever we want in the name of national security. How many times is that going to be used to justify illegal and unethical behavior?

Perhaps enforcing the already existing laws regarding hiring undocumented workers will serve as a better deterrent. According to McCullough, more than half of those caught trying to illegally enter our borders will keep trying until they are successful. If we give them no reason to keep trying, then we can save lives. Providing much less of an incentive for illegal immigrants to come here seeking work would prove far more effective and ethical in deterring their attempts to come here in the first place. That is an example of attempting to solve an issue through its cause.

Immigrant rights...?

While interning at the network level for CBS this summer I was exposed to a variety of newsworthy topics.  In one way or another they all seemed to be impacted by immigration, whether it was legal or not.  Hot-bed issues such as the economy are largely affected by immigration, and I recall one such story that touches on immigration as it effects the economy, as well as the moral fiber of our country.

One of my bosses and a senior producer of CBS' Evening Weekend News, John Mondello, approached me at the start of our week about a story idea of his.  There had recently been an immigration raid in Iowa, the largest in the history of the country.  Mondello asked me to do some research on the issue and to see how feasible it would be for him to fly from New York to Iowa to shoot a story.

Sure enough, later that week he was on his way.  Working entirely on his own, Mondello produced and shot the story, which can be read here    

At the heart of the issue is what to do with illegal immigrants once they are caught and the impact that such a raid has on the local economy.

As you can guess, opinions vary.  Many people hold that these people should have no rights, they should be immediately deported once they are caught working here illegally.  After all, by simply being in our country and taking up employment without going through the correct process they are breaking the law.

No issue is this black and white, however, and I find these particular shades of gray to be rather compelling.  As seen in the story about Postville, Iowa, many of these workers were lured into purchasing fake documentation by U.S. citizens.  What's more, where do our ethical and moral judgments come into play?  Should these families be forced to live in poverty and unable to work while they await a court date?

To me it seems like we need a more definitive solution.  If they are indeed breaking the law and are caught, perhaps they should be deported illegally.  On the other hand, if we are going to try to process them through our court system, then we need to take into account what these people and their families will endure throughout this process and make appropriate accomodations.

No matter which side of the issue you agree with, the way that our country is currently handling the problem is clearly faulted.  What do you think?  Which extreme should we implement when dealing with immigration, or do you think there is a reasonable middle ground between deportation and complete accomodation?  

   

Impressions of Rodney Glassman: An atypical politician

After interviewing Rodney Glassman, the representative of Tucson's second ward, I was left with several impressions, but one of them caught me rather off-guard. While Glassman’s success and dedication as a civil servant are certainly good things, you might be surprised at these achievements as you learn more about him.

In my interview with Glassman for an article to appear on BorderBeat.net later this week, we discussed much of what has led him to his current political career. Our conversations have run the gamut of biographical topics from his childhood and time as an undergraduate, to his multiple graduate degrees, his professional career, and his future aspirations. It is from what I learned about Glassman that I find myself so refreshingly surprised at his political accomplishments.

As someone who, in many ways, is not the typical politician, Glassman still shares a genuine concern for the good of his constituents. Above and beyond that, he seems to genuinely care about the well-being of anyone he can reach, not just those of Tucson’s second ward. This is evidenced by his involvement in various philanthropies, as well as one that he started and operates, The Glassman Foundation.

Glassman earned his undergraduate degree, as well as a PhD, an MBA and a J.D. from the UA. He explained to me in great detail his plans to be an attorney in the near future, yet he finds himself serving a job that he never intended to. Glassman admits that he has no further aspirations in politics; he and his wife agreed this would not be his career (not many politicians on a local level ever make the jump to the state level). But what’s wrong with that?

The southern California native who is now proud to call Tucson his home finds himself motivated by a different agenda, by a genuine desire to empower others, to better their lives and to serve their interests. As a community representative, Glassman has been helping out Tucson’s second ward with seemingly mundane issues such as fixing potholes and responding to numerous individual complaints (topics have ranged from not having enough recycling bins to neighborhood cleanliness). However, Glassman has also worked on larger legislative issues like guest-worker programs, solar power, and water conservation.

Perhaps this is what we need; more people in a field that weren’t looking to be there in the first place. This may be an oversimplification, but more politicians in the mold of Glassman wouldn’t hurt. Politicians who didn’t necessarily set out for a glamorous, me-first spot in the public eye, but rather those who are drawn to the job by a desire to do what the position really entails: serving the good of the community.

Introductions

Before we can dive too deeply into any specific issue, it is important to first identify the most prominent public figures that will be involved.  In two or three of the next entries we will look at these key players in the legal and political fields.  First I will focus on the politicians, next will be the practicing attorneys.

One of the most well-known politicians in the area is Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.  She represents Arizona’s eighth district, which contains over 100 miles of Arizona’s southeastern border.  Giffords serves on the House Armed Services Committee, as well as subcommittees for Air and Land Forces and Military Readiness.  Working closely with the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, much of Giffords work relates to military border issues.

The other representative whose district covers much of the border is Raúl Grijalva.  Grijalva serves Arizona’s seventh district, an area that incorporates a stretch of land from Yuma to Nogales.  Having been involved in Southern Arizona politics since the 1980s, Grijalva has made a name for himself on issues such as education and labor, both of which are committees that he is a member of nationally.  Grijalva has also worked on pertinent border issues such as teacher and employee rights, small business support, and the advocacy of natural resource allotment.   

Locally, Tucson is home to several politicians who have done much in relation to the border.  Mayor Bob Walkup, who was recently elected to his third term, has worked closely with City Manager Mike Hein to enforce and reform laws involving drug smuggling, as well as environmental issues such as water conservation and recycling.

Tucson’s Vice Mayor, Karin Uhlich, maintains an economic mindset as she focuses on fair labor and serves as a representative to the United Nations on the International Labour Organization.

Another politician who has made a name for himself on going green is Rodney Glassman, the representative of Tucson’s second ward.  A California native and University of Arizona alumni, Glassman was recently elected on issues such as solar power and water conservation, campaign promises that he has already begun to enact in areas that go beyond his ward.

All of the aforementioned politicians pride themselves on border issues that relate to a variety of topics from the economy to the environment.  These are the individuals who will be discussed in future postings.  In the next entry we will look at the lawyers that are involved with the same issues, and the two groups of professionals will undoubtedly play off of each other as they work together to write, enact, and enforce the laws that regulate these points.       

Bien venidos

Welcome to my blog on border politics and law. Throughout the next few months I will look at major political and legal issues that affect the border. To start, we will identify some of the key players in this field and look at what they do and the impact their actions have.

Topics may range from litigation of immigration and water issues, to voter behavior in the region. Certainly, the topics of politics and law are not mutually exclusive and therefore will cross over on many stories.

I hope that you enjoy the forthcoming entries and find the blog to be both interesting and informative, please feel free to comment as well as contact me.