Submitted by Natasha Lawrence
Dear Editor,
I am a U.S. citizen and spouse of a foreign national. I feel my family is being left behind as bills with immigration reform provisions are being introduced, like the Farm Workers Modernization Act. The waiver language in this bill provides relief for minor unlawful presence for farm laborers while ignoring the similar plight of members of 1.8 million U.S. citizen families.
This bill will create a disparity in outcome and equity in favor of workers and fail to support the families who have U.S. citizen spouses navigating a sea of technical Immigration Law landmines. I support waiving past unlawful presence for farm workers, but doing so is only fair and equitable if it also includes members of U.S. citizen families with similar issues.
When we talk “family values,” let’s consider if living in fear is a value add for society. Broken Immigration Law’s disrupt nuclear families and hobble the foundations of our communities. We need laws that value families, that support family unity and do not undermine the cornerstone of our society, the family unit.
Congress should make changes to the Farm Workers Act to put US. citizens families on equal footing with Farm Laborers.
Sincerely,
Natasha Lawrence
Laurel, Md. resident
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