PHOTO/CHUCK PARKER
A humanitarian crisis involving Central American children seeking to enter the U.S. has been in the making for a long time. It only recently exploded onto the news, due largely to intentional coverage by media pundits and certain elected officials. Their purpose is partly to confuse and divide the public as to the causes of their declining standard of living by scape-goating immigrants. Another likely purpose is to shape public opinion around immigration reform in the interests of the corporations.
These predominantly Central American children are victims of decades of U.S.-sponsored war, genocide, the overthrow of democratically elected governments, the U.S.-backed drug trade and “war on drugs,” and the consequent destabilization, poverty, and crime. They have been completing the perilous (up to) 1500-mile journey. They seek to reunite with their families in the U.S. from whom, due to the stagnation of immigration reform, they have been separated. For those who have not made it, their remains are being found in unmarked mass graves or on the properties of ranchers. It is estimated that by the end of the year 90,000 children will be in ICE custody.
Striking to the heart of our morality, the best and worst of America is coming out. Tea Party members, Minutemen, and other self-proclaimed patriots, forewarned of arriving buses, blockaded the streets to prevent this so-called “invasion.” Spokesmen claimed the children are harboring communicable diseases and are gang members and portals for drugs to the U.S. In stark contrast was the outpouring of sympathy by people of all backgrounds and creeds who offered to take in the children, proclaiming: “they are all our children.”
The United Nations has clearly stated that the children are refugees and thus qualify for international protections. Instead, President Obama seeks to reverse a 2008 Bush era policy favoring Central American refugees, in order to expedite faster deportations to the countries of origin. Mexican immigrants are currently immediately deported. He has requested $3.7 billion for costs of processing and repressive security measures.
The children are not to blame! These innocent children are coming due to imperialist policies of our government that spread war and destruction in order to insure maximum profits for U.S. corporations.
Increasingly, in this era of high technology, human life has no value to corporations who need less and less labor, whether U.S. or foreign born. But the corporations do need certain kinds of labor, and they want their own brand of immigration “reform” to serve their needs. We must fight for a reform law that serves human needs.
Those living in the U.S. are feeling the sting of austerity measures, job losses, and an uncertain future. Immigrants are not the cause of the problem. When 87 individuals hold more wealth than half of the world’s population, that is the problem. A global economic system based on private property of the few that has nothing to offer other than displacement, austerity and death is not in humanity’s interests. All children are our children. Let us construct a new society that benefits all of us. We must start by supporting the call to stop all deportations and support family reunification. We are one class.
