WI Advocates Cite Family, Finances For National Immigration Bill

Wisconsin advocates for national immigration reform are saying what they’d like to see in a bill taking shape in Congress.

President Obama is promising to back an immigration overhaul, yesterday urging Congress to finish the job of preparing and debating a bill. Immigration reform advocates say what’s in the bill matters. Jennifer Martinez lives with her four children in Manitowoc, separated from Martinez’s husband, who has been deported to Mexico. She says keeping families together is essential.

“You know, it’s our families that is the backbone of our country. We don’t want it that we have to stay separate 10-15 years: there has to be a clear-cut path to citizenship.”

Mayhoua Moua helps southeast Asian refugees who come to Milwaukee. She says the immigration bill has to make the citizenship application process affordable.

“With such high fees, given the minimum wage our families are earning right now, they can hardly put food on their tables.”

Fessahaye Mebrahtu, of the Pan-African Community Association in Milwaukee, says the world is watching to see if the U.S. lives up to an image of freedom.

“How are we going to move forward as a nation, especially as the world becomes smaller and we become the lead nation of democracy, where people look to this country.”

Even so, conservative groups may fight an immigration package, depending on what emerges from the eight senators who are drafting legislation. There’s some disagreement over providing health care benefits for undocumented immigrants.