Jewish groups want to help illegal immigrants

Matthew E. Berger:

Despite widespread support in the Jewish community for comprehensive immigration reform, concern is mounting over legislation that doesn't provide illegal immigrants with avenues to citizenship.

Numerous Jewish groups say current reform efforts in Congress focus too much on punitive measures for illegal immigrants rather than helping them find a way forward.

The renewed push comes as one of the community's premier agencies on immigration issues, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, gets new leadership. Gideon Aronoff, who has been HIAS' government relations director, was named Monday as the group's new president and CEO.

Referring to legislation currently under consideration in the U.S. Senate, Aronoff said, "There is clearly an enforcement-only, limited approach that is unrealistic in its ability to address the issue of the undocumenteds that are already here and the need for legal paths for immigrant workers to gain citizenship."

Given Jews' minority status around the world as well as their history in this country, Jewish groups often have supported immigrant rights in the United States. In recent years, however, that interest has clashed with concern that open immigration policies could allow terrorists to enter the country.

Immigration advocates in the Jewish community say the goal should be to push for reform that marshals resources in the right direction.

"We have to say that smart immigration can improve our security, and foolish immigration can hurt our security," Aronoff said.

Immigration advocates are concerned about a bill that passed the U.S. House of Representatives last year, championed by Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.). The bill focused almost exclusively on immigration enforcement, rather than reducing backlogs and producing paths to citizenship, key goals in the Jewish community.

Also of concern is a provision in the bill that would make it criminal to aid undocumented immigrants. That could have a profound impact on Jewish social-service programs and other initiatives that provide food and other services to many illegal immigrants.

The programs often don't inquire about the legal status of the people they're assisting, said Richard Foltin, legislative director for the American Jewish Committee.

"This could make that illegal or put them in a great deal of uncertainty," he said.

Several bills currently are being considered in the Senate Judiciary Committee -- all of which have aspects that are better than Sensenbrenner's package, Jewish leaders said -- but only one will move through the Senate and be reconciled with the House version in a conference committee.

Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), the Judiciary Committee chairman, is touting legislation that would allow more temporary workers to stay in the United States but would not give them a path to citizenship.

"It has the effect of creating a permanent subclass of non-citizens," Foltin said.

A measure by Sens. John Kyl (R-Ariz.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) would create "delayed mandatory departure," essentially requiring undocumented aliens to report to federal authorities to be deported.

It's unclear whether any bill that moves through the Senate will be to Jewish groups' liking. Indeed, many officials hope no legislation receives final approval this year so as not to risk forwarding a bad bill.

A broad coalition of Jewish groups sent a letter to lawmakers late last month seeking comprehensive immigration reform. The request seeks border-protection policies that are consistent with humanitarian values, paths toward legal permanent residency and citizenship for hardworking immigrants and ways to ease the hardship of separated families.

The letter was signed by leaders of all streams of Judaism, as well as HIAS, the American Jewish Committee, the Anti-Defamation League, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, the National Council of Jewish Women, the United Jewish Communities and the Workmen's Circle. Numerous local Jewish organizations also signed on.

"I think that if you look at the array of Jewish communities that are involved in immigration issues, you see a very solid mix of social action, Tikkun Olam reasons and the practical, security-building coalition reasons," Aronoff said.

At HIAS, Aronoff will replace Neil Greenbaum, who has run the agency on an interim basis since Leonard Glickman resigned last year. Aronoff is well-known in immigration reform circles, having served with HIAS in Washington since 2000.

"Immigration and refugee protection are issues that have profound resonance throughout the Jewish community," he said. “Our religious and ethnic tradition is so clear that we welcome and not oppress the stranger that this community has it in our blood."

Since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Aronoff said many Americans have turned away from welcoming immigrants, in the name of national security. Still, he said, distinctions must be made.

We benefit from an immigration system that has our immigration-enforcement agents focusing on terrorists and criminals and smugglers, and not busboys and nannies," he said.

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