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American Arab Forum
www.aafusa.org
For Immediate Release
AAF welcomes the creation of the NJ Blue Ribbon Advisory Panel on
Immigration Polices
Contact: Aref Assaf, 973-960-2673
Paterson, NJ, August 10, 2007: The American Arab Forum, AAF, welcomes the
creation of the Governor's Blue Ribbon Panel on Immigration. The panel is
entrusted with "developing recommendations for a comprehensive and strategic
statewide approach to successfully integrating immigrants in the State."
Governor Jon Corzine has demonstrated his commitment to empowering all the
citizens of New Jersey to benefit from the state's resources and to also
contribute fruitfully to its progress.
As the national debate on immigration reforms has been put on hold due to
Congressional stalemate, serious attempts at accommodating the human and civil
needs of immigrants are needed to counter measures to criminalize, dehumanize,
and castigate immigrants. While we welcome the Governor's initiative, we also
recognize that the plight of immigrants will not be resolved until Congress
acts. No substantive discussion of this issue will occur until after the 2008
presidential elections. Meanwhile, the panel could advise the Governor on
appropriate ways to deal with local ordinances which negatively impact the lives
of immigrants. The case of Morristown deputizing officers and Freehold banning
rentals without status verification are two topics requiring immediate
attention.
Aref Assaf, President of AAF, lauded the Governor for "taking practical steps to
integrate and ease the burden of immigrants." Assaf added that, "immigrants have
long been recognized as the blood line of America's continued world leadership
in such vital areas as economic, cultural, and scientific fields.” Mr. Assaf
lauded the Governor for his decision to appoint an Arab American, Samer Khalaf,
as member of this panel. We take note of this appointment which signals a new
departure for our community- for long absent from state-wide policy makers. The
issue of Arab Americans wishing to become citizens or desiring to be reunited
with their relatives ought to be included in any policy recommendation by the
panel."
We recall Corzine's recent statement on this topic where he stated that "a path
to earned citizenship and a process that encourages and promotes
self-sufficiency and enables our immigrant population to continue contributing
fully to our society. Family reunification should be a priority not an
afterthought." End
View
Press Release creating the Panel
To view AAF position on hurdles facing Arab immigrants,
please click here
To view AAF view on deputizing police officers, please click here
Related background:
Immigration Reforms; Underlying Variables
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