In Congress these days, when I stand up to talk about immigration, I frequently feel like the dinner party guest who keeps bringing up controversial topics that his hosts would prefer not to discuss.
So while others at the table might like to chat about the weather or the Cubs or their kids, I just keep talking – about immigrants and their contributions to our nation and why progressives and the Democratic Party should be fighting every day for sensible and fair immigration reform. While my hosts squirm, I keep going on about the importance of legislation that clearly and squarely puts us on the side of justice and fairness for newcomers to our nation.
Of course, it isn’t entirely true that Congress doesn’t want to talk about immigration. Many of my colleagues, from Tom Tancredo to Lindsey Graham, would like nothing better than to talk about immigrants all day. After all, there’s an express ticket to cable news stardom for those who stand up in Congress and raise the specter of sneaky immigrants breaking our laws, taking our jobs, and trying to force hard-working Americans to speak Spanish.
But progressives should know that the debate is really very simple. No matter how often our opponents twist the statistics and paint immigrants as a threat, one unspinnable truth is clear: immigration in not only good for America, it is absolutely essential to our nation’s future success.
