As we approach the final weeks of the upcoming election, it seems even local candidates are being asked about the nation’s broken immigration system. While law enforcement officials understandably decry those smuggling Fentanyl into the U.S., candidate Trump is misleading the public on the border situation by falsely accusing all immigrants – whether legal or not – of criminal and other despicable behaviors. (Fact check: most Fentanyl comes through legal ports of entry, carried by white U.S. citizens.)
Meanwhile, Congressional Democrats have lambasted our former president for sabotaging bipartisan legislation crafted earlier this year that would have addressed needed immigration reform. Candidate Trump wanted a stalemate to capitalize on the charged issue of illegal immigration among his base supporters. Both Trump and J.D. Vance seem to be reinforcing their followers’ racist and ethnic prejudices to foster fear of non-white immigrant communities across the nation.
One of the more glaring examples of such groupthink is Idaho’s state Senator Dan Foreman (R-District 6). While at a candidate debate in Kendrick, Foreman’s rude statement to a Native American candidate during a discussion of discrimination in Idaho made national news for its incivility and ignorance. “Go back to where you came from,” he said to a native-born member of the Nez Perce Tribe, whose ancestors have been here for thousands of years. How embarrassing for our State!
Last June, at Idaho’s Democratic Convention, I served as chair of the Resolutions Committee. There, we passed Resolution #3 on National Immigration Reform that, minus the “whereas” statements, says:
Be It Resolved that the Idaho Democratic Party strongly supports [the Biden Administration’s] approach to immigration reform, which balances securing the border with honoring America’s history as a nation of immigrants; and
Be It Further Resolved, that the Idaho Democratic Party calls on the United States Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform that:
- Modernizes the immigration system to reduce backlogs, improve visa processes, and create legal pathways for immigration that meet the needs of the economy.
- Provides a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, particularly Dreamers, essential workers, and TPS holders.
- Enhances border security using appropriate technology and infrastructure to manage and secure the border effectively.
- Addresses the root causes of migration by investing in international aid and development programs in Central American countries to reduce violence, improve governance, and create economic opportunities.
- Ensures humane treatment of immigrants and asylum seekers with fair and efficient processing of asylum claims and protection of families from separation.
Be It Further Resolved, that the Idaho Democratic Party will work with local, state and national leaders to advocate for policies that reflect these principles and ensure that the United States remains a beacon of hope and opportunity for immigrants [from] around the world…
Idaho has long been a bastion of conservative politics, but we Democrats have strived to govern within a framework of racial and religious tolerance. Republicans need to identify and condemn those within their own party seeking to amplify hate and fan the flames of intolerance, which works to the detriment of Idaho.
Jan Brown is a retired nonprofit executive who is State Committeewoman for the Bonneville County Democrats and Region 7 Representative on the Idaho Democratic Party Executive Committee.