Several interest groups have started their lobbying efforts for immigration reforms that give maximum benefit to the millions of illegal immigrants in the United States. In recent days, President Bush has expressed his determination to go ahead with his plans to reform the country’s immigration laws by making room for a guest workers program.

Community after community across the United States is preparing itself in the face of rising opposition to the president’s proposal in his own Republican Party. These community efforts are multi-pronged – directed at the members of U.S. Congress who oppose the president on the issue, as well as those who are supporting the reforms. However, a Pakistani community organization has added a new dimension to its efforts for what it calls “humane” immigration laws by seeking the support of members of Pakistan’s Parliament for reforming the U.S. immigration laws.

“We are urging the main opposition members of the Pakistani Parliament to reach out to the U.S. government and urge it to bring in reforms that could also benefit the law abiding but illegal Pakistanis who failed to register during the special registration campaign,” Comrade Shahid, a spokesman for the Pakistan U.S. Freedom Forum told the Muslims Weekly. Asked why the group was not seeking the Pakistani government’s help, the spokesman said the Musharraf government had shown little or no sympathy for the plight of thousands of Pakistanis affected by U.S. immigration authorities post the 9/11 clampdown on illegal aliens.

He said the Forum has contacted several opposition politicians, including Jama’at-e-Islami’s deputy parliamentary leader in Pakistan’s National Assembly and a senior opposition leader Liaquat Baloch. “Mr. Baloch has been briefed about the situation and the level of anxiety amongst the Pakistani Americans here because of the upcoming immigration reforms,” the Forum spokesman said, adding that the Jamaat leader gave an assurance that he would contact his parliamentary colleagues on both sides of the political divide and jointly take up the issue with U.S. diplomats in Islamabad.

The Forum is proposing that the Bush Administration draft a clause with its proposed guest workers program legislation that would allow, on “humanitarian grounds,” all illegal immigrants (especially the Pakistanis) who failed to register at the time of the special registration campaign conducted by the Immigration and Naturalization Services [now the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services], primarily because of the fear of being arrested and deported, and those whose deportation orders were issued but were never received because of change in address or other reasons, to apply under the (I)245 clause, introduced by President Clinton, for adjustment of status.

The spokesman said the Forum was also reaching out to the groups of other communities working on the issue and would be actively lobbying with them. “The Pakistani community was the worst affected in the post-9/11 national dragnet. We feel that now is the time to compensate those whose sufferings could have been minimized through a more humane approach,” added Comrade Shahid.

The New York-based Pakistan U.S.A. Freedom Forum is headed by Dr. Shafiq, a long-time Pakistani community political activist, who is active for democracy and civil and human rights in Pakistan.