The debate about the controversial bill – HR 4437 – moved into the New York City Council yesterday, when two committees of the Governmental Affairs Division opened debate on the repercussions of this immigration reform proposal.
In the hearing held before the Immigration and the Civil Rights Committees, the Council – by means of Resolution 193 – denounced HR 4437 as an "ineffective means of immigration reform."
"We said to the federal government that the city will raise its voice against any legislation that puts at risk the progress we have made in protecting and guaranteeing services to immigrants," said Dominican Councilmember Miguel MartÃnez (D-Manhattan), the sponsor of the resolution.
During the legislative session various organizations had the opportunity to declare their support for or in opposition to HR 4437, among them 9/11 Families for a Secure America (9/11FSA), who consider it important for the government to be able to protect citizens.
“Negligence with (the rules of) immigration played a big part in the events of September 11, 2001," said Bruce De Cell, who lost his son-in-law in the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. “With this action the Council risks the safety of the citizens of New York and the nation. The Council thus puts the welfare of undocumented immigrants ahead of that of the citizens who elected them.”
For its part, the organization Drum Major for Public Policy (DMI) held that "this law will impact not only the undocumented immigrants, but all workers in the United States. Our position is that any law passed must support the role of immigrants in the economy and must strengthen immigrants' rights in the workplace," declared Andrea Batista, DMI's executive director.
