| BARRIOZONA |
| Bilingual Community Expression Published by the Hispanic Institute of Social Issues |
Text and photograph by Eduardo Barraza
| introduction |
The hopes of millions of people living in the
United States without legal documents were
indefinitely deferred in 2007, a year that will
go down in history as one of the most hostile
toward undocumented immigration. In
contrast, those who fiercely oppose any
measure to legalize the estimated 12 million
of undocumented individuals claimed partial
victory in the wake of 2008, a year that will be
dominated by presidential campaigns,
candidates and what promises to be an
intense election.
The immigration war —hardly just a debate
any longer— has been carried over into the
New Year amidst a dangerous atmosphere of
antagonism, resentment, and verbal
aggression toward those who live, work and
consume in the U.S. without a visa, permit, or
any sort of legal status. Consequently,
unfinished —and irreconcilable— immigration
businesses that were postponed in 2007,
United States without legal documents were
indefinitely deferred in 2007, a year that will
go down in history as one of the most hostile
toward undocumented immigration. In
contrast, those who fiercely oppose any
measure to legalize the estimated 12 million
of undocumented individuals claimed partial
victory in the wake of 2008, a year that will be
dominated by presidential campaigns,
candidates and what promises to be an
intense election.
The immigration war —hardly just a debate
any longer— has been carried over into the
New Year amidst a dangerous atmosphere of
antagonism, resentment, and verbal
aggression toward those who live, work and
consume in the U.S. without a visa, permit, or
any sort of legal status. Consequently,
unfinished —and irreconcilable— immigration
businesses that were postponed in 2007,
postponed in 2007, predict nothing but a lingering and prolonged struggle between immigration advocates and
opponents to legalization.
States, counties and cities have been left wandering by the federal government in a messy maze of local laws that
aim to accomplish —with limited and inadequate resources— what the powers of Washington have not. Local
governments, especially in border states like Arizona, have tried to mend an outdated national immigration system
using legislative “patches” here and there. Evidently, these laws enacted at the State level have been largely
ineffective, and have instead hurt budgets and resources but more importantly the trust of large sectors of the
population.
Since the issue of undocumented immigration has been snowballing for years, the current state of the problem has
escalated to almost unmanageable proportions, especially at local levels where in spite of aggressive laws, nothing
has proved to be essentially effective. These laws have caused unintended effects and have moved the pressure to
other areas, thus creating other “holes.” This type of “patching-holes” legislation is not what the national
immigration situation requires. Conversely, some of these unplanned effects are jeopardizing the economy, the
progress and the social relations of many counties, cities, and states.
Nevertheless, politicians from all government levels have seen the great potential of such an explosive issue in the
undocumented immigration. Seizing the resolution power of this overwhelming crisis cannot only translate in votes,
but also, in this decisive year of 2008, in winning their way to office, and at the federal level, particularly the race to
the White House. Thus, the topic of illegal immigration will become and integral and important part of the presidential
candidates’ platform. Understandably, the eventual and inevitable immigration reform was placed on hold last year
to be used as a political platform where politicians can benefit the most from it.
In the mean time, millions of people, thousands of students, entire communities, and virtually the whole nation, has
been left suspended from a hanging thread that no one knows how much more it can resist.
To be continued.
opponents to legalization.
States, counties and cities have been left wandering by the federal government in a messy maze of local laws that
aim to accomplish —with limited and inadequate resources— what the powers of Washington have not. Local
governments, especially in border states like Arizona, have tried to mend an outdated national immigration system
using legislative “patches” here and there. Evidently, these laws enacted at the State level have been largely
ineffective, and have instead hurt budgets and resources but more importantly the trust of large sectors of the
population.
Since the issue of undocumented immigration has been snowballing for years, the current state of the problem has
escalated to almost unmanageable proportions, especially at local levels where in spite of aggressive laws, nothing
has proved to be essentially effective. These laws have caused unintended effects and have moved the pressure to
other areas, thus creating other “holes.” This type of “patching-holes” legislation is not what the national
immigration situation requires. Conversely, some of these unplanned effects are jeopardizing the economy, the
progress and the social relations of many counties, cities, and states.
Nevertheless, politicians from all government levels have seen the great potential of such an explosive issue in the
undocumented immigration. Seizing the resolution power of this overwhelming crisis cannot only translate in votes,
but also, in this decisive year of 2008, in winning their way to office, and at the federal level, particularly the race to
the White House. Thus, the topic of illegal immigration will become and integral and important part of the presidential
candidates’ platform. Understandably, the eventual and inevitable immigration reform was placed on hold last year
to be used as a political platform where politicians can benefit the most from it.
In the mean time, millions of people, thousands of students, entire communities, and virtually the whole nation, has
been left suspended from a hanging thread that no one knows how much more it can resist.
To be continued.
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