2/12/2009: Interview with Josh Bernstein - Immigration Director, SEIU (Service Employees International Union)

On Thursday, February 12, 2009, DU’s Strategic Issues Panel on Immigration heard from business and labor representatives.

Josh Bernstein, the Immigration Director for the SEIU (Service Employees International Union) told the panel that there is broad agreement that current situation is a human rights and bureaucratic nightmare. Not only is the current system impractical, but it is inconsistent with our values.

As a fact of life, immigration itself isn’t good or bad, he reminded the panel.

Like Chuck Berry, Bernstein reiterated that immigration to the U.S. would probably decline due to the waning performance of our economy.

Immigrants represent 12% of the U.S. population. They and their families are interwoven into our society. They represent 15% of the U.S. workforce and 20% of the low-wage workforce.

He presented the questions: “Why have there been so many immigrants and why is the system broken?”

In terms of percentage of our population, the U.S. does not have the highest number of immigrants.

Migration happens on a global scale and displaced populations result from destabilization in countries and regions all over the world. The U.S. is not the only country dealing with the fact of immigration.

Our response has been to try to control the numbers of immigrants. This approach has resulted in the professionalization of immigrant smugglers, Bernstein said. Whereas there once was a circular migration flow between the U.S. and Mexico, current U.S. immigration policies make it harder to leave. It then becomes more expensive and dangerous for Mexican workers to come here. Even though 40% of our illegal immigrant population have overstayed their visas, we have militarized our border and expanded prisons.

He provided the panel with an alternate approach: managing immigration. This vision would include:

•  Earned legalization
•  Investment in education – language support, job training, education
•  Integration for migrants into society and economy

You can hear and see more of Josh Bernstein’s presentation to DU’s Immigration issues Panel here.