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By Felicia Persaud |
New York, February 2003: Ever since news broke that young sniper suspect Lee Boyd Malvo is Jamaican, anti-immigrant activists have had a field day. Especially Craig Nelsen of the ProjectUSA fame. Nelsen, many may recall, was the man behind the placement of anti-immigrant billboards in both Queens and Brooklyn, about a year ago. He's since moved to Iowa and is continuing his anti-immigrant campaign there.
On October 27th, Nelsen zoned in on the sniper suspect's undocumented status as another reason why the door should be shut on immigrants. He states in his ezine that 'Every American should be furious with the revelation that Lee Malvo is an illegal alien" Adds Nelsen, "It is the latest in a long list of examples of the INS releasing illegal aliens into our midst with lethal resultsThe Bush administration is prepared to watch innocent Americans continue to die rather than take the vigorous steps necessary to enforce existing immigration laws." What Nelsen failed to state is that at least five of the sniper victims were immigrants, including bus driver Conrad Johnson, who was himself a Jamaican immigrant, 72-year-old Pascal Charlot, a Haitian immigrant, Premkumar Walekar, an Indian migrant, Sarah Ramoshad, who had migrated from El Salvador and recently, as ballistics confirmed, Korean immigrant and Baton Rouge, Louisiana resident Hong Im Ballenger.
But it is statements like Nelsen's that have immigrant advocates and attorneys worried. Speaking on condition of anonymity, one immigration lawyer said, he is worried that anti-immigrant forces will try to use the immigration issues in the sniper case to try to persuade Americans to curtail immigration. "I hope they are unsuccessful, but you never know," he said. "I am sure the INS will be under pressure to deport more illegal aliens."
Irwine Clare, the Jamaican-born head of the Caribbean Immigrant Services, agrees. While Clare says he doubts there will be stricter policy changes, he argues that those administering the law will definitely be stricter.
"You'll now see the circling of the wagon and a lot of knee-jerk reaction to public sentiments," said Clare. "Homage will be found under the guise of homeland security. Even the wider community may take on a vigilante-type approach to immigrants."
He added that just like in the post 9/11 era, when Muslims and those who fit the Middle-Eastern profile were stereotyped, similarly immigrants might face additional discrimination. "It's not just the undocumented, but all immigrants who would suffer," said Clare.
But Attorney and Cornell Professor Stephen Yale-Loehr is more optimistic. "I think that the American public realizes that just like U.S. citizens, there are immigrants who are upstanding and cannot be judged by the apparent actions of one person," said Loehr.
He is also adamant that an amnesty for the 8 million or so undocumented would be more beneficial to the United States, now more than ever. "I think the idea of earned legalization is one whose time has come, especially since we can improve our security by bringing the millions of undocumented out of the shadows," said the Cornell professor. "It will also be good for the economy since many of these immigrants do contribute."
Immigration and Naturalization Service head James W. Ziglar has promised his agency would not seek immigration information provided by witnesses to local authorities.
"I want to personally urge the immigrant community to come forward if they have information that will assist in this investigation," Ziglar said in a statement. He noted that the INS provides special residency visas for people who help solve crimes.
But it is left to be seen what steps the INS will take in light of not only Malvo and Muhammad's alleged actions, but the stirring up of anti-immigrant sentiments across the country via the main stream media.