Hilary Stern is director of CASA Latina, a multi-service agency that organizes and provides a voice for Latino immigrant workers.
The immigrant rights movement was very visible in 2006, but it has been pretty invisible since. What is in store for 2009?
The priority for the immigrant rights movement remains the same: to fix our outdated immigration system so that we can reunite families and?protect all workers, including immigrant workers. We need to have a fair system?where hardworking immigrant families are able to get on a path to full citizenship. However, right now the priority of this country, our new President, and?Congress is to deal with an economic crisis. We recognize that the immigration reform that this country?and our?immigrant families need will probably not happen until we get our economy moving in the right direction.
In 2009 you will see the immigrant rights movement ask that there be a moratorium on?workplace raids until there is a comprehensive immigration reform. Our economy and our community does not need any more?disruption. Families are hurting enough without also having to be uprooted from their jobs and their communities.