Pinoys join rally to press for US immigration reform

WASHINGTON – Freedom of expression was in full bloom on the first day of spring in the US Capital on Sunday as tens of thousands of people including Filipino community leaders demonstrated in front of the White House, across Capitol Hill and on the National Mall for or against a variety of causes.

As the nation awaited a historic House vote on a comprehensive health care overhaul, protesters shouted at legislators to “kill the bill,” a sea of immigrants on the mall demanded immigration reform and other demonstrators marched close to the White House calling for the pullout of US troops from Iraq and Afghanistan.

President Barack Obama, in a message to immigration reform advocates, said he would do his best to get it done this year because the cost of inaction would be more problems. 

But that might be an empty promise because the last thing he needs now is another contentious issue with midterm elections in November looming, analysts said.

They said the elections could change the political landscape now dominated by Democrats, depending on voters’ reaction to health care legislation which the House approved just before midnight by a slim margin.

Obama’s videotaped message was played on giant TV screens at the National Mall, a grassy lawn that extends from the Congress building to the Lincoln Memorial about a mile away as demonstrators marched by, shouting “Legalization yes, deportation no.”

About 12 million people are in the US illegally, including an estimated 150,000 to 200,000 overstaying Filipinos, and they could be eligible for permanent resident cards, more popularly known as “Green cards,” under the proposed immigration reform.

But more importantly, especially for Filipinos who are in the country legally or who have become naturalized citizens, is the proposal to speed up family reunification.

There are about 2.5 million Filipinos or Filipino-Americans who live in the United States and many are unable to get their adult children or siblings to join them because of an immigration backlog.

Naturalized Americans who petition for their siblings generally have to wait 11 years in order to be reunited with them. For some countries such as the Philippines, the waiting period is as long as 23 years due to high demand by Filipinos for immigrant visas to the United States, immigration lawyers said.

After a week-long drama on health care which forced Obama to twice postpone his trip to Indonesia and Australia, the House approved legislation that would extend coverage to 32 million uninsured Americans and cost $940 billion over 10 years.

The bill also bans insurers from denying coverage on the basis of pre-existing medical conditions.

The Congressional Budget Office said the bill would cut the federal deficit over the same period by $138 billion, but Republicans said it would make health care more bureaucratic and expensive, raise taxes and hamper businesses.

In the end 219 Democrats, three more than necessary, voted for the measure. Thirty-four other Democrats, many concerned over their reelection prospects in November, sided with Republicans who all voted against the measure.

With his victory on health care, supporters believe Obama has more momentum to accomplish other major goals this year.

But the problem is he has many goals such as financial regulation, energy legislation and restrictions on campaign contributions, not to mention cutting unemployment and bolstering the nation’s flagging economy. Where immigration reform fits in his priority list is a mystery.