FILIPINOS have expressed mixed reactions over new bills enacted into law in California that will help undocumented immigrants be able to work and live in America without fear of imminent deportation, and in their plight to get legal status.
California Governor Jerry Brown just signed Senate Bill 1159, which prohibits licensing boards under the state’s Department of Consumer Affairs from denying applicants’ licenses based on immigration status.
The second bill Brown signed into law creates the state “DREAM Loan program.” This will give more than $9 million to public universities. This fund will help these educational institutions to provide loans to undocumented students.
The third bill appropriates $3 million for non-profit organizations to provide legal representation to minors in their deportation cases.
On a related development, the US Department of Defense announced a new policy that will soon allow a small number of immigrants join the US military.
The daily online opinion poll of The Filipino Channel’s Balitang America revealed that a majority of viewers who voted — 53 percent — think that all other states should follow California’s lead. They contend that these professionals will be paying taxes and be productive lawful immigrants of America.
Those who opposed — 47 percent — argue that doing this would only encourage more illegal immigration to America and would reward those who broke immigration laws. They added that this new California measure is unfair to those followed the rules and waited in line. They pointed out that these undocumented immigrants would complete with professionals who are U.S. citizens and permanent residents over scarce job openings.
The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), the nationwide group against illegal immigration, openly criticized the law, contending that California is continuing to violate federal laws.
However, Republican Filipino leader Cecile Ramos has told Balitang America through a report by Steve Angeles, that she welcomes the move, saying it would help improve the state’s economy.
Under the new law, governing bodies for about 40 professions are expected to allow the undocumented to have their work permits by 2016, giving time for workers to explore possible career options.
“We have these different needs, so it just makes sense,” Aqui Versoza Soriano of the Pilipino Workers Center, told Steve Angeles.
“We’re able to have all of the people in our communities who are able to pass and take studies and be able to pass and actually get certified. So they can fill this need in our economy,” she said.
Angeles reported that Senate Bill 1159 would strike down requirements for social security numbers when applying for a vocational license, paving the way for undocumented workers from fields such as the medical, cosmetic, technology, and financial worlds to apply for licenses in their practice.
Angeles further reported that while it’s recommended that caregivers are licensed CNA’s, many Filipinos have found work without it.
One Filipina told Angeles that she believes the chance for her to get licensed will be good for her career as well as for her patients.
“It’s good because the employers always look at the welfare of their member of the family to see that they’re safe,” she explained on Balitang America. “So they are more confident that the member of the family is well taken care of by the caregiver.”
This Filipina, who was originally a teacher by profession, shares another reason why this new law is good for kababayans like her. She pointed out that while a license can attract better jobs, it can also help her return to her true profession, teaching – a job she held in the Philippines for 28 years – only to get caught in disputes between her employer and staffing agency after six months of teaching in the US, which eventually led to her falling out of status.
The new license could possibly allow her to go back to working in the education field.
“Well if that will be the case, then why not,” she said. “I want to go back to teaching and even just substitute teach, I would be fine. It’s been more than five years I didn’t teach.”
On the issue of the undocumented immigrants joining the military, our Fil-Am community remain divided. A majority of Balitang America viewers —53 percent — who voted on its daily opinion poll do not agree those who are not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents should be in the U.S. military, which could eventually give them an expedited pathway to U.S. citizenship.
Balitang America Correspondent Rommel Conclara talked to Tristan Tomas, who gained his US citizenship after serving in the USNavy. He believes this is a great opportunity for the undocumented to earn legal status.
“I think it’s actually a good idea,” said Tomas. “I mean historically, we’ve had immigrants to join the military even back in the Civil War. One third of the military was composed of immigrants all over. These dreamers, if they want to join the military and serve, then by all means.”
Dreamer Dean Santos told Conclara a divergent perspective, and is against the new military program for undocumented immigrants.
In his report, Conclara said Santos came to the US over ten years ago from Manila on a tourist visa that soon expired. He continues to push for immigration reform as a coordinator for ASPIRE.
Santos says this military program doesn’t do much to help the undocumented because it can only help a small number.
“This is a bad idea because the program that they’re expanding Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest (MAVNI) is very limited,” Santos told Conclara. “You got to have medical expertise or speak a certain language, and I don’t know anyone who qualifies for that.”
While Santos acknowledges the effort of the government to help the undocumented, he told Balitang America that there is a bigger issue at hand.
“We deserve more than this,” said Santos. “They have delayed administrated relief twice now and we do not need this. What we need is to stop the deportations of families and actual immigration reform.”
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Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos.
