LAST week, I wrote about undocumented college student Ju Hong, who heckled President Barack Obama while he was making a speech on immigration reform in San Francisco.
Hong also wrote the President to tell him he did not mean to disrespect him, but was just compelled to ask ask him to exercise his executive power to stop the deportations, and consequently the suffering, fear, and intimidation facing millions of immigrants like his family.
President Obama said while he’d been fighting for immigration reform, which includes giving pathway to earned citizenship for qualified undocumented immigrants. However, the president will not take any executive action to stop the deportations of undocumented immigrants.
Obama explained that this would violate laws and he does not have the constitutional power to bypass Congress on the issue.
What the president advocates is that Americans put pressure on Congress to pass the immigration reform bill already approved by the Senate. The bill has been stalled in the Republican-led House of Representatives.
Obama’s position was supported by David Leopold, past president of American Immigration Lawyers’ Association.
“The constitution does not allow him to wave a magic wand and change the law. What he can do is focus on criminals, on national security risks and he can use prosecutorial discretion and deferred action and that he can do and that was done,” Leopold said.
Balitang America Pinoy Panawagan legal counsel Atty. Lou Tancinco witnessed the scene firsthand, as she was seated directly behind Hong.
When I asked Atty. Lou about what she felt when Hong heckled the President, she replied: “Dear Gel, as a mother, have you experienced your child arguing with you and as you listen, you knew that he was making sense but his manner of arguing was disrespectful? That feeling–is how I could best describe it.”
“As an advocate for Comprehensive Immigration Reform I totally am sympathetic to the immigration concern raised regarding increased deportations, in fact I felt the passion and frustration of the DREAMER/heckler. But I find the approach unacceptable, outright disrespectful to the President of the United States of America.”
Most popular undocumented Filipino and Pulitzer prize winner journalist, Jose Antonio Vargas wrote on his Facebook page:” I am proud of you, my friend. You engaged the President, who is accountable to us, even to us Americans without papers.”
“The moment I read the news, and then realized it was you, I thought of this quote from James Baldwin: “I love America more than any other country in the world and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually,’” Vargas said.
“Passion is powerful, but it is even more effective when we unite it with the understanding of what it takes to change laws and achieve lasting and meaningful reform in our democratic process. Obviously, it is up to congress, the legislative branch, to pass and amend laws, to legislate. We must have the endurance to see Immigration reform through, lawfully and peacefully. This what can and will truly stop the separation of families that comes from unnecessary, painful, (and sadly, still lawful) deportations. The senate passed a pathway to citizenship, we need to use our energy to put pressure on those standing in the way of reform, like House Republican leadership, instead of fighting with those already on our side,” said Andres Useche, in response to Vargas.
Our kababayans weighed in on this issue and these are some of what they have to say:
“As an immigrant who went through the process, I find this individual behavior disrespectful and disgusting, apparently he has a history of being disruptive in public setting. This current government administration has addressed more immigration reforms through [a] democratic process than any previous administrations. This is not the type of behavior that would convince ANTI-immigration supporters to pass reforms in our favor as immigrants. “– Abel Art
“This guy has balls! Kudos also to our president for channeling the heckler’s concerns.” – Ed Arguelles
“I can’t blame the guy.it happens all the time when people’s human rights are violated. These kids are tired of promises. When parents, teachers, administrators, school boards, lawmakers,etc. do not keep their promises ,and act contrary to what they say, their constituents can be frustrated and angry. Don’t we teach students to defend their rights and speak up when they think something goes wrong? In the Philippines, the tendency is to be scared to speak up, because we interpret such behavior as rude. But not here. What do you say about empowerment in the first place? Nauubos na kasi ang pasensya ng mga batang iyan.” – Marilyn Omalin
“Obama, you’re the man. Now, all undocumented immigrants know, where they stand. Goodbye to all undocumented immigrants, we knew all a long that if you broke the law, you will be deported. It’s about time Obama told all undocumented immigrants the right answer! Goodbye to you all undocumented immigrants!” – ID
“While waiting for the passage of a comprehensive immigration reform, it is within the power of the President to stop deportations of immigrants who have no criminal records and have not committed aggravated felonies. The president, through the US Department of Homeland Security which is under the Executive Branch (headed by President Obama) must issue additional executive directives and memorandum similar to the existing Prosecutorial Memorandum (Morton Memorandum, June 17, 2011), which establishes criteria and categorizing priorities for deportation. Pres. Obama has done that with DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), an executive and short version of what is supposed to be the DREAM ACT (which requires legislation).”
“While I salute our President for the proper handling of the situation, I commend our brother from Korea for the message that he passionately articulated. Hence, if we are to succeed convincing Speaker Boehner to put immigration reform on the table, then we have to picket his office peacefully and confront him with groups and families similar to what we did to Sen. Rubio. And let him understand the urgency of the passage of a Comprehensive Immigration Reform Law. Heightened activism is what we need. So long as we observe proper rules of engagement and we do it within our constitutional right of free speech and seek redress from our government, then it is good, creative activism.” – Atty. Arnedo Valera
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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
