Open Letter to Ruben Navarrette Jr.

This is an open letter to Ruben Navarrette Jr. in response to a July 6 column (McCain is Unclear on Immigration):

Dear Ruben:

I always enjoy reading your columns and believe that we are in agreement on many of the important immigration issues facing the nation — as well as the importance of rational immigration policies to the Latino community.

I must register disagreement, however, with your latest defense of Senator McCain’s position on immigration. (McCain is unclear on immigration, July 6).  Because we have corresponded a bit in the past, I wanted to share with you my thoughts about this particular column.

The column states that, during the debate over comprehensive immigration reform in Congress, Senator Obama was silent on the issue of immigration.  You further stated that Senator McCain’s current position on immigration focusing almost exclusively on enforcement is somehow consistent with his previous support for comprehensive immigration reform.  Both points are just plain wrong and warrant correction of the record.

Senator Obama spoke on the floor repeatedly — and strongly — in both 2006 and 2007 for comprehensive immigration reform.  And he remains committed to that goal.  http://www.barackobama.com/issues/immigration/  Senator Obama attended the March 2006 immigration march in Chicago (one of only two U.S. Senators to attend the marches), participated in a naturalization workshop, and, when fees were hiked for legal immigrants, introduced legislation to address the problem.  He has consistently adhered to ensuring that all drivers on our roads and highways are subject to safety testing, and eligible for, driver’s licenses.  Senator Obama also has consistently supported the DREAM Act to ensure that undocumented students at least have a chance to pursue a higher education.

In sharp contrast, Senator McCain has not been consistent on immigration.  He supported comprehensive immigration reform in 2006-07.  However, he no longer mentions comprehensive immigration reform on his campaign website (http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/68db8157-d301-4e22-baf7-a70dd8416efa.htm). Rather, he supports an enforcement only approach that will, like past measures, result in more deaths of Mexican nationals on our borders.  Senator McCain clearly is contradicting his position in 2006-07 and he’s even contradicting his position in 2007 by being for border security as a separate effort, entirely divorced from comprehensive reform.  True, he did mention such reform in his speech to National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials a week ago but he has not mentioned his support for comprehensive immigration reform to other groups.

I understand that it is more newsworthy to write a column about why those concerned with the treatment of immigrants should support a Republican candidate rather than the Democratic one.  Nonetheless, it is important to be careful in describing the candidate’s past and current positions on immigration.

I hope that my thoughts do not offend you.  We agree, I think, that immigration is a pressing public policy issue and deserves fair and careful consideration.  The nation hopefully will have such discussions during the campaign.

Thanks for “listening,”

Kevin R. Johnson