Immigration Reform From the Bottom Up

Immigration reform has been stalled in the US Congress for a long time and the Obama Administration continues to deport people at record rates. What to do? Members of the California legislature have a plan, as reported by the San Diego Union-Tribune: 

California voters in November may weigh in on a rare advisory ballot measure to ask Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship for unauthorized immigrants.

The measure being pushed by Democratic lawmakers also urges the president to temporarily halt deportation of parents who are in the country illegally to avoid splitting up families whose children may be legal citizens.

Now, to be sure, there are a lot of hurdles. First, this has to get on November's ballot. Even if it does and it passes, the measure is purely advisory. Critics call it nothing more than an opinion poll.

“I am proud of everything we have done in the last few years in California to normalize the lives of so many immigrants, so many immigrants like myself and those I represent,” said Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, a San Diego Democrat, who is carrying the ballot-measure bill. “I know it is not enough. I know federal immigration reform is still necessary.”

Gonzalez defended sending the issue directly to voters. “It’s more than a poll. It’s an official act,” she said. “If we can send a clear message that we are sick of waiting and it can somehow unclog the dam, it’s worthwhile.”

I couldn't agree more. Nothing else has worked so far, and maybe this will get some momentum going. Maybe.