Immigration Principles and Policy Statement

In preparing a statement on immigration, The National Conference for Community and Justice elected to present a few key principles relating to immigration and a humane response to immigrants rather than supporting specific legislation, quota limits, or other legal devices. As a human relations organization, The National Conference for Community and Justice's primary concerns are the broad principles affecting the lives of people, and ensuring that any form of bias, bigotry or racism is addressed. The principles in this statement are fundamental points, but not an exhaustive list, to be considered in discussions relating to immigration.

The complete report is available from NCCJ's Public Policy Unit (202) 682-2322.

People arriving in the United States seeking a better life, fleeing persecution or joining with family members deserve to be treated with fundamentally humane responses whether or not they possess immigration papers. We believe that all federal, state or local policies or regulations regarding immigration or immigrants should meet the following principles and standards:

1. Children should not be punished by the immigration status of their family. Basic needs such as food, education, housing and health care (including preventive care such as inoculations) should not be denied. Children should not be required to provide information on the immigration status of their parents.

2. Maintaining the family unit should be a fundamental principle and goal.

3. Policies should foster an environment of cooperation and trust between persons in the helping professions including doctors, nurses, social workers, teachers, clergy and others and those who seek their services. This trust necessitates leaving investigative work to immigration authorities rather than those in helping professions. Government practices that increase the health and safety risk among some members of the community are a threat to the entire community.

4. Government actions should contribute to increased cooperation and collaboration among communities, and should ensure that harassment of or discrimination against individuals of particular ethnicities based on name, accent, skin color, religious affiliation or national origin does not occur.

5. Over-representation of undocumented persons from any country should not lead to governmental powers that intrude on the rights and privileges of others from that country who are U.S. citizens or legal residents. No racial, ethnic or religious group should be explicitly or implicitly targeted for enforcement. All groups having undocumented persons should be addressed similarly.

6. Any abusive behavior by law enforcement agencies toward undocumented immigrants is intolerable and should be addressed through adequate training, supervision, and effective accountability measures. Similarly, enforcement personnel should be treated with respect and dignity, and sanctions should be given for abusive behavior.

7. Visa over-stays represent more undocumented immigration than illegal border crossings, yet most enforcement focuses on illegal border crossings. Enforcement resources should be allocated equitability without regard to the means of entry.

8. The United States immigration problems are often the emigration problem of another nation. The United States should expand its work collaboratively with other nations to assist them in developing economic opportunities and humane political structures and reforms. Such measures will, in the long term, assist in helping to resolve the emigration problems of other nations.

9. Immigrants who are in The United States legally but do not have citizenship status have long been part of the free enterprise system and contributors to the great communities of our nation. Their skills and abilities are critical to U.S. competition in the international marketplace. Sanctions should not be imposed and benefits should not be denied to those who continue to be builders of our collective dream.