Immigration groups switch to defense

Conservatives moved quickly to take control of the immigration debate.
By Ambreen Ali

With Republicans in control of the political game, immigration activists have had to move quickly from offense to defense.

Just weeks after their efforts to pass the DREAM Act failed, liberal groups are fighting a multi-state effort to deny rights to U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants.

Tensions came to a head Wednesday when activists disrupted a press conference in Washington, D.C., where conservative state legislators were unveiling a draft bill to curtail birthright citizenship.

"This bill is ignorant and wrong. It is an inhumane and racist bill and it will be stopped," activist Burke Stansbury shouted before being escorted out of the room.

Five others interrupted the event being held by State Legislators for Legal Immigration, a group of lawmakers from 40 states who want to their legislatures to pass bills that limit illegal immigration.

Oklahoma State Rep. Randy Terrill, a member of State Legislators for Legal Immigration, called birthright citizenship "the holy grail" of the illegal immigration debate, saying it has "created a perverse incentive for foreign nationals to break U.S. law."

In response, immigrant rights groups have created a coalition to defend current citizenship laws. The newly formed Americans for Constitutional Citizenship includes the American Civil Liberties Union and minority groups such as the NAACP.

The defensive moves are an about turn for immigration activists who spent the last year aggressively pushing for immigrant-friendly legislation.

Now, they find themselves trying to stave off efforts such as the one to restrict birthright citizenship.

Activists say the fight will play out at the federal level too, where Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) is expected to be the new House Judiciary Committee chairman. Smith has opposed legalization efforts and called the DREAM Act an "American nightmare."

"I have no doubt that Lamar Smith is going to go for an ambitious legislative agenda that will add up to an attempt to drive millions of undocumented Americans out of the country," said Frank Sharry, founder of America's Voice, a group that favors legalization.

With little hope of favorable legislation passing through the Republican House, Sharry said his group will try to mobilize voters for the 2012 election.

He also expects President Obama to mention immigration in the upcoming State of the Union address and challenge Senate Republicans to begin work on a comprehensive bill for 2013 and beyond.

But liberal groups will likely spend the bulk of their time this year fighting conservatives who want stricter immigration laws.

"In some ways the strategy remains the same," said Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum, which also favors friendlier immigration laws. "Even when we were playing offense, the Republican leadership was the obstacle."

Congress, which has been in session for less than a day, is already facing pressure from the other side to take strong, restrictive action.

The birthright citizenship effort aims to do just that. State representatives have come up with two ways to prompt federal action.

One is a bill limiting birthright citizenship to children with at least one parent "who owes no allegiance to any foreign sovereignty." The other is a state compact, which have the same effect but requires Congressional approval first.

Both would invite legal challenges if they passed questioning the state's right to restrict citizenship, a federal issue. And lawsuits are what the state lawmakers want.

"We want to have our day in court," Arizona State Rep. John Kavanagh said. "Better yet, maybe we will prod Congress to do what they are supposed to do."

But it's unclear whether federal lawmakers will want to stir up immigration sentiments ahead of the 2012 elections. Latinos are considered a key swing vote in many states.

That's one advantage immigration activists say they still have.

"Everything that we are doing between now and the next election is to educate voters of who is standing with immigrants and who is standing against them," Noorani said.

Ambreen Ali writes for Congress.org.

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