Illegal immigrants 'are not free-loaders,' says Guatemalan bishop

Catholic News Service ^ | 04.13.05 | Agostino Bono

[Coleus]

Illegal immigrants 'are not free-loaders,' says Guatemalan bishop

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Illegal immigrants "are not free-loaders" but hard-working people who are seeking better lives for their families because social and economic improvements are not readily available to the Latin American poor, said a Guatemalan bishop.

"Some call them 'illegals.' But according to the market model, they are better described as entrepreneurs without assets, pursuing the American dream," said Bishop Alvaro Ramazzini Imeri of San Marcos, Guatemala.

"They work hard, often in several jobs, supporting a way of life that many take for granted," he said April 13 in written testimony delivered before the House Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere.

Bishop Ramazzini testified at a hearing on the proposed Central American Free Trade Agreement, known as CAFTA, between the United States and five Central American countries. Negotiators for the six countries have agreed on a text, but the accord still has to be ratified by the United States and several other countries.

Better salaries and better working conditions are the main reasons Latin Americans come to the United States, he said.

Working conditions in Central America will only get worse under the proposed free trade agreement, as this pact threatens "to lock in a much lower level of protection for workers and their families," he added.

"Poor working conditions make for bad economics. Without enforceable labor rights that are part of trade agreements with sanctions for noncompliance applied to them, we will not raise standards of labor and standards of living in my country," said the bishop.

"I know of repeated instances where workers were treated in a way that would be against basic labor law in the United States," he said.

"Industrial workers, equipped with the basic rights to have a say in the workplace, were key to the growth of a middle class in your nation," and formed "a key element in making the United States the economic powerhouse it is today," said Bishop Ramazzini.

"This is not happening in Central America and it will not happen as long as hundreds of thousands of workers are suppressed, not empowered, at the workplace," he said.

Guatemala is among the 10 worst Latin American countries regarding unequal income distribution and needs to develop a strong middle class for economic and political stability, he said.

In Guatemala, 56 percent of the population is poor and 16 percent is extremely poor, he said.

Policies governing trade need to be integrated with development programs if life for the poor is to improve, he said.

"Trade policies need to be complemented by institutional reforms and a broader development framework that affords each person their right to participate in a market that is fair and compassionate," he added.

Bishop Ramazzini also questioned whether Guatemalan farmers could compete with subsidized U.S. agricultural products if tariff barriers were dropped.

"Our farmers are hard-working" but they "cannot compete against the U.S. Treasury and the $170 billion subsidies granted in your farm bill of 2002," he said.

Almost 25 percent of Guatemala's gross national product comes from farming, he said.

The bishop also questioned the long-term benefit of CAFTA to poor countries, saying its approval could override more favorable terms being negotiated worldwide by the World Trade Organization.

"It is widely expected that low-income developing countries, such as Guatemala, will be afforded 'special and differential treatment' under World Trade Organization rules currently being negotiated," he said.

"CAFTA will likely trump such measures that are designed to allow developing countries the time and space to foster integral human development," he said.

Rather than concentrating on making it easier for goods to cross borders, trade pacts "must look at trade policies from the bottom up -- from their impact on the lives and dignity of poor families and vulnerable workers across the hemisphere," he said.

Bishop Ramazzini's testimony is the latest in a series of efforts by Latin American bishops to criticize aspects of free trade agreements being promoted by the United States.

Last June, Bishop Ramazzini was part of a delegation of Central American bishops visiting the United States to discuss their criticisms of CAFTA with church and government officials. Last July, the Central American and U.S. bishops issued a joint statement outlining objections.

In February, a delegation of bishops from the Andean countries in South America visited the United States to air similar criticisms.

Church officials have said that they are not opposed to the concept of free trade, but are objecting to specific treaties they have judged to be prejudicial to the Latin American poor.

[Marine Inspector]

I'll leave you and the others to the plotting my demise.

I'm off to the NASCAR race with my kids.

[Marine Inspector]

Yes, you have demonstrated you may be one of these people.

As have you.

See you tomorrow.

[Cultural Jihad]

The only databases used were Google, FR and LP.

To quote an "unimpeachable source":

---

I could tell you how he enters, were he enters, what type of visa he uses and where he stays in NY, but my ethics forbid it as does the law.

Bottom line, when he's here, he's here legally, although the type of visa he uses can be used fraudulently with ease.

Anyway, he's a Brit and you can't expect much from the Brits.

---

And here:

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Be comforted in knowing that IMO, he's here legitimately.

If I find out other wise, he'll be on the next plane back to the UK.

---

And here:

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The problem stems from the fact that it is my job to know about you, but it is not your job to know about me.

You don't have to believe me, but if I did not have the job that I have, I could not get the information I have.

---

And here:

---

He's an alien, I'm and Immigration Officer with complete and legal access to all immigration records, and it just scares the crap out of him.

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Are you now claiming that it was all bluster? As if blustering and bullying bring honor to your office?

[harrowup]

Off to NASCAR for a race in Phoenix? At 0900...maybe they need to get it done before all of the Kahane drivers have to get home for Passover...

On another angle here, I didn't know they had NASCAR in Phoenix. I thought it was all just golf carts with old farts...

Now, I gotta go; Mojo is having another meltdown and I refuse to miss it this time...they're running a pool on how long he steams...

[harrowup]

Sorry, jj, 279 was meant for you.

[WRhine]

Conflict, discord, flamewars seem to follow you wherever you go on FR. How a self-professed ACLU Democrat that admits (proclaims) to enjoying "beating up" republicans, “especially conservatives”, gets away with such divisive behavior continuously is perplexing.

[harrowup]

Wait till you read all of MI's supporters on that thread...make you wonder what has taken everyone so long to figure out that VDare is their bible.

[Cultural Jihad]

Conflict, discord, flamewars . . .

Is there any room in there for fighting official corruption?

[harrowup]

Conflict, discord, flamewars seem to follow you wherever you go on FR. How a self-professed ACLU Democrat that admits (proclaims) to enjoying "beating up" republicans, “especially conservatives”, gets away with such divisive behavior continuously is perplexing.

Context is not your friend.

You forgot to ping the moderators but I do apologize for allowing myself to be dragged into posting this crap at FR. I promised not to and I regret it.

Now, gotta go watch a real cock-fight.

[jjbrouwer]

Ironically, the Inspector's racist friends on that thread are all feverishly anti-government. But they show their hypocrisy by demonstrating that when it comes to the crunch, they would all suck up to a pen-pusher civil servant like MI if he could just get the mean British man kicked out of the country.

I'm not sure they realise that we are quite advanced now in the UK. We have indoor toilets, telephones and even the Internet, so - even if the Inspector's cronies frogmarched me onto an aeroplane bound for Heathrow - I could still post to them from there...

[WRhine]

Is there any room in there for fighting official corruption?

Over the years I have found Marine Inspector to be among the most honest, candid people I've ever come across on the net. Can't say the same for you and your crowd.

You talking about official corruption is laughable considering your political alliances and open support of certain foreign governments.

[Cultural Jihad]

You must have me confused with someone else, friend.

[righttackle44]

"Some call them 'illegals.' But according to the market model, they are better described as entrepreneurs without assets, pursuing the American dream," said Bishop Alvaro Ramazzini Imeri of San Marcos, Guatemala."

They we should pack up these asset-less people and send down to Guatemala. Let Alvaro take care of 'em.

[sdpatriot]

ah!

these last 50 posts or so have been revealing...

it explains a lot.

[WRhine]

Context is not your friend.

Sorry but I am not an avid reader of your trash. I could care less about what motivates you to come on any particular thread to disrupt and cause rancor.

You forgot to ping the moderators but I do apologize for allowing myself to be dragged into posting this crap at FR.

I don't ping or freep mail moderators. Never have, never will. Can you, as an ACLU member in good standing, say the same?

[WRhine]

You must have me confused with someone else, friend.

No, I think I got you just right.

[Cultural Jihad]

. . . considering your political alliances . . .

Speaking of political alliances, how is Stormfront doing?

[Mears]

bfl

[WRhine]

Speaking of political alliances, how is Stormfront doing?

I wouldn't know. I didn't even know such outfit existed until your crowd started accussing anyone on FR that had a problem with Open Borders and Illegal Immigration as being members of that fringe group. Unfortunately for you, your comments are a matter of public record on FR.

[citizen]

Interesting info.

Multiply the $2,736 X millions of Illegal households and that's billions of dollars of net loss when only considering federal income from the Illegals VS federal costs supporting the Illegals.

Wow.