Letter to the Boston Herald

Dear Boston Herald,

The passage of the discriminatory Senate Bill 1070 in Arizona seems to have emboldened attacks on immigrants in other parts of the country, including Massachusetts.  I am dismayed to hear of Jeffrey D. Perry's proposed amendment to the MA state budget that would require departments offering assistance to check the immigration status of applicants.  ("Pols Rally to Block Handouts for Illegals", April 27).

As a Quaker, I believe that we should "love our neighbors as ourselves".  Who are our neighbors, if not the struggling immigrant workers who do the jobs that few citizens would take?  Immigrants face enough hardship in their lives, without additional threats of deportation and denial of basic human services.

We should also remember that anyone living in this country who is not full-blooded Native American is a descendant of immigrants.  This should give some fresh perspective on the racist attacks against the latest newcomers.  "You too were strangers in the land of Egypt".

In a country that was (and is!) built by immigrants' labor, we need to offer newcomers a welcome that acknowledges their full dignity as human beings.

Massachusetts could be a leader in welcoming immigrants by not passing Perry's discriminatory budget amendment, supporting the DREAM Act (allowing immigrant youth access to higher education), acting to prevent racial profiling (such as the New Bedford raids of 2007), and supporting the rights of all workers.

Sincerely,
Katherine Fisher
Somerville