Spring Break
Labor activist uses photography to explore immigration issues
Yael Reed Wachspress
Issue date: 4/18/07 Section: News
There are 12 million unauthorized immigrants currently living and working in the United States, according to labor activist David Bacon.
Bacon, who spoke at an immigration and labor talk at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library Tuesday, used his photography and expertise on immigration as an outlet to inform others.
"I follow David Bacon on his philosophy and photography around labor issues," said Adam Welch, a junior majoring in social sciences. "He has done a really good job putting a human face on these issues."
Bacon spoke about the history of some of the major immigration issues leading up until what is going on still today.
According to the Web site, Social Science Research Network, The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 was to prohibit employment to those without papers that proved a person had legal residency in the U.S.
The 1986 Act was repealed by the employer sanction in 1998 with the expansion of all immigrant work.
According to the Web site, Council on Foreign Relations, the Secure Fence Act of 2006, HR 6061, was a proposition from congress to build a 700-mile long wall across the Mexican and United States border, to prevent illegal immigrants from entering into the United States.
Bacon said that there are 16 million people living in the United States with legal documents while 12 million people reside in the United States illegally.
"In the last six years, two million (immigrants) have established themselves in the U.S.," said Juan Manual, the other speaker at the immigration and labor talk. "By the 1980s, Mexico was one of the most in debt countries in the world … Refugees, migrants and workers came to the US because their economic crisis began."
The decrease in employment opportunities in Mexico has increased the number of people coming into the U.S. looking for work.
A student in the audience, who wanted to remain anonymous, commented on prejudices against people coming to America looking for equal job opportunities.
"The issue is race in the U.S.," Bacon said.
Bacon went on discuss how the history of slave labor in the U.S. has set a standard between race and employment.
"Workers in fields in America have always been people of color," Bacon said. "Immigrants are the majority of union workers today."
Bacon said that African Americans make up only 11 percent of the work force and the displacement of immigrants in the United States is causing a lack of jobs.
"Inequality makes money," Bacon said. "The idea of the illegal person comes from black codes and three-fifths of a human being."
More than a million marched in two marches for immigrant rights and amnesty on May 2006 Bacon said.
Bacon and Manual both talked about immigrant and labor issues that are already common knowledge to most said Sogol Mohsen, a junior majoring in interior design.
"It's good to know that others recognize it to try and do something about it," said Mohsen.
Bacon, who spoke at an immigration and labor talk at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library Tuesday, used his photography and expertise on immigration as an outlet to inform others.
"I follow David Bacon on his philosophy and photography around labor issues," said Adam Welch, a junior majoring in social sciences. "He has done a really good job putting a human face on these issues."
Bacon spoke about the history of some of the major immigration issues leading up until what is going on still today.
According to the Web site, Social Science Research Network, The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 was to prohibit employment to those without papers that proved a person had legal residency in the U.S.
The 1986 Act was repealed by the employer sanction in 1998 with the expansion of all immigrant work.
According to the Web site, Council on Foreign Relations, the Secure Fence Act of 2006, HR 6061, was a proposition from congress to build a 700-mile long wall across the Mexican and United States border, to prevent illegal immigrants from entering into the United States.
Bacon said that there are 16 million people living in the United States with legal documents while 12 million people reside in the United States illegally.
"In the last six years, two million (immigrants) have established themselves in the U.S.," said Juan Manual, the other speaker at the immigration and labor talk. "By the 1980s, Mexico was one of the most in debt countries in the world … Refugees, migrants and workers came to the US because their economic crisis began."
The decrease in employment opportunities in Mexico has increased the number of people coming into the U.S. looking for work.
A student in the audience, who wanted to remain anonymous, commented on prejudices against people coming to America looking for equal job opportunities.
"The issue is race in the U.S.," Bacon said.
Bacon went on discuss how the history of slave labor in the U.S. has set a standard between race and employment.
"Workers in fields in America have always been people of color," Bacon said. "Immigrants are the majority of union workers today."
Bacon said that African Americans make up only 11 percent of the work force and the displacement of immigrants in the United States is causing a lack of jobs.
"Inequality makes money," Bacon said. "The idea of the illegal person comes from black codes and three-fifths of a human being."
More than a million marched in two marches for immigrant rights and amnesty on May 2006 Bacon said.
Bacon and Manual both talked about immigrant and labor issues that are already common knowledge to most said Sogol Mohsen, a junior majoring in interior design.
"It's good to know that others recognize it to try and do something about it," said Mohsen.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Jack Franke
posted 4/18/07 @ 9:10 AM EST
It is about securing our borders!! It is about knowing who is in our country!! With terrorism, smuggling(human), drug traffic, etc., we must know who is coming into our country and what is their purpose. (Continued…)
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