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 This new law, called IIRAIRA (or IIRIRA),
is titled: The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant
Responsibility Act of 1996.
All those living in the
United States should read this strange, inhumane law, simply to
see if it truly speaks what they would wish their own heart to
speak. Those around the world who are concerned for the basic
human rights that are due to all members of the human race,
beyond any national law, should also be aware of IIRAIRA.
Strident among the many other communal voices from town to town
in America that champion human rights, and that espouse the final
grounding of law in the ancient and merciful compassion of human
reason, this new law reads strangely, proceeds without mercy,
adds punitive measure to punitive measure, and gives no reasons
for its restrictive bias. It dissembles within itself. Parts of
it are ambiguous and strangely mean-spirited. Indeed, as one
reads this law, one is astounded by a central fact: the
law-makers of a nation famed internationally for being a
"nation of immigrants," have quite surprisingly framed
a new structure of law that , if upheld, would make America the
most unwelcome place for immigrants of all the nations of the
world!
The new law has its own
unspoken logic. It silently implies, again and again, by its
harsh codification of penalties, that all immigrants everywhere
are to blame for the ills of the nation. But what should most
concern us is this: It goes beyond all reasonable ground of civil
justice, and seeks, with a one-sided spirit of phobic
defensiveness unprecedented in American law, to wash away
centuries of legal tradition--deep tradition of America as a
nation forever protective of the rights of refugees, immigrants,
and those seeking asylum from persecution everywhere.
 We have set up the website so that you can
help in many different ways...
If you, as an immigrant, as a lawyer, as a
friend, or simply as a concerned citizen know of any disturbing,
heart-rending, and immediately direct human-interest stories
about people who are being, or will be, hurt by this law, tell us
about this! Go right now to our Townhall to
record these stories for posting on this website. Due to the
anonymous usership of the Internet, we have no way of telling who
you are or where you are from, so feel free to express what you
wish to express. Stories sent to us are posted on this site. They will be eventually emailed to our law
makers in Congress, since these compelling stories are the most
powerful way to get the law itself reformed...
If you have any ideas,
arguments and heart-felt comments to make that will help
to bring about a reform of the new IIRAIRA law, then go over to
our Roundtable Task Force discussion group. What you say as a
"guest speaker" will be posted,
as an on-going discussion online...
If you, having become familiar with the
harshness of this law. wish to do something about changing the
law, we have provided a special service on site called the Lawmakers Page. Here, in a few seconds, you can copy letters
into your browser, and send them immediately to Washington, both
to the Senator
of your state, and to the Representative of your
district. There is also a link
to the the House Locator, where
you can find out who your Representative is, simply by entering
your zipcode.
Comments and suggestions
about this website should be sent to micasa-sucasa@geocities.com
ILW.COM hosted the Micasa Sucasa website for many years. This file is a part of the archives of the site during that time.
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