Jews Complain Over Stalled U.S. Immigration Bill

One standard for the Jews, another for the Gentiles. – Israel strictly controls who it lets into that country: only Jews. Yet, in the United States of America, Jews are at the forefront of opening that country’s borders to everyone…


Several Jewish organizations criticized the U.S. Senate for failing to move forward on immigration reform. (Illustration: The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, which has organized rallies on behalf of immigration reform like the one shown here, was among several Jewish groups that criticized the U.S. Senate for failing to advance the issue in a June 28 vote.)


On June 28, the Senate voted not to end the debate over immigration legislation backed by President Bush and members of both parties. "The Jewish community understands well what it means to come to this country to seek freedom and opportunity and be with family members," said Gideon Aronoff, the president and CEO of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, in a statement following the Senate vote. "This generation of immigrants must not be denied that same opportunity."


Similar sentiments were expressed by officials at the American Jewish Committee, the Anti-Defamation League and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, an umbrella group that seeks to coordinate positions on public policy among 14 national organizations and more than 100 local Jewish communities. JCPA had lobbied actively for the bipartisan bill and has pledged to continue fighting for immigration reform.


Jew lawmakers overwhelmingly favored the bill. Of the 13 in the Senate, 11 voted to close debate: Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Russell Feingold (D-Wis.), Herb Kohl (D-Wis.), Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.), Carl Levin (D-Mich.), Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).