Blog Redirect: The Politics of Humanity
Posted by Vox on 1 February 2008
XP has a good series going right now on immigration policies that deny humanity to immigrants. In the first part, on deporting abuse victims, he writes:
Spousal abuse has long been one of the most critical and widespread problems endured by women who do not have legal residency in the United States but are married to someone who does. It is not unusual to hear anti-immigrant nativist use the same argument in justify their deportation. The argument is simple, battered undocumented women should not be treated any differently as any other undocumented immigrant, therefore, they should be sent back to their homelands. Another argument that is often made is that the fact that they have suffered abuse is a tragedy, but allows battered spouses to stay in this country; other immigrant groups will also try to use the same excuse. It is interesting how simplistic they make their arguments and sadly, it unfairly blames the victim and not the truly guilty party, the perpetrator of the violence.
While it is true that there are millions of reported/unreported incidents of domestic violence occurring across the country, the fact is domestic abuse remains to be a social crisis people rather not talk about. Immigrant women, like other abused women, may depend on their abusers for financial support, and breaking free of dependency is never easy. If they do escape, many of them face barriers, which often include language difficulties and cultural communities that discourage victims from talking about the abuse.
By eliminating the Violence Against Women Act’s domestic violence program, Homeland Security will only force more battered immigrants into the shadows and some into an early grave at the hands of their abuser. Domestic violence is a social problem of epidemic proportions that must be eradicated. By not respond to Arellano’s plight now, we send out the message that there really is no justice for immigrant victims of domestic violence. [Full story]
The second part is on ICE’s policy of drugging immigrants who were denied asylum/refugee status when deporting them (which Sylvia/M has also written about).
Both posts are very worth reading. And if you haven’t read M’s earlier entry, check that one out, too.
