Though many agree that President Barack Obama’s recently announced immigration reform plan is largely aimed at Hispanics, illegally crossing America’s southern border with Mexico, Muslim Americans are watching closely what changes will be made, and many say they are fine with the president’s proposals.

“I think (the new guidelines) are fair, but I think it’s going to be difficult to get them to come forward because many of them will be scared (about what will happen to them after the three years has passed),” Amr Gamal Eldin, told OnIslam.net.

Gamal Eldin, who is of Egyptian descent, was born in the United States to immigrant parents who migrated decades ago and he eventually earned US citizenship.

He was commenting on the new immigration reform proposed recently by President Barack Obama, which will offer hope to five million illegal immigrants.

Among other measures, the president proposed what is essentially a three-year reprieve for law-abiding illegal immigrants, allowing them to “come out of the shadows” and be permitted to stay in the United States for three years providing they pass a background check, pay back taxes and a penalty fine, and learn English if they don’t already know the language.

However, these people won’t be offered a path to citizenship nor will they be allowed federal benefits or free health care. And, it’s possible a future president could reverse Obama’s directives.

Like many Americans, Gamal Eldin shared some question whether or not the new policy will be effective in drawing out those undocumented people who might benefit.

He said he suspects many people will not be educated enough on the new laws to understand their rights, thereby further inhibiting people to come out of hiding.

Asserting that many undocumented people still fear the government despite the new regulations, he believes many of them won’t see any good reason to make themselves known, pay the government what it is owed and learn English.

He added many of them are “comfortable” in their life and have no reason to risk identifying themselves as illegals only to be slapped with potentially huge financial obligations they might not have the means or want to pay.

Expected

Expressing similar opinion, American Muslims said that Hispanics take a light view of possible deportation and of fully integrating into society and mastering English.

“A lot of them figure they’ve been here for so long and nothing has happened to them so what’s going to happen to them now,” Sarah Ahsan, who was born in the United States to immigrant Pakistani parents, told OnIslam.net.

Ahsan added that many of the Hispanics she is acquainted with don’t even feel the need to speak any language other than Spanish.

“They say ‘Why do I need to learn English? Everywhere I go everyone speaks Spanish,’” she said.

Ali  Raza, who came to America in 2001 on a student visa and eventually earned his citizenship through marriage, said even though many illegals may feel this way, he believes they are at a disadvantage by living without papers and should make every effort to get straight with the government.

He said this also discourages those who have profited illegally from their undocumented status from continuing to do so.

“They didn’t get it easier,” Raza insisted.

“They lost years of being illegal, and they probably could have done better because somebody probably used and abused them (paying low wages and forgoing employment benefits). At the end of the day, someone benefitted from them.”

In addition to possible abuse of illegal aliens, what about those immigrant Muslims and others who migrated to America legally and spent copious amounts of time and money to comply with the law in order to stay? Do they view Obama’s new policies as a slap in the face to the millions of people who enter the country and follow the rule of law?

Raza said no.

“I’m not bitter, I’m fine with it,” he said. “I paid the government to get my papers, and they’re going to have to do the same regardless.”

For Raza, the issue is a larger one for the country as a whole, particularly in an economic sense.

“We have to look at the bigger picture and it’s that these (illegal aliens) are making money somehow and they’re not paying taxes. If we let them continue that way, then the government is losing money,” he said.

“Why should we pay for their kids’ school and when they go to the hospital or the doctor if they’re not contributing? We should give them their papers and let they try to integrate into society.”

However, Raza disagreed with some of the requirements the president put forth, calling them unreachable for some.

“I would not push the penalties because some people might want to come forward but they won’t have (the money),” he said.

“Also I would say maybe make it that they only have to pay back taxes for the past three or five years instead of having them pay for all those years they’ve been here.”

Immigration Reform Key Points

-Charge immigration authorities to focus more on those undocumented immigrants who pose a danger to society rather than those who are peaceful and law abiding or those who are parents to US-born children or legal permanent residents.

-Give those who qualify a three-year stay in the United States, free of deportation worries with the stipulation they pass background checks and pay back taxes and a penalty.

-Extend papers and work authorization to parents of US citizens or legal permanent residents so long as they have lived in the US for five years or more.

-Strip away the age limit of 30 from the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), also known as the Dreamers. This would permit those people who were brought to the States illegally as children to stay. The DACA will also cover anyone who landed on American soil before 2010.

-Instruct immigration officials to more seriously target gang members, felons and others who seek to enter the United States with the intent to do harm. The new guidelines will also crack down on undocumented immigrants who only recently entered the United States.

-Make it easier for talented and promising science and technology students to pursue their education in the US, offer a new program to entice entrepreneurs to America, as well, so long as they can provide proof of investors.

http://www.onislam.net/english/news/americas/480399-us-muslims-debate-immigration-reform.html

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