By Fernie Ruano Jr.
Optimistic: Former US Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez talks about 'being headed in the right directon" during the Global Jewish Advocacy ‘Bridging America Project’ Symposium for Stakeholders Immigration Summit in Miami
Her mother was so adamant little Raquelita had no use for the English language, she went to great lengths - with the aid of a cigarette box – to ensure her daughter knew one word, and one word only, just in case she encountered an emergency while roaming the school hallways.
“She would tell me all you need is, ‘se llama bathroom’ ”, said Regalado, during the Global Jewish Advocacy ‘Bridging America Project’ Symposium for Stakeholders Immigration Summit, Thursday morning at Miami Dade College. “In my mind it was like, “What do you mean?”
Regalado, the daughter of Cuban exiles and a lifelong resident of Miami, didn’t have a Liberal Studies degree from Florida International University or being a School Board member on her radar when as a 5-year-old elementary student she was spent off many mornings with a kiss and ‘bathroom’ scribbled on a square of carton her mom would rip off a cigarette box.
”We only spoke Spanish at home; they had no clue back then how confusing that was for a 5-year-old kid,” said Regalado. “We never learned English at home.”
Regalado, along with a panel including former Citi Group vice chairman Carlos M. Gutierrez and Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau CMO Rolando Aedo, turned up the volume on everything from the importance of bilingualism to the chances of an immigration reform bill finally being passed during a lively three-hour discussion.
Regalado shoot down the notion that most immigrants don’t care or want to put in the effort to learn a second and third language. “I think that’s a myth,” added Regalado. “And I can tell you from personal experience. I wanted to learn English as fast as I could even though it wasn’t a priority at home (with her parents).”
Cynthia Ruiz, a 19-year-old MDC student who came to the United States with her parents from Colombia in 2007, said she wouldn’t feel the same comfort level in the classroom if she didn’t work at trying to perfect her English.
“I see it with some of my classmates and I feel bad for them,” said Ruiz. “It can be a little intimidating.”
The cost of reaching the “American Dream”, making schools a safe place and making sure immigrants get a fair shake in the classroom – no matter their status – were hot topics throughout the summit, but none hotter than the prospect of immigration reform actually passing through this year, or any year for that matter.
Gutierrez, who was President George W. Bush’s secretary of commerce in 2007 when the immigration bill died in the Senate, emphasized ‘trust’ among Republicans and Democrats alike when pressed on the single most important factor for getting a comprehensive immigration bill passed this year before opining there’s a “50/50 chance” it will make its way to congress this summer – something he expanded on when pressed by Univision radio host and moderator Helen Aguirre Ferre on why all the optimism all of a sudden despite the “first time around.”
“I’m a bit more optimistic and feel there’s a better chance (of passage) because in previous years the anti-immigration reform seem to have a system (in place) to push Congress,” said Gutierrez, who immigrated from Cuba with his family when he was 6 years old before going on to become CEO of the Kellogg company.
“We’d be getting it from all over last time around: talk radio, anti-immigration groups, you name it. It won’t be easy again, but I believe those that want it (immigration reform) will step up to the plate.”
Gutierrez, one of many Republicans and conservatives who have retched up of their push for immigration reform in the wake of the 2012 election aside from Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue and Indiana Attorney General Gregory Zoeller (R), apparently hasn’t backed down from his urge for comprehensive reform.
“We’re all for immigration reform, supporting something that can get passed,” said Gutierrez, who recently took part in a conference hosted by the National Immigration Forum to reiterate the group’s stance that undocumented immigrants should be allowed to eventually become citizens. “We’re not in a position to judge or second guess (people) if they’re making progress.”
As to “getting it done”, Gutierrez stressed they’re open to suggestions, similar to the one by way of Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) that would allow undocumented immigrants to become citizens eventually without being submitted to a special pathway including those already in the United States.
Among another sticking point between the parties is over whether a pathway should be in place at all, something most Republicans see as necessary.
But Gutierrez, who points to the 750-page bill Republicans had in 2007 as a comprehensive approach dismissed by amnesty, said the time is right even if there might be a lot more issues that need to be addressed.
“The biggest issue is losing the momentum if there is no immigration reform,” said Gutierrez. “We’re excited that on both sides it seems everybody agrees (on being headed in the right direction) no matter what side (party) you belong too.”
0 comments:
Post a Comment