Simpson Speech Draws Student Protests at IOP

About 150 students protested a speech by Sen. Alan K. Simpson (R-Wyo.) at the Institute of Politics last night, expressing their dissatisfaction with his proposed bill to cut legal and illegal immigration.

"The bill is egregious," said Sewell Chan '98, who is co-president of the Asian American Association and a Crimson editor.

"Regardless of what you think of illegal immigration...there isn't one iota of evidence that legal immigrants take out more than they put back.," he said. "There's no reason legal immigrants should be discriminated against."

About 20 campus organizations, including the Asian American Association, the Black Student Association and RAZA, joined together in criticizing Simpson's bill, which would cut legal immigration by 43 percent, according to the organization's collective letter to the community.

The bill would eliminate family-reunification preferences that allow adult-age children and siblings of legal immigrants join their families, and would require naturalized citizens to work for 10 years before receiving government benefits.

"The premise is that immigrants are like leeches on the economy," said Nikhil Chandra '99, a member of the South Asian Association.

"Simpson is ignoring evidence that legal immigrants are actually an asset to the economy," he added, citing the Urban Institute's report that the taxes paid by legal immigrants actually exceed the value of the services they procure by $25 billion.

Piercing chants and signs emblazoned with "Simpson--go home and take your xenophobia with you" were testimony to the emotional views of many students.

"I'm disgusted by the Simpson bill because I'm an immigrant myself," said Clemlyn-Ann A. Pollydore '99, a member of the Black Students Association.

For numerous other students, the issue hit just as close to home.

"A lot of our parents are legal immigrants, so the bill has a devastating impact on us," said Karen Montoya '98, president of RAZA.

Ana M. Lara '97, co-chair of Latinas Unidas added that the bill impacts the lives of all Latinos and other ethnic minorities by "legitimizing violence against immigrants, both legal and illegal."

Asian-Americans and Latino-Americans are expected to be most injured by the Simpson bill, since they make up the majority of current immigrants.

Protesters criticized the bill as not only repugnant but unconstitutional as well. The provision that would force naturalized citizens to work 10 years before receiving benefits was seen as a violation of the equal protection clause.

"If this legislation passes, then there will be the creation of second-class citizens, which is clearly unconstitutional," said Julie C. Kim '97, a member of the Asian American Association.

And in fact, most protesters said they see the bill as an attempt to focus blame for America's economic woes.

"Once the immigrants are gone and there are no more scapegoats for America's economic problems, who will Simpson blame?" said Joel B. Pollak'99

The bill would eliminate family-reunification preferences that allow adult-age children and siblings of legal immigrants join their families, and would require naturalized citizens to work for 10 years before receiving government benefits.

"The premise is that immigrants are like leeches on the economy," said Nikhil Chandra '99, a member of the South Asian Association.

"Simpson is ignoring evidence that legal immigrants are actually an asset to the economy," he added, citing the Urban Institute's report that the taxes paid by legal immigrants actually exceed the value of the services they procure by $25 billion.

Piercing chants and signs emblazoned with "Simpson--go home and take your xenophobia with you" were testimony to the emotional views of many students.

"I'm disgusted by the Simpson bill because I'm an immigrant myself," said Clemlyn-Ann A. Pollydore '99, a member of the Black Students Association.

For numerous other students, the issue hit just as close to home.

"A lot of our parents are legal immigrants, so the bill has a devastating impact on us," said Karen Montoya '98, president of RAZA.

Ana M. Lara '97, co-chair of Latinas Unidas added that the bill impacts the lives of all Latinos and other ethnic minorities by "legitimizing violence against immigrants, both legal and illegal."

Asian-Americans and Latino-Americans are expected to be most injured by the Simpson bill, since they make up the majority of current immigrants.

Protesters criticized the bill as not only repugnant but unconstitutional as well. The provision that would force naturalized citizens to work 10 years before receiving benefits was seen as a violation of the equal protection clause.

"If this legislation passes, then there will be the creation of second-class citizens, which is clearly unconstitutional," said Julie C. Kim '97, a member of the Asian American Association.

And in fact, most protesters said they see the bill as an attempt to focus blame for America's economic woes.

"Once the immigrants are gone and there are no more scapegoats for America's economic problems, who will Simpson blame?" said Joel B. Pollak'99