Serrano Celebrates Mexican-American Contributions, Criticizes REAL ID Act

Washington, DC, May 4, 2005—Today, Congressman José E. Serrano (D-NY) issued the following statement in honor of Cinco de Mayo: 

“Cinco de Mayo is a day of celebration, not only for the people of , but also for the nearly 20 million Americans of Mexican ancestry.  Today, we celebrate not only the history of a great Mexican victory against foreign invaders, but also the contributions and ever-growing vibrancy of our nation’s Mexican-American community. 

“Nearly 200,000 people of Mexican descent now live in
New York City
alone.  While xenophobes and naysayers decry Mexican immigration and fight to restrict immigrants’ rights, Mexican and other immigrants are revitalizing our inner city neighborhoods, breathing new life into distressed housing stock, bringing family picnics back into our city parks, energizing the service and small business sectors, and repopulating neighborhoods that had previously been left for dead. 

“In the
South Bronx
, for example, Mexican immigrants are playing a critical role in the transformation of Mott Haven.  Less than ten years ago, a visitor walking down
138th Street
would have passed abandoned rowhouses and vacant storefronts. Today, there is not one empty house or boarded-up storefront on the street, a tribute to the great energy and entrepreneurship that Mexican immigrants have brought to my district. 
138th Street
and St. Mary’s Park are now vibrant urban centers for New York Mexican immigrants, who are playing a key role in revitalizing the
South Bronx
, just as they have revitalized so many other urban neighborhoods in
New York
,
Los Angeles
,
Chicago
, and so many other cities.  Organizations such as Tepeyac and the

Patrick

Hennesy

Center

are leading the way in the Mexican immigrant community by launching youth training and leadership programs to develop the next generation of Mexican-American leaders in our community.

“So, on this day, we salute the Mexican-American community, and thank them for their continuing contribution to American life and culture and for playing such an important role in revitalizing our inner cities.  And on this day, we renew our commitment to taking a stand against the xenophobia, cynicism, and narrow-mindedness of the anti-immigrant lobby. 

“The increasingly aggressive and mean-spirited anti-immigrant movement is pushing irresponsible anti-immigrant measures through the federal legislative process.  The REAL ID Act, for example, seeks to step on states’ and immigrants’ rights by forcing states to change their laws on ID cards.  The Act would prevent states from allowing undocumented immigrants to get drivers’ licenses even if those states’ elected leaders want to do so.  In an effort to appease the anti-immigrant crowd, the provisions of this Act are being included by Republicans into the supplemental appropriations legislation that is meant to fund the war in and Asian tsunami relief. 

“Waving the banner of post-September 11th homeland security, proponents of the REAL ID Act argue that the 9/11 terrorists all boarded their flights with valid state-issued IDs.  But they fail to mention that the terrorists were all in the United States LEGALLY.  Thus, had the REAL ID Act been in place before the attacks, it would have done nothing to stop the terrorists from getting legal ID cards.  Instead, the Act only promises to increase the number of hit-and-run accidents and uninsured drivers on our roads while reducing the database capacity of local police, who otherwise have no information whatsoever about our undocumented population.

“This type of legislation does not make our country safer.  It is simply part of a mean-spirited campaign to drive undocumented immigrants further “underground,” away from all government programs and protections.  Anti-immigration zealots seem to think that undocumented immigrants come to this nation to take advantage of our social programs, and thus work to keep immigrants away from these programs.  However, most undocumented immigrants come to this nation seeking a better life, and are willing to risk their lives to help their families.  They pay taxes, tend work in low-paying and dangerous jobs that many native-born Americans have refused, and they pay into programs such as Social Security, despite the fact that they can not collect on the benefits of those programs because of their immigration status.  Their reasons for enduring the hardships of leaving home and coming to the United States are the same as those reasons that inspired all of our forbearers, whether they arrived from Puerto Rico, China, Germany, or England—the search for the fabled American Dream for themselves, their children, and their grandchildren. 

“And so, let this year’s Cinco de Mayo be an occasion both for celebration and vigilance.  I will continue working to fight for the rights of immigrants and for common sense immigration policies.  I will also continue to be forever grateful for the energy that Mexican immigrants have dedicated to the development of my beloved
South Bronx
.  Their commitment, optimism, and enthusiasm is my inspiration, and I am proud to stand with them today.”