Wednesday, June 29
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THE FORUM DAILY

The use of tractor trailers to transport migrants from Mexico and
Central America to the U.S. have been central to how human smugglers
operate along both sides of the border, such as in the recent migrant
tragedy in Texas, report Santiago Pérez and José de Córdoba, with
photos by Paul Ratje for The Wall Street Journal
. 

Because of this, smugglers have been able to boost their profits and
avoid required inspections of passenger buses, Pérez and Córdoba note.
In 2021 alone, there were an estimated seven million-plus crossings by
trucks

of the U.S.-Mexico border, per U.S. Transportation Department data. 

"[Smugglers] leave trucks abandoned in inhospitable places, without
water or food," said Honduran Foreign Minister Enrique Reina. "They
leave them locked up in an inhumane and terrible way, and they die."  

The tragedy in Texas is a consequence of the lack of legal pathways to
enter the U.S.,  writes The Washington Post

columnist Ishaan Tharoor.  

And despite the growing visa backlog, record low refugee resettlement
numbers, and the use of Title 42, Republicans are still wrongfully
touting an 'open borders' narrative. As Tharoor notes, "The border
is hardly open. But it's definitely deadly." 

Had humane immigration policies been in place, such deaths could have
been entirely preventable, our policy expert Danilo Zak told a team at
San Antonio Express-News
. 

In light of the tragedy, its Editorial Board

asks us to consider: "Just what would it take to climb into the back of
a tractor-trailer and risk such a perilous journey for a better life?
Just what circumstances would lead a person to flee their home country?
And just what hopes and dreams would that person be seeking?" 

Passing meaningful immigration reform is the only real solution, they
later note. 

The Forum, along with faith, national security, and law enforcement
leaders, agree
:
Congress must act quickly on policy solutions that bring compassion,
security, and order to our border. 

Welcome to Wednesday's edition of The Forum Daily. I'm Becka
Wall, the Forum's digital communications VP. If you have a story to
share from your own community, please send it to e
at [email protected]
.  

**GOV. ABBOTT'S APPROACH** - Immigration continues to be a central
issue for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's (R) re-election campaign, reports
Victoria Kim of  The New York Times
. So
far, Gov. Abbott's hardline immigration policies included sending
state police and the National Guard to the southern border and launching
the criticized Operation Lone Star operation, which charged migrants for
trespassing. "His Democratic challenger, Beto O'Rourke, has
criticized

Mr. Abbott for staging 'stunts' and failing to achieve any
meaningful progress in his years as governor in resolving the situation
at the border," notes Kim. We can do much better than this
,
Gov. Abbott.  

**'MORAL GRAVITY'** - A decade later, "Americans are faced with a
moral gravity to make things right" for DACA recipients and other
dreamers who have been waiting to secure their futures for far too long,
writes Alan Cross, a California Baptist Pastor and mobilizer for The
Forum, in an op-ed for the Christian Post
.
"But fairness and justice for this unique population can only be
permanently secured by Congress ... In my home state, I find hope in
U.S. Senator Alex Padilla's (D-CA) promotion of the 'Citizenship for
Essential Workers Act' and in Congressman David Valadeo's (R-CA-21)
political courage to vote for the 2021 American Dream and Promise
Act." 

**REFORMS IN FLORIDA** - "Immigration reform would open the doors of
opportunities for many professionals from countries in Latin America and
beyond to fill critical positions in Florida," writes Janeth Castrejon,
member of the Southwest Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, for The
News-Press
.
To take reforms one step further, the state should also streamline the
process to take English as a Second Language classes for immigrants
already in the U.S., which would help them advance in their careers and
benefits companies. "I encourage Senators Rubio and Scott to find common
ground with their colleagues and enact immigration reforms and policies
that help meet the needs of businesses and communities in Florida." 

3-YEAR-OLD LINA - Riaz and Zarmeena Sardar Khil are facing an
everyday nightmare, coping with the fact that their child has gone
missing, reports Bekah McNeel of the Texas Monthly
. The
Khils come from a small town in Afghanistan and resettled in San
Antonio, Texas, in 2019. But just six months ago, their 3-year-old
daughter Lina went missing from their apartment complex courtyard. To
help with the search, faith leaders, law enforcement, the Afghan
community, and an advocacy nonprofit, have come together, doing their
best to combat the Islamophobia that ensued - even organizing a prayer
vigil to unite San Antonians behind the family. Riaz's friend, Lawang
Manga, who sits on the board of the Afghan community council in San
Antonio, "said his fellow Muslims were happy to join with Jews and
Christians to pray for Lina's safe return." Adding: "We have the same
pain...Our community was thinking, 'We are not alone.'" 

More stories of communities welcoming Afghans and other refugees: 

* Twins Alizeh and Sania Hammad in Pittsburg, Kansas, developed the
project Sate Crate, a free community food pantry, to combat food
insecurity for the newly resettled Afghan and Somali refugee population
in the area. (Kimberly Barker, The Globe
)  

* The College of Southern Idaho's refugee program held its annual
Refugee Day event in Twins Falls City Park, featuring food from eight
countries and musical performances from refugees, in honor of World
Refugee Day. (Rachel Cohen, Boise State Public Radio News
)  

* Refugees and immigrants from over 15 countries played in a "World
Cup-style competition" at Pottawattomie Park to honor the 20th
anniversary of World Refugee Day Chicago. (Youcef O. Bounab, Block Club
Chicago

/ Borderless)  

Thanks for reading, 

Becka 

 

 

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