UUP Lecture Speaker: Latinos Deserve Better Immigration Policy

LATHAM, NY (04/30/2007)(readMedia)-- Charging that Latinos are the most visible target of federal immigration measures, a UAlbany associate professor of political science said it's time to afford Latino immigrants the dignity and respect they deserve.

"Latinos are the number one scapegoat for everything that is negatively associated with immigration in culture, politics, the economy and society," said Dr. Jose Cruz, a member of United University Professions. Dr. Cruz delivered the union's legislative lecture today in Albany, speaking on the topic, "Latino Immigration Policy: Challenges and Opportunities."

Dr. Cruz is Director of the New York Latino Research and Resources Network, a group that focuses on issues affecting Latinos in New York state. He said that while former generations of immigrants were often welcomed, Congress has now made it clear that immigrants are unwelcome and considered a threat. But Dr. Cruz said that reality paints a much different picture.

"Immigrants make significant contributions to our economy and society," he said. "They help sustain the national economy. They enrich our cultural heritage through language, music and the arts."

Dr. Cruz suggests New York state, with its rapidly growing Latino population, can be in the forefront to effect change.

"History tells us that New York state has been an incubator for national policies," he said. "The law tells us that as far as immigration policy is concerned, New York does not need to wait for the federal government to act."

Dr. Cruz's address marked the third in a series of UUP legislative lectures. The lectures are designed to showcase the range of talent within the faculty ranks of SUNY.

The UUP lecture series is presented with the support of Senator Kenneth LaValle, chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Higher Education, and Assemblywoman Deborah Glick, chair of the Assembly Standing Committee on Higher Education.

UUP represents 32,000 academic and professional faculty on 29 New York State-operated campuses, and is an affiliate of New York State United Teachers, the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association and AFL-CIO.

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