WASHINGTON, Jan 8: The proposed overhaul of immigration rules for granting temporary legal status to undocumented workers in the United States is yet to go to Congress to become a law, the Pakistani community in the US is already involved in intense debates
about its impact as illegal immigrants hope to benefit from the reforms plan.
Pakistanis, as well as other people from underdeveloped countries, have been waiting for a general amnesty, as had been granted during the Reagan era - though, President Bush made it amply clear that "it's not going to be an amnesty."
By and large, the Pakistani community is acknowledged as being peace-loving, law abiding and disciplined workers and with professional skills. As soon as President Bush made the policy announcement, mainly concerning workers from Latin American states, especially Mexico, other communities also started to debate it and saw the proposal as a ray of hope for those who could still fall in the category of persons with "incomplete documents, or inadequate paper work."
President Bush proposed "a new temporary worker programme to match willing foreign workers with willing US employers when no Americans can be found to fill the jobs. The programme, he said would be open to new foreign workers, and to the undocumented men and women currently employed in the US.
Legal experts say, a law would be applicable in letter and spirit to all, without being confined to any single ethnicity. They said once a law, it would apply to all in the queue - even those still undocumented or in line for registration. Those in hiding would now be able to join the mainstream life, and earn fair wages, and an upright life as legals.
"It has given hope to those who might be having inadequate or incomplete documents and Pakistanis deserve to benefit most from such benefits as this is one of the most law abiding communities in the US, and because of the fact that Pakistan has a special relationship with the US being a close partner in the war against terrorism. Moreover, once enacted into law, it would provide relief to the community most affected by the special registration process," a Pakistani diplomat said.
"Though, (it is) premature to judge (and comment) on these proposals ... One aspect is clear that laws are there with a generalized effect." Many Pakistanis had been living very difficult lives in the US, working long hours and usually confining themselves to their work place, hoping for an amnesty like law.
Faiz Rehman, chairman of the National Council of Pakistani- Americans, said: "We welcome the proposals that we believe will bring a lot of people in the mainstream economy of the US, and will unite families."-APP
