Loreto Prieto, director of the U.S. Latino/a Studies Program at Iowa State University and a professor of psychology, is available to comment on President Obama’s immigration plan.
Based on initial reports, Prieto says the president’s proposal is a good starting point to motivate action on immigration. The plan does not offer blanket citizenship or amnesty, but takes a humane approach to working with illegal immigrants, while balancing national security issues, he added. Prieto is supportive of plans to change quotas that are outdated and do not reflect the economic needs in this country.
“Many of the quotas for immigration are remarkably out of step and out of proportion with the amount of labor that we need in this country,” Prieto said. “History teaches us that we in the United States have wedded ourselves heavily to our neighbors in the southern part of this hemisphere and we need to accept that instead of throwing up walls, both metaphorically and literally, that do no good.”
Increasing quotas is just a part of the solution. Prieto says meaningful immigration reform must be a multi-step approach, which includes simplifying the process and making it more affordable. Eventually, companies that depend on immigrant labor must come to the table and offer higher wages, benefits and guarantee better protections for workers, Prieto said.
It is also important to recognize the cultural changes that will come with reform. Prieto says different languages, customs and world views can be frightening for some people. For immigration reform to succeed it must happen on the ground level when people accept and embrace those differences in their communities, he said.
To arrange an interview, you can contact Prieto directly at [email protected] or 515-294-2455. Angie Hunt in the ISU News Service office, 515-294-8986 or [email protected], can also assist with interview requests. Iowa State University News Service has a fully equipped, digital broadcast studio, available for live video interviews to broadcast networks.
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