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West Cosgrove delivers Hispanic Heritage Month keynote address; immigration reform a must

By Ben Harris on September 22, 2010 4:30 am in University / 5 comments

 

The audience in Plachta Auditorium was full of questions for West Cosgrove the moment he finished his speech Monday night.

About 90 people attended the national immigration analyst’s presentation entitled “Immigrants and National Values,” emphasizing immigration reform.

Cosgrove has worked in El Paso, Texas, for 15 years serving as the assistant director for Project Puente, which aims to educate the public about issues concerning the border.

“I think if we can inject knowledge and understanding to the situation, we can do a good thing,” Cosgrove said.

West Cosgrove, 55, of El Paso, Texas, the director of Project Puente, a non-profit promoting border immersion programs shows students a presentation 'Immigrants and National Values' relating to Hispanic Heritage month at Central Michigan University Monday night at Plachta Auditorium in Warriner Hall. "We can solve the immigration issue by giving something new a chance," Cosgrove said. "We can do it by treating others with dignity and respect." (Victoria Zegler/Staff Photographer)

His presentation explained the history of immigration and immigration law. He showed statistics involving increased border security costs, along with the tax contributions of undocumented workers.

The kick-off Hispanic Heritage Month event was hosted by Minority Student Services. Cosgrove was selected as a speaker not only because of his relevance to students and to the community, but because immigration is a critical national issue, said Keisha Janney, assistant director of MSS.

“I really thought he brought some of the facts about immigration to the audience,” Janney said.

Many of the questions asked afterward concerned Cosgrove’s opinion on the speed and scope of new laws passed for immigration reform.

“I am in favor of incremental change,” Cosgrove said.

Midland sophomore Keegan Swihart said he was impressed with the ideas and opinions Cosgrove had to offer to the audience.
“He was great, I spent the summer with him and loved it,” Swihart said. “I really want to encourage students to go down to the border and help out with these kinds of things.”

Cosgrove also gave suggested solutions to border problems and held a question-and-answer session following his speech. One solution he offered was supporting companies who promise to pay their workers livable wages, even if the workers are undocumented.

Another proposed solution was allowing companies to hire as many migrant workers as they need, but only after the company tries and fails to hire American citizens.

But no matter what action is taken, Cosgrove said, change is vital.

“Both sides of the argument agree that the system is broken,” Cosgrove said.

He also stressed the importance of understanding the issue and delivered the stories several migrant workers and their working conditions.
“We don’t have to be ‘us versus them’,” he said.

 

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  • Michmediaperson

    How much did this cost CMU to bring this guy to campus?

    How come CMU don't present both sides of the illegal immigration and border issue?

    These illegals are illegals. They need to go back to their native lands…and go through the proper channels.

    This sounds like it was a one-sided, pro-amnesty, pro-illegal rally.

    CMU should present both sides of the issue unless outside groups want to pay for meeting room space costs and travel costs to CMU. CMU shouldn't be spending a cent on political rallies, no matter which side of the issue you're on.

  • datafork

    Terrible!! This is blatant globalist propaganda for tearing down our borders and destroying the American Middle Class. They want to bankrupt the U.S. and turn us into a third world nation!! WAKE UP PEOPLE!!! Do you want the U.S. to look like Mexico?

  • Michmediaperson

    What the liberals running CMU don't understand—-these illegals come here, take jobs and ship the money home. The money doesn't stay here rotating in tax dollars that could help fund CMU. They don't pay for healthcare so all CMU employees healthcare goes up to cover the illegal. Because they take American jobs, we have to pay for unemployed….monies which could be going to CMU.
    And, we have a drug usage epidemic in this country because of the open borders which costs all of us.

    Think how much more money CMU could be getting if we took the conservative approach on this.

  • Concerned Citizen

    I realize this is an ancient article in the scope of the immediacy of Internet communication, but I have to respond to the posts here…
    What people tend to not realize is that the process of globalization (i.e. open borders for trade, among many other concepts) is an expansion of United States' capitalist economy. You've heard of NAFTA? It's destroying Mexico. Great for US. Our clothes, electronics, etc., are made in extremely unsafe, unhealthy factories that were put there by highly developed countries for our own profit; it's known as the “race to the bottom,” going to find the cheapest labor and highest production rate. The people working there barely make a living wage, receive no benefits, etc. That is our fault. They hear of America, the land of opportunity, where anyone can make it, and they want a shot. Again, our fault; we've lied to them.
    They'd have to wait, on average, 20 years to make it through the process of coming here “legally.” If they choose to find their own way and manage to get here alive (a lot of people die in their quest), they will take whatever jobs they can get; a lot of times, those are the jobs that we wouldn't even consider.
    The US isn't going to look like Mexico, and if it does, it'll be our own fault. But this country has always been more developed than Mexico, has more effective public service forces (although the ones here can be bought, too, for the right price), among many other things. We have a lot of freedoms that we take for granted because we've never known anything else.
    Which is the problem. We are some of the most egocentric people this world has ever seen. Stop thinking of yourselves, for once, and consider, for just one minute, the idea that borders are imaginary lines that have been enforced by racist attitudes that promote violence between humans; not Americans and Mexicans, Guatemalans, etc., but other humans. Maybe if we stop objectifying “them” and consider them as being not so different from us, stuff like this wouldn't even be a problem.
    I am glad I was born and raised here; I've had the opportunity to grow up, work, go to school, travel the world and experience different cultures, and even voice my opinion on a public message board and not be threatened with my life because my thoughts don't always agree with those in power. It's a blessing, really.

  • Ortegamaria

    all idea good you proyect help the people