2013 B'nai B'rith Policy Forum - Immigration Panel: Mark Hetfield

A group of immigration experts joined the B'nai B'rith Policy Forum for a panel discussion on the key aspects, intricacies and history of comprehensive immigration reform. The panel consisted of Mark Hetfield, president and CEO of HIAS, Esther Olavarria, director of immigration reform for the National Security Staff, Jennifer Rejeske, health policy analyst at the National Immigration Law Center, and Rachel Goldberg, B'nai B'rith International director of aging policy. Eric Fusfield, B'nai B'rith International director of legislative affairs, moderated the panel.

Olavarria started the discussion off by outlining the four legs of comprehensive immigration reform and insisting there is muscle behind it, even in the House of Representatives, saying "It's there, it could be done, but for the gridlock."

Hetfield spoke at the 2006 B'nai B'rith Policy Conference and since then he said, "Everything more or less remains eerily the same." Hetfield agreed with Olavarria that a House of Representatives immigration bill is very close to being passed and described what the immigration bill passed in the Senate would accomplish.

Rejeske discussed her issues with the current immigration system, the plight of low income immigrant workers and what policy changes should be made to integrate this marginalized population into American society.

"We cannot be detaining and deporting 1,100 immigrants a day," Rejeske said. "It's absolutely terrorizing immigrant communities."

B'nai B'rith International celebrated its 170th anniversary from November 16-18, 2013, in Washington, D.C.