In February 2007, New York University's College Republican Club hosted a game called "Find the Illegal Immigrant [1]," which invited student players to act as immigration officers and try to find a student in a park who was wearing a sign designating them as an "illegal immigrant." According to NPR, the game "provoked demonstrations in support of immigrants — and charges that the game was obnoxious — and even racist [2]" and created media buzz just as immigration issues were circulating in Congressional debate. Some considered the game to be simplistic and demeaning, which neither promoted dialogue nor unity, throwing gasoline on an already volatile issue. Equally disturbing, the game was held in Washington Square Park, which until now has had a long tradition of liberal thought, protest and civil disobedience.
In response, Attorney Ferzana Hashmi and the Hashmi Law Firm, P.L.C. fashioned an immigration game in response to the NYU game: "Find a Legal Way to Immigrate," which seeks to inform and educate the public by simulating the real-life situations that result from broken immigration laws, right here in the middle of "conservative" Iowa. Players will draw cards that will be actual scenarios that immigrants face on a routine basis. All scenarios will be based on current laws and the resulting challenges for immigrants. From there, the players must navigate the life-size game board in an attempt to immigrate legally. The "winners" of the Hashmi Law Firm, P.L.C.'s game will be the first nuclear family to reunite in the United States in less than 10 years.
Rather than portray a point of view, our goal is to depict the whole process with all of the decisions involved, so observers may see the thought process behind decisions immigrants are forced to make. We hope that the game will be an educational experience for our observers and that they can acquire some perspective and understanding of this significant issue. The game will be played at the Hashmi Law Firm, P.L.C.'s one year anniversary celebration barbeque on Saturday, July 21, 2007 from 2pm-8pm at Pete Crivaro Park. The general public is invited, and snacks will be provided.
The focus of the "Find a Legal Way to Immigrate" game is on family-based immigration. As Congress considered downgrading family relationships in its cure-all point system in June 2007 to an even lower priority level, Attorney Hashmi and other immigrant advocates felt that the public needed more education on what the current constraints in immigration laws are for families before the immigration laws were made even stricter for families trying to reunite in a legal manner. If the amnesty for illegal immigrants of more than 20 years ago was a mistake in being too lax, then the harshness of current conservative immigration reform proposals will be a lesson in being too strict, but not before the immigrants pay an even dearer price in their quest for the American Dream.
[1] "Anger Over NY 'Immigration Game.'" BBC News 22 Feb. 2007. 5 July 2007
[2] Adler, Margot. "NYU Immigration Game Draws Protests." National Public Radio 23 Feb. 2007 . 5 July 2007 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7565613 .
Hashmi Law Firm
309 Court Avenue, Suite 246
Des Moines, Iowa 50309
Voice: 515-699-8520
Fax: 515-699-8521
No comments:
Post a Comment