Immigration and the sister city

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Immigration and the sister city Saturday, December 4, 2004

Rob Haneisen 508-626-3882 Metrowest Daily News

It's a relationship that by definition is supposed to foster friendship and understanding between two communities.
Don't count on it to be unanimous.
This week, members of a Brazilian delegation that included the mayor of the city Governor Valadares and business and health representatives visited Framingham. The trip was to see for themselves why and how thousands of their countrymen have made it to Framingham and made an indelible mark on this community.
"It seems like I'm in Valadares," said Valadares Mayor Joao Domingos Fassarella, while in the Padaria Brasil Monday morning. "In Brazil, a bakery is the place where people meet. Here is the same, but it's also a place where you can find the taste of our region and alleviate their 'saudade' (longing) for home."
Those familiar with the Brazilian-ization of the downtown area can understand why the mayor thought he was in his old country. Given the way the Brazilians rescued the downtown from retail decay in the early '90s you would think there would be universal appreciation but that's not the way things work when envy gets in the way. Plus ignorance.
Last year, the Board of Selectmen unanimously endorsed a plan to forge the Sister City relationship with the Brazilian city where most local Brazilians hail. This move came with the smattering of disapproval any mention of Brazilian immigrants causes with some elements in town.
The Rizoli brothers, Joe and Jim, along with Jeff Buck and more recently Harold Wolfe, have taken to banging the drum loudly when given the chance about the hazards of making Framingham a haven for illegal immigrants from Brazil. Some take the actions of this group as bordering on racist, bigoted or just plain ignorant. Others say the group only wants to see the immigration laws of this country upheld. What you may believe is right depends on your view of immigration policies. Those who favor opening the borders of the country may think that we have little to fear from a wave of immigrants while those who want immigration laws upheld and strengthened would say that we have plenty to fear.
Last night, Selectmen and the delegation formalized the sister-city relationship by signing a pact at the Framingham Historical Museum, a fitting place to do this if one considers the history of the town that was settled by English immigrants, then Irish and Poles and Italians and then the more recent wave of Hispanics, Brazilians, Indians, Chinese and Russians. Though the route to Framingham by these different groups varies, the goal is the same: to seek a better life and better life for one's families. It's understandable that those already here may feel threatened by newcomers, that they may feel what they have earned either by birth or hard work could be taken away by those who got on a plane or crossed a river.
This column was written before last night's event so at this moment I don't know whether illegal immigrant opponents showed up and caused some sort of a disturbance or simply protested. Regardless, the pact is one that has it's intention in friendship and understanding not one that should be marred by antagonism.
"In Valadares, we hear stories about our compatriots being deported or committing crimes," said Lincoln Byrro Neto, Valadares Chamber of Commerce president. "We don't get to hear success stories. We don't know much about people who are succeeding here and contributing to the community."
That's unfortunate because a majority of the Brazilians here, illegal and legal, are not causing problems, getting arrested and deported. They are working, sending money home to their families and in some ways keeping the local economy moving. The fact that a few did come here and were arrested should not taint the entire Brazilian immigrant community just as critics should not oppose a sister city relationship with Governor Valadares because of the problems with illegal immigration.
Ceci Avelar Sendas, who represents 1,800 retail stores in Valadares, felt mixed emotions on Monday.
"I'm happy for the success of my compatriots here, but I'm sad they couldn't succeed in Brazil," she said.
No doubt there are some Americans in Framingham who feel exactly the same way.
Is illegal immigration wrong? Yes, because it is unfair to those who want to come to Framingham by following all the rules. But reform in immigration laws, and by reform I'm talking about loosening up the borders not clamping down, is what could alleviate the tension.

Immigration and the sister city	Saturday, December 4, 2004
Rob Haneisen 508-626-3882	Metrowest Daily News
It's a relationship that by definition is supposed to foster friendship and understanding between two communities. Don't count on it to be unanimous. This week, members of a Brazilian delegation that included the mayor of the city Governor Valadares and business and health representatives visited Framingham. The trip was to see for themselves why and how thousands of their countrymen have made it to Framingham and made an indelible mark on this community. "It seems like I'm in Valadares," said Valadares Mayor Joao Domingos Fassarella, while in the Padaria Brasil Monday morning. "In Brazil, a bakery is the place where people meet. Here is the same, but it's also a place where you can find the taste of our region and alleviate their 'saudade' (longing) for home." Those familiar with the Brazilian-ization of the downtown area can understand why the mayor thought he was in his old country. Given the way the Brazilians rescued the downtown from retail decay in the early '90s you would think there would be universal appreciation but that's not the way things work when envy gets in the way. Plus ignorance. Last year, the Board of Selectmen unanimously endorsed a plan to forge the Sister City relationship with the Brazilian city where most local Brazilians hail. This move came with the smattering of disapproval any mention of Brazilian immigrants causes with some elements in town. The Rizoli brothers, Joe and Jim, along with Jeff Buck and more recently Harold Wolfe, have taken to banging the drum loudly when given the chance about the hazards of making Framingham a haven for illegal immigrants from Brazil. Some take the actions of this group as bordering on racist, bigoted or just plain ignorant. Others say the group only wants to see the immigration laws of this country upheld. What you may believe is right depends on your view of immigration policies. Those who favor opening the borders of the country may think that we have little to fear from a wave of immigrants while those who want immigration laws upheld and strengthened would say that we have plenty to fear. Last night, Selectmen and the delegation formalized the sister-city relationship by signing a pact at the Framingham Historical Museum, a fitting place to do this if one considers the history of the town that was settled by English immigrants, then Irish and Poles and Italians and then the more recent wave of Hispanics, Brazilians, Indians, Chinese and Russians. Though the route to Framingham by these different groups varies, the goal is the same: to seek a better life and better life for one's families. It's understandable that those already here may feel threatened by newcomers, that they may feel what they have earned either by birth or hard work could be taken away by those who got on a plane or crossed a river. This column was written before last night's event so at this moment I don't know whether illegal immigrant opponents showed up and caused some sort of a disturbance or simply protested. Regardless, the pact is one that has it's intention in friendship and understanding not one that should be marred by antagonism. "In Valadares, we hear stories about our compatriots being deported or committing crimes," said Lincoln Byrro Neto, Valadares Chamber of Commerce president. "We don't get to hear success stories. We don't know much about people who are succeeding here and contributing to the community." That's unfortunate because a majority of the Brazilians here, illegal and legal, are not causing problems, getting arrested and deported. They are working, sending money home to their families and in some ways keeping the local economy moving. The fact that a few did come here and were arrested should not taint the entire Brazilian immigrant community just as critics should not oppose a sister city relationship with Governor Valadares because of the problems with illegal immigration. Ceci Avelar Sendas, who represents 1,800 retail stores in Valadares, felt mixed emotions on Monday. "I'm happy for the success of my compatriots here, but I'm sad they couldn't succeed in Brazil," she said. No doubt there are some Americans in Framingham who feel exactly the same way. Is illegal immigration wrong? Yes, because it is unfair to those who want to come to Framingham by following all the rules. But reform in immigration laws, and by reform I'm talking about loosening up the borders not clamping down, is what could alleviate the tension.

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