The Statue of Liberty. And Mauro.

Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.  Those clear and powerful words are engraved in the Statue of Liberty.  They inspired millions of immigrants to build a better life in America.  These determined immigrants made America the exciting country it is today.

Twenty years ago, I became an immigrant when I moved to Amsterdam with my Dutch wife.  Here, there are no powerful words or grand ideas about immigration.  Policy makers see immigrants as a problem.  As a result, Dutch immigration policy lacks clarity and fairness.

Mauro is no different than my Russian grandfather, who stared proudly at the statue when he arrived at Ellis Island.  Like grandpa, Mauro welcomes hard work and wants to live free.

America has proven that immigrants can create an exciting and dynamic society.  If Dutch policy makers want immigration to succeed, they need to have clearer ideas and use more powerful words than “rules are rules.”

Like this post?  Share it.  Written by Don Seidenberg.