A delegation of us just made it back from a full day of visiting and talking with our Congressional representatives about the importance of healthcare and immigration reform for our communities. We visited several congressional offices, but perhaps the most eventful visit was our meeting with Congressman Kirk’s legislative aide, Randy Hirsch.

Our delegation was mostly from the Korean Resource and Cultural Center, but we were also accompanied by Graciela Contreras, representing the Office for Hispanic Catholics – Vicariate 1, and myself, of Chinese descent and staff organizer at ICIRR. During our meeting Congressman Kirk stopped to speak with us for a few minutes on his way to another meeting, at which point some of the Korean youth asked him if he would support the DREAM Act. Congressman Kirk’s response was jovial and yet candid, as if he were letting us in on a secret: “My sister is Korean, you know, so...I support open borders for Korea only- not other countries.” He laughed and continued, “I guess you could say I have a favoritist [immigration] policy.” Upon further pressing whether he would seriously consider immigration reform, he refused to answer.

Clearly the Congressman was joking but boy what an offensive joke about such a serious subject! If the Congressman intends to be our Senator, his ‘favoritist’ immigration policy will be a problem. With the large number immigrants and children of immigrants in Illinois, Congressman Mark Kirk would be wise to start taking all immigrants seriously about the effects of our broken immigration system on all of our communities, regardless of their native country.