A deacon in Manitowoc had the ear of two state legislators and used that time to talk about something near and dear to him.
Mark LeGreve attended a listening session held by Senator Devin LeMahieu and Representative Paul Tittl, where he spoke about serving the Hispanic community.
Below is the full transcription of that speech.
Dear elected official of local residents, taxpayers, social services, and employers,
I am a lifelong resident of Manitowoc County, an Ordained Deacon of the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Green Bay, an employee of two local non profit organizations, and a board member of two nonprofit organizations. I cannot engage in lobbying, but I seek to be a voice for the voiceless. I cannot support political parties or candidates, but I can speak to issues and morality. I am not here to chastise but to build a channel of open communication.
I would highly value your time to meet local undocumented immigrant taxpayers who do not have access to legal employment, housing, banking, identification, transportation, utility connections, retirement savings, our judicial system, and healthcare. I desire to introduce you to not just issues, but actual human beings. These taxpaying human beings are highly susceptible to extortion, human trafficking, and honestly slavery. Call it indentured servitude if slavery sounds to severe. Years from now we’ll look back on this time acknowledging the second era of slavery in our country. I want your children, grandchildren, and great-children to look proudly on your actions instead of endure the embarrassment and shame knowing what you stood for. I’m honestly not sure if the current environment is negligence, ignorance, or intentional collaboration with organized crime networks. I want to believe that our legislators are honest, just, and humane, but I am not seeing the evidence. I quite honestly barely believe that our government will rectify the issues it has created. Most certainly we are descendants of immigrants who face far different welcome mat than current immigrants. Look only on the ever expanding anti immigration laws passed by our country in the past 200 years. The evidence speaks for itself.
Locally there is a grassroots effort to listen to local undocumented Hispanic taxpayers attempting to survive in an unjust and immoral social system. These are not ignorant people. These are not criminals and felons. These are individuals serving a significant labor force supporting our economy. Our economy is stymied by the legal barriers to these talented individuals to use their God given abilities. There is a reason they are here, there is a reason why they cannot return to where they are from. There reason for immigrating is very similar to the reason our ancestors came here. It is no secret that immigrants can wait 20 years for our immigration system to even offer a workers permit or any gateway to basic human needs. I would love for you to meet some of the human beings. It is no secret that employers are struggling to find employees. I would love to introduce you to some of these local employers. It is no secret that both the State of Wisconsin and our Federal government are knowingly receiving income taxes from the undocumented workers under identification of deceased individuals. I challenge you to request from our State and Federal Government how much income tax is being paid in by deceased individuals long after their death. This acceptance of taxes is willful collaboration knowing whoever is paying will never receive any benefit. It is no secret that there is an imminent healthcare crisis on the horizon as our undocumented immigrants reach the age of retirement and nursing home care. You may not know it yet, but I’d love to introduce you to healthcare professionals who can attest to what is on the horizon.
What’s the harm in offering work permits, banking rights, judicial rights, investment rights, insurance, healthcare, and identification? We have become fearful of immigrants which we once were. We lost our identity. We were the land of the free and home of the brave now we are the land of the enslaved and home of the afraid.
I am not here to chastise you, but to invite you to participate in this conversation. Are you willing and able to join us? I am begging you on behalf of those without a voice. Please consider listening to the voiceless. For the sake of your ancestors and descendants, don’t embarrass and shame them, instead make them proud. Thank you.
Sincerely Deacon Mark LeGreve