My question to you is, how are we going to get people in the broader progressive blogosphere to start taking ownership of this issue? Firedoglake has been generally good in this fight, but it’s always a constant fight. I just feel like progressives don’t have a stake in this issue so their commitment isn’t as strong to the pro-migrant struggle. How do we get progressives to realize this is their struggle, too?

It’s a pleasure to see you interacting with the netroots. I hope that you and America’s Voice continues to work with the broader pro-migrant sanctuarysphere as well.

One thing I always feel like is lacking from our pro-migrant leaders is their leadership in the global pro-migrant movement, not just the U.S. pro-migrant movement. What are your general positions on the global aspect of this debate? It’s probably too much to comment on here, but issues like free trade, deportation, U.S. foreign policy, and international development.

I mean the food crisis, for example is a frightening obstacle at the same time that it is an amazing opportunity. It’s going to push a lot more migrants into the U.S. but U.S. citizens can feel it too. And there is an opportunity to forge solidarity there, and get people to start thinking about the reasons so many migrants are in the U.S. in the first place. Legalization is an important goal, but isn’t the ultimate goal a world where people migrate out of want, and not out of need?

Going on much too long, of course, but it’s good to see your thoughts in depth here.

Ya know, if people in Mexico had decent jobs, food for their families, and a sustainable standard of living, perhaps fewer of them would come here.

It’s ironic that this is exactly why American companies go there, isn’t it?

But I also agree that any realistic system of preventing exploitation likely requires dealing with the wage/health care/educational disparities in the source countries. Unions need to be able to reach across the borders and assist in helping workers in similar “guilds” to organize and obtain their rights and proper incomes/benefits concordant with local housing/food costs. They should not have to live in poverty, with their kids unable to afford school, and suffer from illness due to poor environmental protections. People don’t WANT TO dislocate away from family and connections, they do so because their conditions are degrading, or dangerous.