‘Soiling Our Flag’

As president of the faith-based Esperanza USA, Rev. Luis Cortes represents a prominent voice among the 40 million Hispanics in the United States. Not surprisingly, he has been using that voice to speak out on the Bush administration’s controversial immigration proposals. Cortes, whose national network represents some 10,000 Hispanic churches and community groups, has been vigorously lobbying Congress and the White House to secure U.S. borders, bring meaningful reform to what he calls “a broken system”—and to avoid implementing the House immigration bill that would criminalize 12 million undocumented foreigners already inside the country.

Cortes backs the Senate proposal to develop new strategies for temporary workers, guest workers and those working illegally inside the United States. He also supports plans to offer illegal immigrants the chance to become American citizens through a combination of fines and restitution—and getting in line with other hopefuls. Cortes will be in Washington this week, along with more than 750 Latino church and community leaders, to discuss these issues at the three-day National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast and Conference. The annual gathering typically attracts some of Washington’s heaviest hitters: this year’s bipartisan lineup includes President Bush, Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid and New York’s Sen. Hillary Clinton. Before heading to the capital, Cortes spoke with NEWSWEEK’s David Gerlach about immigration reform—and the debate’s political effects down the road. Excerpts:

NEWSWEEK: Why do you feel the current immigration system is broken?

Luis Cortes: All we see on TV is folks running over the border. But there are millions of people with documentation who can’t get processed on time and then choose to stay. We’ve had thousands of people in our families who have been petitioning legally to get in the U.S and they can’t get their paperwork done. If you’re here and your visa expires, what are you going to do? The [immigration agency] doesn’t get its act together and they are in limbo. Of the 12 million undocumented people in the United States, 8 million are Hispanic. And the vast majority are the parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, brothers and sisters of Hispanic U.S. citizens … We have a huge group of Latinos and others who are fighting and dying in Iraq and their parents are illegal.

Have other major evangelical leaders supported your efforts?

Too many of my prominent evangelical brothers and sisters have remained silent on this issue. [But] they’ve asked the Hispanic evangelical church to march with them on abortion and the gay marriage issue. We’re going to start calling each leader and ask them how they interpret Leviticus 26 and Matthew 25.

What do those passages say that relates to immigration?

Jesus Christ tells his disciples that nations will be judged by how we treat those that are hungry. Those that are thirsty. Those who are strangers among us. If evangelicals believe in the Bible, they should have a very clear idea about how to treat those that are strangers among us—those that have migrated to us from another country.

How else are you reaching out to Americans with this message?

I have spoken to [Democratic National Committee] chairman [Howard] Dean, President Bush and Karl Rove and said we need blond-haired, blue-eyed Republicans and Democrats on television telling this story. America expects me to say it. They will say, “He is Hispanic, what do you expect?” This goes beyond Hispanics and undocumented people. This is about what America is going to be. And how the rest of the world sees America.

What about the domestic economic effects if this workforce is forced to leave the country?

If we were to lose those people it would be disastrous to the economy. [The government] will go after employers to ensure illegals will not be able to work. They say if they choke off the work, then they can’t eat and they will have to leave. It is unconscionable to me. This is evil.

Esperanza USA is advocating for only federal forces to enforce immigration and border security. Why not utilize local law-enforcement officers, as well?

In a Latino community, if there is domestic violence or a gang incident, it is usually the police and the clergy that respond and work together. If you are going to deputize the local police to be [immigration] agents, I can no longer call the police if I have someone in the home that is undocumented.

Were you surprised that millions marched in immigration protests nationwide over the last few months?

Not really. For the last three or four years I have been telling folks this is the most important issue for Hispanics in the United States. It is a tradition in Hispanic communities to gather together to deal with issues. If you look throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, when we have had despots running the country you’ll get a huge march. It is part of the Latino culture and tradition. In America, we never had a need to do that until now.

President Bush garnered 40 percent of the Hispanic vote in the 2004, helping him win the election. Do you think the immigration debate in Congress will have an effect on the GOP’s relationship with Hispanic voters in the future?

These protests will go beyond the immigration bill. It was young Hispanic citizens marching to defend their family. They are unlikely to forget who made them the focus and the scapegoat for a failed immigration system. If the Republicans continue, they will be alienating Hispanics for decades. Their only hope to win a national election will be voter apathy. The numbers are clear: by 2040 a quarter of all Americans will be of Hispanic decent. If the party wants to alienate us, they are welcome. But I don’t think it is a sound political move. What’s happening is un-American. These guys [in Congress] are wrapping themselves in the flag. What they are doing is soiling our flag.

Maybe you could step in and run for office. Any chance of seeing Cortes in 2008 signs?

No. I am more effective out here. I would have to raise money. [ Laughs. ] Look who I have coming to the [prayer] breakfast? If I was just one guy in one party or the other, it wouldn’t work.

How did you manage to get both President Bush and Senator Clinton to speak at this week’s breakfast?

Esperanza USA is issue oriented. Hispanic people as a culture are conservative when it comes to family values … On the same token, on the immigration issue we are progressive. Hispanics are not going to change. It is one of the more important issues for us. We work with both parties. Like I’ve said before, “I’m not red. I’m not blue. I’m brown.”

It seems this would be a prime opportunity for the Democrats to carry the torch on this issue and solidify Hispanic and immigrant support. Have you spoken to DNC chairman Howard Dean about this?

That’s not my role. I talk to him on a regular basis on what his party is not doing right for Hispanics. It’s not my job to tell him how to run his party. I talk to people in the White House, and it is the same thing.

As you know, there are also 4 million undocumented people in the United States from non-Spanish-speaking countries—like Ireland, Russia, Poland, India and China. Are you building partnerships with leaders representing these concerns?

We have not done an outreach, yet. But as the debate continues, we will.