By Ali Noorani

That America is a land of immigrants is a historical fact. That America no longer welcomes immigrants is becoming a reality.

Beginning with the 17th century, immigrants and refugees have shaped our society and our economy.Since then, Boston has served as a critical port of entry for the region. Immigrants have created communities, filled neighborhoods, and built towns throughout the Commonwealth. Over time, this labor force has had a tremendous impact. From the Haitian nursing home health aide in Dorchester to the Brazilian house painter in Worcester to the Indian software programmer in Wakefield, Massachusetts ranks near the top in states dependent on immigrant labor.

Each immigrant community has experienced, and conquered, challenges associated with living in a new environment. Signs of success are all around us: small businesses with names from around the globe, social service organizations meeting the needs of our ethnic communities, and immigrant youths working together to bring peace to our streets.

For those seeking a higher quality of life in the States, the great American dream is a powerful motivator. Increasingly, the dream is achieved at the expense of human lives and human rights.

The National Immigration Law Center cites a 1997 National Academy of Sciences reports that U.S. reaped a $50 billion surplus from taxes paid by immigrants to all levels of government. The report goes on to say that the average immigrant contributes $1,800 more in taxes annually than he or she receives in benefits and services provided by the government (including public parks, public roads, and all other state, local, and federal services and benefits, as well as safety net benefits).

A 1999 study completed by MassINC paints a striking local picture. Foreign immigrants have accounted for 82 percent of the net growth in the Commonwealth's labor force since the mid-1980s. The report also found that, although one-third of immigrants coming to Massachusetts since 1990 had a Bachelor's or more advanced degree, the state's poverty rate for immigrant families is three times the poverty rate for native-born families.

The data points to immigrants as a critical component of our national and local economy, but they are likely to be among the poorest in our neighborhoods. Immigrants are not "stealing" jobs. They are working in the core positions that keep our economy functioning, and they provide the purchasing power and entrepreneurial spirit that generates new business.

Yes, the tragedy of September 11, 2001 required a re-assessment of our domestic laws and international practices. The 2001 Patriot Act gave powers to the U.S Department of Justice to indefinitely detain immigrants deemed "terrorism suspects" without releasing their names or providing legal counsel. More specifically, Section 215 of the act allows for searches and seizures without a warrant and without showing probable cause. The cry is being heard from both sides of the aisle that the Patriot Act flies in the face of our Constitutional rights to freedom of religion, speech and press, and our ability to assemble and petition the government. In fact, the First Amendment Center recently released a poll that showed a sharp decrease in the number of people who strongly agreed the First Amendment goes too far in the rights it guarantees - from 41 percent last year to just 19 percent this year.

Yet, this is a local issue as well.Over the past year, Massachusetts has seen legislation filed to chip away at services and benefits offered to immigrants.Ranging from the proposed denial of driver's licenses to certain immigrants to limiting access to higher education, we are assaulting valuable public services designed to foster opportunity among all residents.

State legislators even use the current state budget crisis as an excuse to cut services. As of August 1, 2003, 10,000 legal immigrants lost MassHealth benefits funded by the state.In most cases, these residents are not eligible for federal Medicaid benefits either and will not receive health care unless it is an emergency.

So, in Boston, a legal immigrant may be searched and detained without due process, may be paid significantly less than a native-born employee, and may not receive state-funded health care in Massachusetts.

However, this same person may enlist in the armed forces and defend our country. In fact, the National Immigration Forum reports that more than 60,000 immigrants are currently on active duty and immigrants were (and continue to be) among the casualties and prisoners in the most recent war in Iraq.

Welcome to America, work hard, start a business, pay your taxes and defend our borders; but don't expect human rights or public benefits in return.

Ali Noorani works on a variety of health related issues for the Health Services Partnership of Dorchester.