Change the Law, Why Don't You Babe?1

CHANGE THE LAW, WHY DON’T YOU BABE?1

FAVORITE OLDIES IMMIGRATION LAW & POLICY LYRICS

including new lyrics from 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004,2005 (original lyrics provided in some songs only)

1“You Just Keep Me Hangin’ On” [“Set me free, why don’t cha babe?”], sung by the Supremes, song by Brian Holland/Lamont Dozier/Edward Holland, Jr.

1 WHO’LL CHANGE THE LAW (To “Who’ll Stop the Rain” John Fogarty) WHO’LL STOP THE RAIN Credence Clearwater Revival (by John Fogarty) Long as I remember The law keeps coming down Long as I remember Families deported The rain been coming down. Removal all around Clouds of myst'ry pouring Errors in decisions Confusion on the ground. Thousands that I saw Good men through the ages, And I wonder still I wonder Trying to find the sun; Who’ll change the law? And I wonder, Still I wonder, Lawyers out in Portland, Who'll stop the rain. Boston and Harlingen Represent the poor folk I went down Virginia, Who have no place to run Seeking shelter from the storm. When they seek asylum Caught up in the fable, No one believes their claims I watched the tower grow. And I wonder, still I wonder Five year plans and new deals, Who’ll change this game Wrapped in golden chains. And I wonder, Heard they’re now detaining Still I wonder All those the law denies Who'll stop the rain. Soon they’ll close the borders Nine-eleven (9/11) justifies Heard the singers playing, Still I keep on writing, How we cheered for more. Finish every brief The crowd had rushed together, And I wonder, still I wonder Trying to keep warm. Who’ll grant relief? Still the rain kept pouring, Falling on my ears. Some say we can change things And I wonder, That new law can evolve Still I wonder Though immigration’s broken Who'll stop the rain. It can get fixed with “SOLVE”2 I sure am one to hope so Cause we can’t take much more And I wonder still I wonder Who’ll change the law?

2 A 2004 legislative initiative.

2 CRIME OF VIOLENCE 2004 SOUNDS OF SILENCE [To Sounds of Silence, by Simon and Garfunkel by Paul Simon (1966)

Hello, darkness my old friend The law has retrogressed again Hello darkness my old friend, I've come to talk with you again. Doesn’t matter when the crime occurred Because a vision softly creeping Aggravated felony will be inferred Left it's seeds while I was sleeping And enforcement over liberty will reign And the vision that was planted in my brain Once again, Still remains Especially, with a crime of violence Within the sounds of silence.

They picked my friend up last July In restless dreams I walked alone, Probation said she should come by Narrow streets of cobble stone. Jailed a mom who never would use force 'Neath the halo of a street lamp, Someone told her she should plead, of course I turned my collar to the cold and damp, Then I heard that a crime without mens rea, When my eyes were stabbed, by the flash of a Neon light, That split the night Down Florida way And touched the sounds of silence. Had been called another crime of violence And in the naked light I saw And after researching I saw Ten thousand people, maybe more. The overbreadth that taints this law People talking without speaking, Covers almost every type offense People hearing without listening, Doesn’t make a single bit of sense- People writing songs that voices never shared, Not just elements, but probabilities And no one dared Make de-por-tees Disturb the sounds of silence. Of those convicted of a crime of violence "Fools!" said I, "you do not know, Silence like a cancer grows. “Fools!” said I, “she didn’t know, Hear my words that I might teach you, Removal seems ex post fac-to Take my arms that I might reach you." Back in ‘95 she had a few But my words like silent raindrops fell... Called her ex and made a threat or two And echoed in the wells of silence. Though her words would never harm a hair, (no one cared) And the people bowed and prayed They believed, it was a crime of violence To the neon gods they made. And the sign flashed out its warning, Because Congress bowed and prayed, In the words that it was forming, And by hysteria was swayed. And the sign said, "The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls And tenement halls." So the law deports without regard And whispered in the sounds of silence. To whether separation makes life hard, And the law means removal from your family in the States. Yes, that’s your fate Especially, for a crime of violence.

3 ITS GONNA HURT SOMEONE KEEP ME HANGIN’ON (to “You Keep Me Hangin' On,” by the Supremes Brian Holland/Lamont Dozier/EdwardHolland, Jr. Amend the bill why don't you babe Strike out that clause, why don't you babe Set me free, why don’t cha babe We really don't need it Get out my life, why don’t cha babe It's just gonna hurt some-one ’cause you don’t really love me We really don't need it You just keep me hangin’ on It's just gonna hurt some-one You don’t really need me But you keep me hangin’ on You keep sayin' we need these laws To keep our borders wide and free Then you go and build a fence Why do you keep a coming around And jail all the refugees Playing with my heart? Why do you push them outside Why don’t you get out of my life When our country's built on immigrant pride? And let me make a new start? Let me get over you Amend the bill why don't you babe The way you’ve gotten over me Strike out that clause why don't you babe We really don't need it Set me free, why don’t cha babe It's just gonna hurt some-one Let me be, why don’t cha babe Now we really don't need it it's just gonna hurt some-one ’cause you don’t really love me You just keep me hangin’ on You keep on cutting the ways Now you don’t really want me That refugees and fam'lies can stay You just keep me hangin’ on But how can you wipe out relief When ending it only bring their families grief? You say although we broke up (And there's nothin' we can do about it!) You still wanna be just friends But how can we still be friends Wo-oooo-ooo When seeing you only breaks my heart again Amend the bill why don't you babe Strike out that clause why don't you babe And there ain’t nothing I can do about it Amend the bill why don't you babe Strike out that clause why don't you babe Woo, set me free, why don’t cha babe Woo, get out my life, why don’t cha babe You keep claimin’ that those crim’nals abound Set me free, why don’t cha babe And we don't need their type around Get out my life, why don’t cha babe But take a look and you will see Legal residents who have fa-amilies You claim you still care for me Why delete section 212(c)- When it's only discretion-ar-y? Hey! But your heart and soul needs to be free Why don't we be more fair about it Now that you’ve got your freedom A-and let them be? You wanna still hold on to me Why don't you be more even handed You don’t want me for yourself And reta-ain relief? So let me find somebody else hey! Go on - strike out, strike out that clause and retain relief. Why don’t you be a man about it And set me free Now you don’t care a thing about me (c) 1996. All rights reserved. The Siren and Lory You’re just using me Diana Rosenberg, IDEA Consultations. (Note: Its 2005 Go on, get out, get out of my life and we are still fighting same issues) And let me sleep at night

4 9/11 Lament— With Justice Denied (to Bob Dylan’s, “With God On Our Side”

Oh, my name it means nothing, SECRET It won’t be released. (to “Do You Want to Know a Secret,” Beatles) Been held incognito, For over 10 weeks They came to my home, and Listen, They took me aside All the evidence is secret Now I sit in this jail cell, Under law its classified, With justice denied Whoa-oh-oh

Well, I came as a student, Sorry, But then I was wed, You’re a terrorist my friend, I dropped out of school, and You’ve got nothing to defend, Was working instead Whoa-oh-oh My wife filed the papers, You will be removed! But they said we lied. Whoa–oh-oh-oh-oh So now they detain me, With justice denied (Break) We can’t allow you to review our file; We could redact it but it takes a whi-i-ile, Now they say its because of The terrorist threat Listen, Since I am from Yemen, All the evidence is secret They say I’m suspect Under law its classified, If I had some contact, Whoa-oh-oh Gave someone a ride I’ll be held with no bail, and Sorry, With justice denied You’re a terrorist my friend, You’ve got nothing to defend, Well, they claim they can do this Whoa-oh-oh Because we’re at war You will be removed! They rewrote the statute and Whoa–oh-oh-oh-oh They changed the law I’ll be here forever, (c) 2000 All rights reserved. The Siren and Lory Unless I decide Diana Rosenberg, IDEA Consultations To admit that I’m guilty With justice denied.

5 50 WAYS TO LOSE ASYLUM Got threatened and raped once? (to “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover,” Paul Simon) That doesn’t prove nexus! You need some I.D., Lee You’ve got a problem To get yourself free With your case it seems to me Proving both elements and credibility It wasn’t so bad, Brad I’d like to help you with your struggle to be free The men were unknown, Joan But there are - 50 ways to lose asylum You failed to recall, Paul To get yourself free.

I hope this knowledge (c)1998. The Siren (based on real reasons for denials) Will not make you come unglued But it happens very often That a claim is misconstrued Could be the record --or the judge’s attitude 50 WAYS TO LOSE A “CAT”CLAIM But there are 50 ways to lose asylum [CAT=Convention Against Torture]

You gotta be hurt, Burt Now you’ve got a CAT claim under 208.18 Show us your scar, Char But the risk must be more likely Tell us the truth, Ruth And the cruelty more extreme And get yourself free Official action, is central to this scheme So you are - going to lose protection Got pulled off a bus once? That doesn’t prove nexus! It must be severe, dear You need some I.D., Lee Not just a few days, Fay To get yourself free And don’t count on death, Beth Cause you’ll be removed. You waited to leave, Steve Coulda hid in the sticks, Rick So they kept you in jail, Gail And now things have changed, James You can’t demand meds, Ned There’s de-mocracy You even can starve, Marv You’ll still be removed. Got tortured and jailed once? That doesn’t prove nexus! Lawful sanctions are exempt, You need some I.D., Lee And beatings aren’t enough. To get yourself free Unintentional mistreatment’s out, Even though it may be rough. Could be the trauma, or maybe just plain fear Must be to punish, or coerce, and yes, its tough, But your application’s missing But you will never win your CAT claim. Most of what you’ve just said here, and In your airport statement - the contradiction’s clear Must be some intent, Brent So you’re - gonna lose asylum You need some more facts, Mac And where’s that report, Mort, You got a passport or used one that was flawed, Or you’ll be removed. Either you were in no danger, Or else you are a fraud It’s only a chance, Lance No matter what you claim, your explanation’s odd, The burden’s on you, Lou Cause there are - 50 ways to lose asylum Your chances are slim, Jim So you’ll be removed. So which story’s true, Lou? Just put on that veil, Gail The Siren (c) 2000 (based on real reasons for denials). Why can’t you go back, Jack? And get yourself free

6 BELIEVE ME (to the song of the same name by Dusty Springfield) NOW THAT THE LAW IS SO HARD (to “Now that the Buffalo’s Gone, BuffySt.Marie”) Laws that passed in nine-ty six Need a legis-lative fix Can you remember the time, All that's left are memories That you once held your head high, Of justice and relief And told all your clients “You help make us great;” But as things stand right now its clear Your clients worked hard, A guilty plea from any year and they enriched the state. Is all that INS must prove They settled their families, And you will be removed, Lived without hate. And what has become of these ones? You don't have to be convicted If you took a plea When the ‘52 Act was in force You don't need a guilty verdict Getting in wasn’t easy, of course. Just a penalty Still, over and over, Restrictionists claimed, Believe me, That crim’nals abounded, Believe me Our complexion was changed. You'll still be deported They argued for limits, And believe me They de-manded names. You're not comin' back. And what has become of these ones?

Waivers and review restored When our fear of the other is claimed, Are changes we can well afford Diversity’s goals are defamed. Discretion whether to detain Just look at what happened, back in ‘96 - Would be much more humane Discretion was excised, compassion was nixed. Now all would concede that the law needs But as things stand right now its clear some fix. A guilty plea from any year But what will we do for these ones? Is all that INS must prove And you will be removed, Can a change come about through the court? Before this hard law will deport, You don't have to be convicted The father, the mother, If you took a plea The daughter, the son, You don't need a guilty verdict Who made a mistake, didn’t tell anyone, Just a penalty Who entered a plea, was a poor refugee. And what will we do for these ones? Believe me, Believe me It’s not all in the past, as you’ll see, You'll still be deported Both suspension and old 212(c). The government needs to correct the excess, Pass some amendments and clean up the mess. Restore some discretion, and lighten the tests; (C) 1998. All rights reserved. The Siren and Lory Now that the law is so hard. Diana Rosenberg, IDEA Consultations (C) 2000. All rights reserved. The Siren and Lory Diana Rosenberg, IDEA Consultations

7 SAY THAT YOU’LL BAR ME (1997) To “Say That You Love Me” by Fleetwood Mac (“The Dance” version) ALIEN RAREBIT (1996) Have mercy, Congress, on a poor gal like me, (to White Rabbit, by Jefferson Airplane) Who’s been livin’ here, supportin’ her fam-i-ly Been three long years since I quali-fied. One bill makes you wonder And if you don’t act now, there’ll be no 245(i). And ones leaves you appalled And the one that Congress gives us Cause when October comes May not do too much good at all And the time runs out Its not malice All my adjustment plans are thrown in doubt Its just elections this fall You tell me now that I’d better leave, Or you say, that you’ll bar me. And if you go seeking waivers Well, it may be to no avail Have pity, Congress, just when When they're apprehending parents I thought it was over, And detaining them all in jail Well, the months went by, Its not malice And soon it was nearly October, Though its beyond the pale I’m beggin’ you for a little sympathy, Cause to pack up and go When those in the Congress Would just be the end of me. Decide to limit families And the INS sets up its port courts Cause when October comes Designed to keep out refugees And the time runs out Its not malice All my adjustment plans are thrown in doubt Though it may seem so You tell me now that I’d better leave, Or you say, that you’ll bar me. horus When logic and proportion Are replaced by hate instead (Background words: And, you've scanned the bill for hours I don’t want to talk ahout it; And you can't believe what you've read I don’t want to think about it; Re-e -member, that its not too late I don’t want to think about it, now) Litigate, litigate.

Congress, Congress, don’t make me go away, (C) 1996. All rights reserved. The Siren and Lory Because my roots are here, Diana Rosenberg, IDEA Consultations And I’m workin’ ev-e-ry day And I contribute to this economy So to bar me now, would just be an indignity.

Chorus

8 GONE GONE GONE SAVE THE LAST GRANT FOR ME (Lyrics to “Til Her Daddy Takes Her T-Bird (Lyrics to “Save the Last Dance for Me,” Away,” the BeachBoys) the Drifters)

Back in 1952, we had You can grant The Walter and McCarran Act now, An asylum claim, as adjustment case Go and have your fun And if you made few mistakes, You can grant They could be waived A suspension claim, And someday you could come back now Though the standard's high And not for everyone But when the 90s came along, you know that Congress threw us right off of track now But just forget those LPRs And now you’re gone gone gone Charged with deportability Since Congress took the waivers away. Oh, darlin, Save the last grant for me Well, you might recall a time An Immigration Judge had certain discretion Well, I know (well I know), She could order no removal That its critical, that the law does lack If you paid your dues An effective date And made an impression And I know, That the Landgraf case But now it doesn’t really matter Says in no plain terms If there’s hardship, or that you learned your Not to speculate lesson, Because you’re gone gone gone So don't forget that LPR Now that Congress took the waivers away. Who always planned on 212(c) Oh, darlin', Save the last grant for me

9 CREDIBILITY PERSONALITY Words adapted by Lory Rosenberg 1997, 2004 Lloyd Price c. 1959

O-o-over and over Over and over When you first came here I tried to prove my love to you At the port of entry Over and over You said you had no fear What more can I do Told the port inspector Over and over The words he'd want to hear My friends say I´m a fool Now, o-o-over and over But over and over The contradiction's clear I´ll be a fool for you

‘Cause you lack - credibility 'Cause you got personality, Lack, supportability Walk, personality Got no ability (to) Talk, Personality Talk with credibility Smile, Personality Lack, credibility Charm, personality Just implausibility Love, personality And that’s ‘cause And of course you´ve got inconsistency's your style-yle-yle A great big heart Now over and over So over and over Oh, discrepancies appear, Oh, I´ll be a fool to you So, o-o-over and over Now over and over The contradiction's clear What more can I do ?

Well, o-o-over and over Over and over The judge gave the oath to you I said that I loved you Over and over, man Over and over, honey You swore your words were true Now it´s the truth But, over and over Over and over You just might lose your claim They still say I´m a fool ‘Cause o-o-over and over But over and over Your story's not the same I´ll be a fool for you

‘Cause you lack credibility No supportability Got no ability (to) Talk with credibility No credibility Just implausibility That’s ‘cause inconsistency's your style-yle-yle So over and over, It seems this much is true If you can’t keep your story straight, Asylum’s not for you

10 Acceptance of a bachelor’s 2000 FAVORITES Doesn’t doom it to disa - aster

A HOUSE NEAR NEW ORLEANS It don’t take too much (from House of the Rising Sun) To qualify as such But you know it don’t come easy There is a house near New Orleans They call the place Oakdale To come within the class And if you have your hearing there Just apply and do it fast Your claim will likely fail And you may adjust this season.

They’ll move you there from Varick Street It don’t come easy, you know it don’t come From Boston town, from Krome easy. No matter where your lawyer is, Your hearing’s on the phone YOU GOT ME BABE (from I Got You Babe, by Sonny and Cher. Written before You might have had some witnesses, the death of Sonny Bono) A spouse to vouch for you, But if they don’t have airplane fare They say our borders overrun Need new laws before the day is done Got none in that venue Well, if that's true, Then tell me please, Alone you face the charges, Why a law that deports families? Despite remorse and grief, Babe, Detained and cuffed, you don’t look good Why should you get relief? You got me babe I don't see babe And now they’ve ordered you removed, You’re stuck in jail alone, We got visas for some Your country will not take you back, We let businesses come You haven’t got a home But if a family settles down And makes a new life, They're deported if foun-ound -ound. So shun this place near New Orleans Yes, Oakdale is its name Yes these new laws could seal the fate No comfort in the system Of working folks When detention is the game. Who've made this country great So, maybe you should YOU KNOW IT DON’T COME EASY Think this through, (based on a song by Ringo Starr) And hear these words Cause we elected you, babe INS cannot refuse You got me babe To approve the EB-2s I don't see babe But you know it don’t come easy Change the law 'fore its too late Five years and a degree Its your job to legisla-a-ate Will support equiv’lency Refugees can't hope to land And employers find that pleasing Things have gotten out of hand, Don't cut hearings or appeal A labor cert’s The rights that they insure are real Not limited to masters You got -- me babe.

11 Should be reconsidered (should be reconsidered) Say its Roldan, Roldan, Roldan Reconsidered should be reconsidered.... *to the tune of Proud Mary, by John Fogarty (the Siren, (c) 2000, updated 2005) [FAST VERSION] * You must be familiar with Matter of Roldan, Verdict that’s expunged in Tucson Pickering and Song to understand these lyrics First time for a drug crime up in San Jose Intro adapted from Tina Turner’s “Proud Board said with approval, that supports Mary” (on What’s Love Got To Do With It) removal Under section one-oh-one, (a) forty-eight A. [Spoken] Plea’s not consequential You know, Judgment is what’s essential Every now and then (And its)Roldan, Roldan, You’d think you’d get something from Should be reconsidered Congress that’s nice – and easy Roldan, Roldan, should be reconsidered There’s just one thing. You see, Congress never, ever OO-oop doop-doop-doop does nothin’ that’s nice – and easy OO-oop doop-doop-doop Plain language? Its always been nice, OO-oop doop-doop-doop -- and rough Vacation differs from expungement Well, we’re gonna take the beginning Leaves the former ruling barely flickering and do it - easy Board might find it pleasin,’ to focus on the But then we’re going to do the finish - rough reason That’s the way we do, Roldan And disregard state action, but for Pickering [half time] And its, Plea’s not consequential Roldan, Roldan, Judgment is what’s essential Should be reconsidered (And its) Roldan, Roldan, Listen to the story now, should be reconsidered [Sung - SLOW VERSION] I tell you, Roldan, Roldan, should be reconsidered Verdict that’s expunged in Tucson Judgment that’s withdrawn up in San Jose OO-oop doop-doop-doop Board said with approval, that supports OO-oop doop-doop-doop removal OO-oop doop-doop-doop Under section one-oh-one, (a) forty-eight A. Sentence still can be amended Judgment’s not essential Takes away a bit of the futility Plea is what’s consequential Reduction of a sentence, seems better than (And its) Roldan, Roldan, repentance Should be reconsidered For managing to beat remova-bility (Should be reconsidered) Plea’s not consequential First time for a drug possession Judgment is what’s essential Thirty six oh seven, eighteen USC (And its) Roldan, Roldan, Though it seems a fiction, that’s not a Should be reconsidered conviction I tell you, Roldan, Roldan, Board ignored the statute in-appropriately should be reconsidered

Judgment’s not essential OO-oop doop-doop-doop Plea is what’s consequential OO-oop doop-doop-doop (And its) Roldan, Roldan,

12 OO-oop doop-doop-doop. . . Roldan, Roldan, should be reconsidered Roldan, Roldan, should be reconsidered Roldan, Roldan, should be reconsidered Roldan, Roldan, should be reconsidered.