FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 9, 2009
Contact:
Francisco Lopez, Executive Director: (503) 269-5694
Erik Sorensen, Communications Director: (503) 488-0263
Salem, Ore--CAUSA, Oregon’s Immigrant Rights Coalition is disappointed in the decision of Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley to vote with the Republican minority for a controversial amendment specifying that a 700-mile border “Fence to Nowhere” be completed by the end of 2010.
In a 54-44 vote taken yesterday, Oregon’s two Democratic Senators chose to join forces with the conservative, anti-immigrant minority in supporting the wall of shame along the U.S. southern border.
According to recent polling conducted by the Benenson Strategy Group, more than 85% of Americans support Congress passing just and humane immigration reform, and yet the Senate chooses to play politics.
“How can those who sit in the Senate vote consciously for such a cruel piece of legislation?” asked Francisco Lopez, Executive Director of CAUSA. “Don't they realize how many people have died along the border fences? The US Senate should establish a strategic border enforcement policy that reflects American values, not anti-immigrant right-wing ideology"
It is being reported that the construction of the southern fence will cost Americans over $7 Billion Dollars, causing concerns about its practicality and functionality during a time of great recession in the United States.
In an investigative report aired by PBS’s NOW with David Brancaccio on July 3rd, it was revealed that private contractors are making billions on the border fence that has no chance of working. Not to mention, it has become a nightmare for many homeowners cutting through the middle of some properties, while leaving others untouched. The NOW report added that new technology for a virtual fence has not even been proven to work in the field.
"Those who choose to support enforcement-only schemes are just playing political games with lives and private property and wasting tax-payer dollars", said Lopez. "Comprehensive Immigration Reform that will legalize 12 million undocumented immigrants is the only solution to our nation's broken immigration system and the Senate needs to quit wasting time and money."
CAUSA, Oregon's Immigrant Rights Coalition, is the largest Hispanic civil and human rights and advocacy organization in the Pacific Northwest. For more information, visit www.causaoregon.org
Resources:
Benenson Strategy Group, Recent Polling on Immigration Reform June 2, 2009 http://amvoice.3cdn.net/ea94778f39d6c895c3_zvm6beppq.pdf
Obama's Border Fence, NOW with David Brancaccio, July 3, 2009 http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/527/index.html
Congressional Record, Senate Amendment 1399 Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC)
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getpage.cgi?dbname=2009_record&page=S7211&position=all
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Oregon Senators Join with Republican Minority in supporting $7 Billion Dollar Wall of Shame
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
City Council Votes unanimously to rename street after Cesar Chavez
Portland, OR--The Portland City Council voted unanimously today to change 39th Avenue to Cesar Chavez Boulevard.
According to The Oregonian, City Commissioners and Mayor Sam Adams each spoke of the importance of the street renaming as a symbol to honor the contributions of Latinos to the city of Portland.
"Ultimately we all are winners when our minds are opened to different perspectives and cultures. It's time to honor Cesar Chavez with a street name." said Commissioner Dan Saltzmen during today's hearing.
Mayor Sam Adams said, “the "great diversity" of the Latino community is not recognized in a significant symbol in Portland while Latino Americans have made significant contributions to the city”.
Congratulations to those who worked so hard on the renaming process which began two years ago. Stay tuned for details on the date for the renaming ceremony.
Read the full Oregonian article complete with comments from other City Commissioners by linking here.
Jill Garvey: The John Tanton Network and the Anti-Immigrant Movement in America
Jill Garvey is the managing editor for Imagine 2050. Contributors to the blog include activists, immigrants, artists and students who are invested in a future nation that embraces multiculturalism and tolerance.
The John Tanton Network and the Anti-Immigrant Movement in America
July 7, 2009
By Jill Garvey
http://www.imagine2050.net/
One man is at the heart of the most influential anti-immigrant network in the country. This man, John Tanton, has created an empire of organizations consisting of lobbyists, lawyers, legislators, and “experts” that have permeated the very depths of social and political debate.
What appears to the public as a myriad of voices advocating for severe immigration enforcement is nothing more than a series of front groups, “coalitions,” and spin-offs seeking to overwhelm reasonable debate on immigration. Tanton founded the Federation for American Immigration Reform 30 years ago and shortly thereafter U.S. Inc. These two groups jointly fund and support most of today’s national anti-immigrant groups.
Continue article at http://imagine2050.newcomm.org/2009/07/07/the-john-tanton-network-and-the-anti-immigrant-movement-in-america/#more-2448
Monday, July 6, 2009
NOW investigates Obama's Border Fence
The U.S.-Mexico border fence—are private contractors making billions on a project that won't even work? PBS's NOW looks into the issue.
This investigative report offers one more reason why enforcement-only tactics won't work leaving Comprehensive Immigration Reform the only solution to our nation's broken immigration system.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Happy Independence Day
Today the crown of the Statue of Liberty reopened to tourists after being closed since September 11, 2001.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar remarked on the reopening, "It's a proud day today because of the opening of the doors of an American icon”. He added that the new citizens' diversity illustrated the potpourri of humanity that makes the U.S. unique.
"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
CAUSA wishes all a safe and Happy Independence Day!
ENGLISH Only Failure
This humorous story comes from our allies at Immigration Impact. H/T to the Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM) for posting about it.
According to FIRM's post, Seth Hoy of Immigration Impact wrote recently of a humorous photo that came out of a conference hosted by Pat Buchanan and the American Cause a couple weekends ago.
“Peter Brimelow, owner of the anti-immigrant website VDare.com, suggested an English-only initiative with the aim of “winning over working class white Democrats.” The only problem with this idea is that the word “conference” on the banner hanging over their heads is misspelled: “conferenece.”
Thursday, July 2, 2009
U.S. Police Chiefs Call for Passage of Immigration Reform
Police Chiefs from urban departments around the United States are calling for immigration reform legislation that would “integrate immigrants into the legal system, possibly with driver's licenses, and separate the local police from immigration enforcement” according to a New York Times article.
At a Press Conference in Miami on Wednesday, Chief John Timoney of the Miami Police Department said "We're in the business of delivering a police service whether the person has had a car accident, been a victim of a crime, or been a witness to a crime”. And that undocumented immigrants may not call authorities for fear "that they are going to wind up being reported to federal authorities and deported."
Timoney went on to say that "The problem for us is they don't discern between federal authorities and local authorities. As far as they're concerned it's all law enforcement."
Other Chiefs joined with Timoney in saying that “Those who call illegal immigrants "criminals," are misreading the law and hurting their own communities by scaring neighbors who could identify criminals.”
Chief Acevedo of the Austin Police Department in Texas said "When you remove the emotion from the debate, no one can argue that it is in the best interest of public safety to keep these people living in the shadows."
The Chiefs said it would be impossible to deport our nation's 10 million to 15 million undocumented immigrants which is another reason they support a “new policy that improves public safety by bringing illegal immigrants out of the shadows”.
For the full article, link here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/02/us/02florida.html?ref=global-home
