New Ad Features General Colin Powell Supporting the DREAM Act

In a new public service announcement from Campus Progress, Gen. Colin Powell is featured supporting the DREAM Act.

The DREAM Act would create an earned pathway to citizenship for young people who were brought to the United States at a young age and complete two years of higher education or serve in our nation's military.



The bill enjoys support from a majority of Americans and leaders from both political parties. Congress is deciding the fate of the DREAM Act and the future of these young people right now.

Call 1-866-996-5161 today and tell Congress to strengthen America's future by passing the DREAM Act.

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Take Action for the DREAM Act

The DREAM Act is coming up for a vote during the lame duck session of Congress and it needs your support. A vote in the U.S. Senate can be expected as early as tomorrow so action is needed NOW!

The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act is bipartisan legislation that addresses the situation faced by young people who were brought to the United States years ago as undocumented immigrant children and who have since grown up here, stayed in school, and kept out of trouble. It will allow these students to plan for their futures and let them realize the true American Dream. Read more by linking here

Tomorrow is the National Day of Action for the DREAM Act. Events will be taking place in states across the Nation. Here are three (3) things you can do to help ensure that this crucial piece of legislation passes:

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The DREAM Act: An issue of decency

originally posted at Reform Immigration For America

With the DREAM Act likely coming up for a vote in the lame duck Congress this month, pressure is heating up on all sides. Republicans like Sen. Jeff Sessions are engaged in petty fear-mongering, calling the bill a “bailout” and blatantly lying about the effects of the legislation.

Meanwhile, not all conservatives are so reflexively opposed to doing what is right. Libertarian writer and former Cato Institute fellow Will Wilkinson had this to say in The Economist:

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President Obama supports the DREAM Act – do you?

Originally posted at the Reform Immigration For America blog

                      
President Obama and Organizing for America are throwing their weight behind the DREAM Act. The President wants Congress to deliver him a bill to sign authorizing the DREAM Act before the end of the year — meaning the bill now has the support of the President, Senate majority leader Harry Reid, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Defense Secretary Gates, Representatives and Senators on both sides of the aisle and a majority of the American public.

But there are still obstructionist Republicans, who don’t think immigrants should be able to go to college or serve our country – and we need to break their filibuster. Make a call for the DREAM Act and tell the Senators on the fence that they need to support this popular and important bill as a first step on the way to comprehensive immigration reform.

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Compact introduced to guide Utah's immigration discussion

Salt Lake City, UT--A group of conservative civic, business, and religious leaders from Utah State have signed onto a declaration to set forth principles on immigration reform.

The Utah Compact

The document, referred to as the Utah Compact, was introduced last week during a ceremony by the Utah State Attorney General's Office, the Salt Lake City Mayor's Office, the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce, United Way of Salt Lake, and the Sutherland Institute, a Utah-based public policy research organization supporting limited government.

The compact outlines five principles "to guide Utah's immigration discussion" which includes:

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Remembering Our Immigrant Veterans

Today we honor those who have served our nation with selflessness and bravery. Included in the millions who have served are immigrants.  The article below, which originally appeared at Immigration Impact, discusses the contribution of immigrant veterans.

Remembering Our Immigrant Veterans: An Incalculable Contribution

By Wendy Sefsaf

Whenever restrictionist groups calculate the cost of an immigrant, they inevitably overlook the contributions of immigrant veterans who fight and die on behalf of Americans every single day. Immigrants have voluntarily served in all branches of the U.S. military from the beginnings of our great nation. In fact, without the contributions of immigrants, the military could not meet its recruiting goals and could not fill the need for foreign-language translators, interpreters, and cultural experts.
According to Margaret Stock:

As of June 30, 2009, there were 114,601 foreign-born individuals serving in the armed forces, representing 7.91 percent of the 1.4 million military personnel on active duty. Roughly 80.97 percent of foreign-born service members were naturalized U.S. citizens, while 12.66 percent were not U.S. citizens.

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Delegate from Oregon in Prague for Young Leaders Conference

Portland, Ore--This week, delegates from all over the United States are in Prague, Czech Republic to participate in the Young Leaders Dialogue with America Conference. The conference, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, will provide opportunities for strategic learning and exchange between emerging leaders on issues of critical mutual concern. 

Natalie Patrick-Knox

Natalie Patrick-Knox, an organizer with Oregon’s statewide Immigrant Rights Coalition CAUSA, was awarded a position in the Tolerance & Diversity track of the conference. Patrick-Knox will have the opportunity to participate in workshops, discussions and collaborative projects on immigration related topics.

Based in Salem, CAUSA is the largest Latino and Latina civil and human rights and advocacy organization in the Pacific Northwest.

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CAUSA invites Governor-Elect Kitzhaber to partner in Legislative Agenda

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 4, 2010

Contact: Francisco Lopez, Executive Director: (503) 269-5694
Erik Sorensen, Communications Director: (503) 488-0263

CAUSA invites Governor-Elect Kitzhaber to partner in Legislative Agenda

Salem, Ore -- It has been declared that John Kitzhaber is the winner of Oregon Gubernatorial Election. Kitzhaber will become Oregon's 37th Governor and the first Governor in Oregon history to win a third term.

"We congratulate Governor-Elect Kitzhaber on his victory," said Francisco Lopez, Executive Director of CAUSA. "And invite him to partner with us on our Legislative Agenda for the upcoming 2011 Oregon Legislative Session. There is much to be done this coming year and we look forward to working with him."

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Oregon Election 2010 Results

CAUSA issued recommendations on several ballot measures. Here are the results as they stand now at 3:10am PST November 3, 2010

Measure 70 --expanding home loans for veterans has passed Yes 84% No 16%

Measure 71-- allowing annual sessions for the Oregon Legislature has passed Yes 67% No 33%

Measure 73 -- authorizing mandatory minimum sentences for sex crimes, DUII has passed: Yes 57% No 43%

Measure 75 -- allowing a non-tribal Multnomah County casino has been rejected by voters No 68% Yes 32%

Measure 76 -- providing lottery funding for parks and wildlife has passed: Yes 68% No 32%

CAUSA supported Portland Measure 26-108 which would keep Portland's publicly funded campaign finance program --Voter Owned Elections. That measure was voted down: No 53% Yes 47%

Other election results can be found by visiting Oregon Live at http://gov.oregonlive.com/election/
 
Check our Twitter page for news on Election 2010 at http://twitter.com/causaoregon

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Election Day: Too important to sit on the sidelines

If you vote in Oregon, today at 8:00pm is the deadline to get your ballot in to be counted.  It must be dropped off at your county elections office or at one of the ballot drop box locations in the county you are registered.

If you’ve lost your ballot, didn’t receive one, or need a replacement for any reason, all you need to do is contact your county elections office by linking here.

If you have already voted, be sure to encourage others around you (family, friends, co-workers) to get their ballot in, as well.  This election is too important for us to sit on the sidelines. 

We all know there are individuals and organizations in this country that hope you will sit this election out.  They have run phoney ads trying to convince you to do so.  We need to show them our power. Our vote is our voice!

If you are not in Oregon, find your polling place by linking here: http://reformimmigrationforamerica.org/blog/voting/

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