May Day: Immigrants and Allies to Rally for Driving Privilege Restoration and Humane Immigration Reform

MEDIA ADVISORY
April 28, 2008

CONTACT:
Aeryca Steinbauer : (503) 984-6816
Erik Sorensen: (503) 488-0263

Immigrants and Allies to Rally for Driving Privilege Restoration and Just and Humane Immigration Reform

Salem, Ore-This Thursday, immigrants, social justice advocates, people of faith, and organized labor will gather in Salem for a day of action and call on elected leaders to reject anti-immigrant proposals at the national, state and local level.

What: MAYDAY MARCH FOR IMMIGRANT RIGHTS

Who: Immigrants, social justice advocates, people of faith and labor unions

When: Thursday, May 1st, 2007, 11:00AM-3:00PM

Where: Oregon State Capitol 900 Court St. NE, Salem, OR

As national and local candidates jockey to prove who is most anti-immigrant, the immigrant community demands a solution for the 12 million undocumented immigrant workers and families who are living in the shadows. We renew our call for just reform, a stop to the criminalization of immigrants and a rejection of all anti-immigrant proposals. We issue calls to the following elected leaders:

Oregon Legislature: Restore Oregon Driving Privileges to ALL Oregon residents

Bush Administration: Stop Workplace Raids and Deportations

New Administration: Provide leadership for just and humane immigration reform in the first 100 days of the new Presidency

Congress: Oppose Anti-immigrant Legislation like the SAVE Act and stop the militarization of U.S. borders

We call on ALL immigrant rights, social justice and labor rights advocates to join us in Salem this May Day (Thursday, May 1st, 2008) to continue building the alliance between the immigrants' rights movement, social justice movement, and the workers' rights movement.

The Rally will begin at 12 noon at the State Capitol (900 Court St. NE, Salem) with a March to follow around 1 pm. Contact: Aeryca Steinbauer at (503) 984-6816 for more information.

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The Truth About Immigrant Detentions

From our allies at FIRM:

Possibly related posts:
Detainees can’t be found after closing of detention center….

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Anti-Immigrant Play of the Week

This week's Anti-immigrant Play of the Week goes to Colorado State Representative Doug Bruce.

When I heard the news that Colorado State Representative Bruce said that “we don’t need anymore illiterate peasants”, I thought about both of my Great Grandmothers and Great Grandfathers arriving from Europe.

When they landed at Ellis Island in the early 1900s, they had nothing. They couldn’t speak, write or read English and they didn’t have any formal education. They were peasants in their homeland, but came to this country for a better life. They worked helping to build this nation with their sweat and toil. They even went on to raise several children who served in our nation’s military, civilian corps to build railroads and highways and worked in factories building aircraft used in World War II.

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Pope Benedict Encourages Compassion and Humanity for Immigrants

During Pope Benedict's visit last week, he called for humane treatment of undocumented immigrants. While meeting with U.S. leaders and dignitaries, he reached out encouraging Americans "to continue to welcome the immigrants who join your ranks today, to share their joys and hopes, to support them in their sorrows and trials and to help them flourish in their new home."

Of his main concerns the Pontiff stated was the need to "protect family unity and immigrants’ human rights". In addressing ICE raids, he said regarding the separation of families that it “is truly dangerous for the social, moral and human fabric” And that, “families should be protected, not destroyed”.

Although the Pope’s message on immigration was embraced by many, there were a few vocal individuals that rejected it. This week, several articles highlighted the Pontiff's message of compassion and humanity towards immigrant families. Here are two articles highlighting that message of compassion and those usual suspects that oppose it.

Oppenheimer: Pope is right to urge humane treatment for immigrants

Andres Oppenheimer
The Miami Herald

Pope Benedict XVI's calls for humane treatment of undocumented immigrants during his trip to the United States got anti-immigration zealots more riled up than usual. Good! I'm beginning to like this pope.

Soon after the pope called on Americans to fight "all forms of violence . . . so that immigrants may lead dignified lives," and a White House statement suggested he brought up with President Bush the need to give immigrants and their children "humane treatment," some of America's most vocal opponents of immigration went ballistic.

CNN's anchor-procrastinator Lou Dobbs, the hero of most U.S. anti-immigration groups, shook his head with more than his usual dose of bitterness in his April 16 broadcast and charged that the pope was visiting Washington to "push the amnesty (for undocumented immigrants) agenda." >>read full article

Pope Speaks Up for Immigrants, Touching a Nerve

By DANIEL J. WAKIN and JULIA PRESTON

Even as he was flying to the United States, Pope Benedict XVI spoke of protecting immigrant families, not dividing them.

He raised the issue again in a meeting on Wednesday with President Bush, and later that day spoke in Spanish to the church’s “many immigrant children.” And when he ends his visit to New York on Sunday, he will be sent off by a throng of the faithful, showing off the ethnic diversity of American Catholicism. >>read full article

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Racially-charged Incidents Against Asians on the Rise at College Campuses

New American Media reports that racially-charged incidents towards Asian American students on college campuses nationwide are raising serious concerns. In the report, NAM highlights three areas as evidence of the increase in racism: Campus Hatecrimes, Racist Satire, and Institutional Discrimination.

The report discusses several examples of each area:

Hate Crimes

On Jan. 21, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Kyle Descher, a Korean American, headed out to a bar with his roommate after a Washington State University football victory over Oregon. Minutes after hearing a racial slur from one of three unknown men, Descher is “sucker-punched” in an unprovoked attack. Doctors add three titanium plates to Descher’s broken jaw and it’s wired shut.

In November, at the University of Washington, witnesses told Seattle Police several people from the Delta Upsilon fraternity house hurled water balloons and yelled anti-immigrant slurs at an Asian man, who ran from the house.

Racist Satire

In the “Where Asians Don’t Belong” section, staffers of the “Punch Bowl” (a University of Pennsylvania’s "humorous" quarterly student publication) listed Math 104, in a panties drawer, on the basketball court, at a frat party, and behind the wheel.

Colorado University at Boulder student Max Karson wrote the article, describing why he thinks “Asians hate us all” and what people should do about it. This “lesson” includes kidnapping and tying up Asians and yelling racial slurs at them. Karson describes a strange ordeal to teach Asians a “lesson” including, capturing as many Asians as possible with a butterfly net (step #1), forcing them to eat bad sushi (step #2), make facial expressions to match a word on a card, and play Dance Dance Revolution. Once Asians are “corrected” in their ways, they’re freed.

Institutional Racism

University of Washington’s student group, the College Republicans (CR) kicked off an “Affirmative Action Bake Sale” in 2004, where students could purchase baked goods depending upon their racial make up. Whites paid a dollar for a cookie, while Asians paid 50 cents, Latinos 30 cents, etc.

Bellevue Community College Professor Peter Ratener composed a question for a math exam that read, “Condoleezza holds a watermelon just over the edge of the roof of the 300-foot Federal Building, and tosses it up with a velocity of 20 feet per second.”

Read the full report here.

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Organizations Voice Opposition to Legislation Detaining Immigrant Children

OVER 80 ORGANIZATIONS JOIN IN OPPOSITION TO LEGISLATION DETAINING IMMIGRANT CHILDREN

Contact: Christopher Spina
(202) 657-0677
(202) 674-2450 (mobile)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, in a letter to the House of Representatives, over 80 federal, state, and local organizations from across the nation expressed their strong opposition to the Secure America through Verification and Enforcement (SAVE) Act (H.R. 4088) of 2008, legislation that explicitly calls for the creation of a family detention facility that will result in the “incarceration” of immigrant children. The letter was spearheaded by First Focus, a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization.

The SAVE Act disregards recommendations repeatedly made by Congress that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) should “release families or use alternatives to detention…whenever possible.” Instead, the SAVE Act encourages the practice of detaining innocent children who are often caught in the crossfire of U.S. immigration policy, holding them in facilities that resemble prisons instead of nurturing home environments.

Recently, the Act was subject to a discharge petition, a procedural maneuver which, if a simple majority 218 Representatives sign a petition in support of the bill, shall allow the legislation to bypass the committee process and be placed on the House floor for a vote, despite objections by House leadership. Currently, the petition has over 150 signatures. The Act was introduced by Reps. Heath Shuler (D-NC), Brian Bilbray (R-CA), and Tom Tancredo (R-CO).

“The outpouring of opposition to this bill should send one message to the House of Representatives – placing children in prison-like settings is not who we are as a nation and we will not sit idly by while legislation that would do so is slipped onto the House floor through procedural maneuvers,” said Bruce Lesley, President of First Focus. “The sad fact is this bill calls for the creation of a detention facility modeled after the controversial T. Don Hutto Family Residential Facility, which has been found to be an ‘inappropriate and disturbing setting’ to hold families. The inappropriate setting and inadequate living conditions of these facilities have led to poor childhood development, education, health care, and nutrition, as well as minimal time for recreational activity and threats of separation from parents. We hope this letter, supported by a broad cross section of organizations from across the nation, will convince many Members of Congress to oppose this ill-advised legislation."

The letter has been signed by 32 national organizations, including First Focus, National Council of La Raza, the National Education Association, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service and the Episcopal Church. Moreover, over 50 state and local organizations from across the country also signed the letter.

View the Letter and Co-signers

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Op-Ed Addresses Effects of Anti-immigrant Ordinances

An op-ed appearing in today's Newsday gives insight on the ill effects local anti-immigrant ordinances can have on city economies. In this piece, David Dyssegaard Kallick, a senior fellow of the Fiscal Policy Institute explains what happened to Riverside, New Jersey.

New Jersey town offers immigration insights
BY DAVID DYSSEGAARD KALLICK

In the midst of ongoing battles about local laws aimed at illegal immigrants on Long Island, a business leader from Riverside, N.J., came to a forum in Central Islip last week to give a warning about the experience of his town.

"Don't do what we did," he said.

In 2006, a minority of vocal individuals in Riverside pushed through a series of aggressive anti-immigrant laws, mandating fines for anyone who hired, rented to, or in any way aided an undocumented immigrant. The law was so broad that it faced immediate constitutional challenges. But the real problem, as with recent proposals on Long Island, was that the message was clear: Immigrants are not welcome.

Within months of the law's being passed, businesses closed, David Verduin, president of the Riverside Coalition of Business Owners and Landlords, told the audience. The main street emptied out. Skinheads came in to celebrate the new laws, yelling, "The South shall rise again!" Geraldo Rivera came to film a program about the anti-immigrant climate. >>continue

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Undocumented Immigrants Are Taxpayers, Too

As Tax Day 2008 comes to a close, it is important to challenge one of the common myths that undocumented immigrants take advantage of human services while doing nothing to support our economy. In addition to working some of the hardest, most essential jobs, immigrants contribute to the economy by paying the same state and federal taxes as everyone else.

Research from the Immigration Policy Center shows that between one-half and three-quarters of undocumented immigrants pay federal and state income taxes, Social Security taxes, and Medicare taxes. In addition, all residents of the United States regardless of their legal status pay sales taxes on food and goods at stores and property taxes, even if they just rent housing.

The Oregon Center for Public Policy estimated in 2006 that undocumented immigrants in Oregon paid state income, excise, and property taxes, as well as Federal, Social Security and Medicare taxes, which totaled "about $134 million to $187 million annually.” In addition, “taxes paid by Oregon employers on behalf of undocumented workers total about $97 million to $136 million annually.” And Although they pay tax dollars to Oregon State, undocumented workers are ineligible for the Oregon Health Plan, food stamps, and temporary cash assistance.

So the next time someone tells you that undocumented immigrants don’t pay taxes or contribute their fair share to the economy, remember that the facts show that they actually do.

For more information on Undocumented Immigrant Taxpayers, see the articles below:

It's Tax Time! Immigrants and Taxes: Contributions to State and Federal Coffers

Assessing the Economic Impact of Immigration at the State and Local Level

Undocumented Workers Are Taxpayers, Too

Undocumented Immigrants as Taxpayers

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Sights of the Caravan

Leaving Colonia Libertad

The Voter Registration Caravan's stop at Chemekta Community College

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Oregon Immigrant Rights Advocate Featured

in the news

Today, the Salem Statesman Journal did a story about our very own Aeryca Steinbauer. Get the full story here.

Advocate: Immigrants, legal or not, help the U.S.
Aeryca Steinbauer is the youngest person to lead the statewide CAUSA group

THELMA GUERRERO-HUSTON
Statesman Journal
April 14, 2008

WOODBURN — When she's not busy defending and advancing immigrant rights at the local or state level, Aeryca Steinbauer can be found at the nation's capital, giving an earful to politicians about how immigrants, even illegal ones, make the country stronger.

At 25, Steinbauer is the youngest person to lead the Woodburn-based CAUSA, a statewide immigrant-rights advocacy group that also represents farmworkers, women, Latino youth, social-service providers, indigenous people, rural residents, and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people.

When speaking with her, one gets the impression there isn't much middle ground when it comes to her opinion of immigrants — legal or otherwise — saying all immigrants who want to work should be welcomed with full labor rights. ...continue

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Today’s Voter Registration Caravan

In commemoration of the Birthday, Life and Legacy of Cesar E. Chavez, today Voz Hispana Causa Chavista and their allies will participate in a car caravan to register voters and encourage Latinos to vote in the upcoming elections.

With more than 100,000 Latinos eligible to vote in Oregon, including thousands of eligible young Latinos turning 18 years-old, the main goal of Voz Hispana is to register young Latino Voters using innovative voter registration methods like the caravan. They hope to encourage them to vote their conscience on issues affecting their lives.

Schedule:

Volunteers will gather at Noon either at Colonia Amistad, 30 S Gun Club Road, Independence; or at Colonia Libertad, 2920 Saddle Club St. SE, Salem

Depart simultaneously at 1 p.m. from Colonia Amistad and Colonia Libertad. The caravan from Colonia Amistad will travel through downtown Salem

Both caravans will arrive simultaneously at 2:00 PM at Chemeketa Community College, 4000 Lancaster Drive NE, Salem; voter registration, music, food, speakers

The Caravan will Depart at 3:30 p.m. simultaneously from Chemeketa Community College and will arrive by 4 p.m. at Woodburn High School, 1785 N Front St., Woodburn for voter registration and celebration of César E. Chávez's 81st birthday

Other Organizations participating in today’s voter registration drive include PCUN, Salem-Keizer Coalition for Equality, CAUSA, LUCHA, MECHA, First Congregational Church, St. Patrick Catholic Church Youth Group, Woodburn High School, Guadalajara Restaurant in Woodburn, LUS, Chemeketa Community College, Radio Movimiento, FHDC, and Mano a Mano Family Center.

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in the news: Youths encourage civic participation

in the news

Youths encourage civic participation

Voz Hispana focuses on registering Latino voters
THELMA GUERRERO-HUSTON
Statesman Journal
April 12, 2008

For several days this week, Melina Hernandez of Salem and several of her high school buddies refused to go home after school. But they didn't go to the mall, out to eat or to the movies. Instead, they focused on voter-hunting.

Not affiliated with any political party, the U.S.-born students, most of whom are 18 and registered to vote, have been making posters and putting together banners in preparation for a 150-vehicle voter-registration caravan that will travel from Independence to Salem to Woodburn today. ...continue reading

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E-Verify Program Snares Citizens

in the news

Electronic Dragnet for Undocumented Nets Citizens

April 8, 2008 09:07 AM (EST)
Roberto Lovato
The Huffington Post

Two hours after starting his new job at a food processing plant in 2006, Fernando Tinoco got fired. "I went to work, felt really good to have a new job and started going to it," says Tinoco, a 53-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen who lives in Chicago. "And then they called me into the office and told me that my Social Security number was fake," he adds, "And then they fired me." Apparently, Tyson Foods Inc., Tinoco's former employer, was one of the more than 52,000 companies voluntarily participating in "E-Verify", a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) program designed to identify undocumented workers by electronically verifying their employment eligibility.

After the Kafkaesque experience of being hired, fired and trying to maneuver through the famously overstretched bureaucracy of the Social Security Administration to re-confirm status, Citizen Tinoco has become an outspoken critic of U.S. immigration laws' impact on citizens. "I think that citizens need to be as careful of these new immigration laws," says Tinoco, who now works at a school, adding, "they can ruin our lives too." Tinoco found his concerns echoed by Jim Harper of the conservative Cato Institute, who recently wrote that "If E-Verify goes national, get used to hearing that Orwellian term: 'non-confirmation.'"

That is why E-Verify is opposed by an unlikely alliance that includes the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, major unions, Republican legislators and others. But it is only one of a growing number of legislative and administrative immigration control initiatives that Tinoco and many critics believe will negatively impact not just non-citizens, but citizens as well. This week, for example, Congress is considering the Secure America through Verification and Enforcement (SAVE) Act, which includes provisions that mandate a national verification system like that of the more voluntary state programs like E-Verify. >>read full article

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Tommy Lee Jones Talks Border Fence

This from Greg Siskind's blog for some easy Friday reading. According to an article Greg quotes, Actor Tommy Lee Jones had plenty to say about the border fence plan. Jones says it,

"bears all the credibility and seriousness of flying saucers from Mars or leprechauns. Or any manner of malicious, paranoid superstition. read on>>

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Editor Calls Out ALIPAC for Spinning Fairytales

Seems more than just a few people are having a problem with ALIPAC. Today, Salem Statesman Journal Editor, Dick Hughes is having a problem with the anti-immigrant group’s honesty. In response to an action alert the group sent out this morning self-justifying their false reporting on a story, Hughes had this to say

The truth matters, not just saying "the truth is on our side." I find it unconscionable that ALIPAC is using a phony story about a "crime" to represent crimes by illegal immigrants. Such a strategy undercuts what ALIPAC says it stands for.

ALIPAC’s self-justifying email arrived on the heels of the mea culpa they issues yesterday evening after their veiled attempt to whip up hatred for Latino Immigrants failed. You can see a copy of that email here.

Not surprising to anyone, ALIPAC seems to be becoming increasingly desperate to find anything to demonize Immigrants, Latinos and any individuals or organizations that stand up to their racism and xenophobic rhetoric. Now more than ever they are reaching at any story, notion or fallacy they can find to energize their members. It is quite sad.

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Caravan to Increase Latino Voter Participation in Oregon

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 8, 2008

Contact:
Francisco López, Voz Hispana Coordinator (503) 269-5694
Erik Sorensen, CAUSA Communications (503) 488-0263

CARAVAN TO INCREASE LATINO VOTER PARTICIPATION IN OREGON

Salem, OR- In commemoration of the 81st Anniversary of the Birthday, Life and Legacy of Cesar E. Chavez, Voz Hispana Causa Chavista, a non-profit organization composed of parents, workers, students, small business owners and community organizers, will participate in a car caravan with allies this Saturday to register voters and encourage Latinos to vote in the upcoming elections. This weekend's caravan is just one of the many activities Voz Hispana has planned this year to encourage Latino voter turn-out.

"The mission of this Saturday's voter registration caravan is to empower Latinos by increasing our participation in the American democratic process", said Juan Argumedo, Organizer with Voz Hispana. "We are dedicated to preparing and delivering thousands of Latino voters for Oregon's 2008 primary and general elections."

Voz Hispana has been a pioneer and one of the leading organizations conducting voter registration and "Get out the Vote" campaigns for the Latino community in Marion county. Since its establishment in 1997, the organization has been committed to creating a healthy community where members have the opportunities and access to resources to achieve their highest potential.

"Our organization promotes the active involvement of Latinos in the civic and democratic system" said Ana Luisa Sanchez, President of Voz Hispana. "With our non-partisan voter registration campaigns, educational and candidate forums, and community engagement, Voz Hispana works to ensure that the community's voice is heard"

With more than 100,000 Latinos eligible to vote in Oregon, including thousands of eligible young Latinos turning 18 years-old, the main goal of Voz Hispana is to register young Latino Voters using innovative voter registration methods like the caravan. They hope to encourage them to vote their conscience on issues affecting their lives.

"Many issues are at stake this November, such as promoting real immigration reform, preserving the right of immigrants to obtain and keep a drivers license, accessing health care services, securing affordable housing and promoting quality education.", said Liliana Sotelo, Youth Organizer and a student at Woodburn High School. "But the most important reason to vote and register to vote is because we love our families and we want a brighter future for all of us."

The Caravan will depart simultaneously from Colonia Amistad in Independence and Colonia Libertad in Salem this Saturday (April 12th) at 1:00pm and make stops in Salem and Woodburn. While in Salem, the Caravan will stop at Chemeketa Community College to for a short rally to encourage Latinos to register to vote. More than 100 cars are expected to participate

Other Organizations participating in the effort include PCUN, Salem-Keizer Coalition for Equality, CAUSA, LUCHA, MECHA, First Congregational Church, St. Patrick Catholic Church Youth Group, Woodburn High School, Guadalajara Restaurant in Woodburn, LUS, Chemeketa Community College, Radio Movimiento, FHDC, and Mano a Mano Family Center.

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ALIPAC, Anti-Latino Groups Share Egg on Their Faces

Yesterday, a story made it into the national news causing a frenzy among anti-immigrant, anti-latino organizations and commentators. Not even 24hrs later, anti-immigrant organizations like ALIPAC (Americans For Legal Immigration) were sending out an emails.

The emails called for the heads of, what ALIPAC termed, the “mob of Latino students that either were illegal aliens, in illegal alien families, or supportive of illegal immigration” for attacking a 13 year old Athens, Texas teen for an anti-immigrant sign she made for a class.

ALIPAC’s email claimed the girl, Melanie Bowers, was “choked and had her face slammed into a brick wall for bringing in a class assignment”. And that, “attackers threatened to drag her into the bathroom, rape her, and stab her to death.”

Their email went on to demand that "the school suspend all students involved in this attack, that local police file charges against all involved in the attack, and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement determine the legal status of the assailants and their parental guardians in order to enforce immigration laws applicable to any involved".

No investigation? No questions? Just reaction, reaction, reaction.

Enter egg. Late this afternoon, investigators determined through a surveillance video that Bowers, who ALIPAC claimed was attacked by a “mob of Latino students that either were illegal aliens, in illegal alien families, or supportive of illegal immigration” created her own injuries and made up the story of being attacked.

Had our legal system been run by ALIPAC, the "accused" would have already been sentenced and deported regardless of their citizenship.

With the seriousness of this issue, it is tragic that groups like ALIPAC would use it as an organizing scheme. There is something seriously wrong with an organization or group that cares so much about fanning the flames of hatred for Latino Immigrants and so little about justice.

Note: Checking links provided by ALIPAC for the story, video and action alert, we discovered they have since been removed. Below we have included the email alert from ALIPAC

Friends of ALIPAC:

This story is emerging from Athens Texas where 13 year old Melanie Bowers was choked and had her face slammed into a brick wall for bringing in a class assignment that read "If you love your nation, stop illegal immigration"

She was surrounded by a mob of Latino students that either were illegal aliens, in illegal alien families, or supportive of illegal immigration and attacked.

The attackers also threatened to drag her into the bathroom, rape her, and stab her to death.

If you are relying on the Associated Press out of Dallas, TX to feed this news to you across the nation, they describe the incident as a "scuffle" where "Verbal insults" were used.

ALIPAC will be demanding that the school suspends all students involved in this attack, that local police file charges against all involved in the attack, and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement determine the legal status of the assailants and their parental guardians in order to enforce immigration laws applicable to any involved.

This is the United States of America. This is not Mexico. In our nation, we do not use terror tactics to suppress free speech and violate the civil rights of American citizens by attacking children as a mob!
You can help us by taking action.

Please use the FORWARD feature at the bottom of this email to distribute this news.

Please review the news articles, including the biased Associated Press article.

Please watch the news coverage, vote five stars, make a comment (No foul language or violent posts allowed) and ad this video to your favorites to help ALIPAC spread the word and demand justice!

News Reports
American child assaulted and threatened with rape and murder by illegal aliens
http://www.alipac.us/article-3090-thread-1-0.html

VIDEO
Illegal Aliens Assault & Threaten to Rape & Murder child
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiyieUFAaic

If anyone decides to contact the school system, Athens police department, ICE, or the Associated Press about this case then please keep your cool.

Any communications that use foul language or threatening language will help Melanie's attackers. If you are too angry after reviewing this material, wait until your are cool and calm before taking any actions or making any attempts to communicate.

The ALIPAC Team
www.alipac.us

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League of Woman Voters Takes Position on Immigration

Last week the League of Women Voters of the United States issued a statement in supportive of citizenship for unauthorized immigrants and in opposition to deportations.

“After a lengthy and comprehensive study of this complex issue by our grassroots members,” said national League president Mary G. Wilson, “the League’s position calls for a path to citizenship for current unauthorized immigrants.”

“As part of overall immigration reform, the League supports a system for unauthorized immigrants already in the country to earn legal status, including citizenship, by paying taxes, learning English, studying civics and meeting other relevant criteria,” Wilson stated. “We oppose deportations of current unauthorized immigrants who have no history of serious criminal activity,” she said.

In addition, the LWVUS came out in support of increased enforcement personnel at borders, more effective tracking of individuals who enter the U.S., and significant fines and penalties for employers who hire unauthorized workers.

Finally, they said they would "champion due process for all persons, including the right to a fair hearing, right to counsel, right of appeal and right to humane treatment".

A copy of their full report can be found below, or here.

LWVUS Immigration Position

The League of Women Voters believes that immigration policies should promote reunification of immediate families; meet the economic, business and employment needs of the United States; and be responsive to those facing political persecution or humanitarian crises. Provision should also be made for qualified persons to enter the U.S. on student visas. All persons should receive fair treatment under the law.

The League supports federal immigration law that provides an efficient, expeditious system (with minimal or no backlogs) for legal entry of immigrants into the U.S.

To complement these goals the League supports federal policies to improve economies, education, job opportunities, and living conditions in nations with large emigrating populations.

In transition to a reformed system, the League supports provisions for unauthorized immigrants already in the country to earn legal status.

The League supports federal payments to impacted communities to address the financial costs borne by states and local governments with large immigrant populations.

Criteria for Legal Admission to the U.S.

The League supports the following criteria for legal admission of persons into the United States:

* Family reunification of spouses or minor children with authorized immigrants or citizens;
* Flight from persecution or response to humanitarian crises in home countries;
* Economic, business and employment needs in the U.S.;
* Education and training needs of the U.S.;
* Educational program opportunities; and
* Lack of a history of serious criminal activity.

Administration and Enforcement

The League supports due process for all persons, including the right to a fair hearing, right to counsel, right of appeal and right to humane treatment.

The League supports:

* Improved technology to facilitate employer verification of employee status;
* Verification documents, such as status cards and work permits, with secure identifiers;
* Significant fines and penalties for employers who hire unauthorized workers;
* Improved technology for sharing information among federal agencies;
* More effective tracking of individuals who enter the United States; and
* Increased personnel at borders.

The League also supports programs allowing foreign workers to enter and leave the U.S. to meet seasonal or sporadic labor needs.

Unauthorized Immigrants Already in the U.S.

In achieving overall policy goals, the League supports a system for unauthorized immigrants already in the country to earn legal status, including citizenship, by paying taxes, learning English, studying civics and meeting other relevant criteria. While policy reforms, including a path to legal status, remain unachieved, the League does not support deporting unauthorized immigrants who have no history of criminal activity.

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Breaking Laws to Build a Border Fence

This one from KJ over at ImmigrationProf Blog about breaking laws to build a border fence. In a post today, KJ asks a great question, "Is it worth bending the rule of law for a fence of no value to effectively address immigrataion control concerns AND results in deaths?"

In response, he highlights an article, "Power to Build Border Fence Is Above U.S. Law", that appeared in the New York Times today.

Securing the nation’s borders is so important, Congress says, that Michael Chertoff, the homeland security secretary, must have the power to ignore any laws that stand in the way of building a border fence. Any laws at all. >>read on

KJ also offers an op/ed on "how the border fence is indicative of American insecurity" by Gregory Rodriguez. You can get that link here

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Remembering King's Dream

Today, people from all over the country traveled to Memphis to remember and honor Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and "his Dream" for this nation. Although many agree we have come along way, we still have a long way to go to truly realize King's Vision.

Dr. King's struggle is still very relevant today as it was 40 years ago. The fact that nearly half of all Black and Latino children are still growing up in poverty and suffer from unemployment almost twice that of their fellow Americans, is evidence that we still have many miles to travel. And with today's economic crisis, many of the gains African Americans and Latinos made during the 90's are now disappearing.

The racial disparity is revealed in many aspects of living including health care, schools, the criminal justice system and housing. And, is further demonstrated in the racist and anti-Latino rhetoric and anti-immigrant legislation occurring around the nation.

Although inequality and injustice still exists in the United States, the hope and will for change is very strong and is manifesting itself with individual. As one mother from Detroit put it, "I want my girls to know that freedom isn't free. They've got to stand up and keep up the fight and learn how to treat people no matter what color they are or where they come from you've got to treat people right."

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SAVE Act Threatens American Workers

Last month the House Republicans began the process that, they hope, will force a vote on the Shuler/Tancredo “SAVE Act” in the House of Representatives. Rep. Thelma Drake (R-VA) filed a discharge petition for the Shuler/Tancredo bill and GOP leadership hopes to get enough signatures to force through this ill-conceived measure.

Proponents of the bill only need 218 signatures in order to bypass normal committee procedures and force the SAVE Act to the floor. There are already 185 signatures on the discharge petition!

The fact is, trying to fix our broken immigration system through status quo enforcement alone is not a sensible solution. For over twenty years the U.S. has been ramping up border and interior enforcement exponentially, yet the number of undocumented immigrants in this country continues to grow. This only proves that deportation-only strategies fail as they ignore the reasons people come to the U.S. illegally in the first place.

If the SAVE Act were to become law, employers would continue to hire undocumented workers and immigrants would continue to cross the border without permission. This would simply push undocumented workers further into the cash economy and off the tax rolls, creating an even more exploitable group of workers, undermine wages and working conditions for all and threaten law-abiding employers.

Another consequence of the SAVE Act is it's flawed mandatory employer verification system. Because the bill does not have the necessary safeguards to address the system's design problems and database inaccuracies, American workers are not protected from wrongful termination.

TAKE ACTION NOW! Send a message to House members who have not signed the discharge petition for the SAVE Act (H.R. 4088).

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Undocumented Doesn't Mean Un-American

At what point did we close the borders on the American dream? Juan's story, similar to the stories of many undocumented youth, shines a light on America's unfounded fear of immigrants and pushes us towards building a more just immigration system based on community values.



Sign the pledge to support fair and just immigration reform and build a better America for all of us at www.buildingamericatogether.org

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