Mientras los Candidatos Presidenciales Atacan a los Inmigrantes, Aliados de la Sociedad Civil Hacen Grandes Esfuerzos por Celebrar el Día de la Ciudadanía

Oregon se une al esfuerzo de organizar 40 talleres y ceremonias en toda la nación para promover la ciudadanía  mientras la Casa Blanca arranca una campaña nacional de naturalización.

Woodburn, OR-- Organizaciones aliadas de la sociedad civil y ciudades en toda América ayudarán a miles de inmigrantes a convertirse en Ciudadanos Estadounidenses durante el Día de la Ciudadanía mientras la Casa Blanca arranca una campaña nacional para concientizar a la población acerca de la naturalización para inmigrantes elegibles. Organizaciones en Oregon como Causa, PCUN y AFL-CIO de Oregon se unirán a los esfuerzos nacionales para realizar un taller de ciudadanía gratuito para asistir a inmigrantes elegibles para aplicar para la Ciudadanía Estadounidense en Woodburn, OR el Sábado 19 de Septiembre.  

Estos esfuerzos ofrecen un contraste agudo al lenguaje de odio y anti-inmigrante pronunciado por candidatos a la presidencia. Donald Trump describió a los Mexicanos como “violadores”, expulsó a un prestigioso reportero Latino de su rueda de prensa y prometió cancelar la garantía de la 14ta enmienda constitucional que otorga la Ciudadanía Estadounidense por derecho de nacimiento. Otros candidatos han insultado a la comunidad Asiática usando términos tales como “bebés ancla”, haciendo referencias poéticas sobre un posible muro en la frontera del norte y simulando el racismo de Trump. Éstas no son plataformas políticas -son ataques intolerantes y xenófobos.

“Los recientes ataques hacia los Latinos y Asiáticos son ataques hacia todos los inmigrantes y los valores de nuestra nación,” expresó Andrea Miller, Directora Ejecutiva de Causa. “Estas son las poblaciones electorales con mayor crecimiento en los Estados Unidos. Este lenguaje que usan los candidatos son ataques hacia nuestra Constitución, nuestros valores y nuestros niños y niñas-son anti-Americanos y no prevalecerán.”

Por el contrario, esfuerzos guiados por Causa, PCUN y AFL-CIO de Oregon junto con colaboradores nacionales, celebrarán el Día de la Ciudadanía y reconocerán a los Nuevos Americanos que engrandecen a este país. Causa es miembro de la Alianza Nacional para los Nuevos Americanos (NPNA), quienes organizarán 40 talleres de ciudadanía y ceremonias de naturalización a lo largo de todo el país ya sea el mismo día o cerca a la fecha del Día de la Ciudadanía, que es el 17 de Septiembre, 2015.

Estas repetidas ofensas y ataques en contra de las comunidades inmigrantes están inspirando a muchos a perseguir el sueño de convertirse en Ciudadano Estadounidense este año. Sergio, un residente de Salem, recientemente se convirtió en Ciudadano Estadounidense y se registró para votar con la ayuda de Causa. Sergio ha vivido en los Estados Unidos por casi 10 años. Cuando le preguntamos porque se convirtió en Ciudadano Estadounidense él respondió, “Lo vi como una oportunidad de ejercer mi derecho a votar, lo hice por mi familia y por la oportunidad de ejercer mi derecho como un miembro productivo y comprometido de los Estados Unidos.”

En Oregon, hay más de 80,000 residentes permanentes que son elegibles para aplicar para la Ciudadanía Estadounidense, lo cual demuestra una gran necesidad por asistir a individuos con este proceso. A través de la organización de los talleres y la participación durante el Día de la Ciudadanía, Causa y sus colaboradores esperan incrementar el número de residentes permanentes que decidan aplicar para la Ciudadanía Estadounidense.

Los ataques públicos contra los inmigrantes no deberían ser el motivo por el cual Americanos trabajadores deciden convertirse en ciudadanos. Existen dramáticos beneficios para los gobiernos municipales locales y el país en general cuando los inmigrantes se naturalizan ya que la ciudadanía incrementa las ganancias económicas locales, crea nuevas oportunidades económicas y aumenta el compromiso civil. La Ciudadanía también puede ayudar a que los Nuevos Americanos incrementen sus salarios, abran negocios y se conviertan en propietarios de una vivienda.

Para una lista de todos los eventos organizados por NPNA en el Día de la Ciudadanía del 2015 visite:

www.partnershipfornewamericans.org/citizenship-day-2015/.

###

Sobre Causa

Causa es la organización estatal que defiende los Derechos de los Inmigrantes en Oregon. Trabajamos para defender y promover los derechos de los inmigrantes a través de la coordinación de aliados y coaliciones locales, estatales y nacionales. Para más información, visite www.causaoregon.org

Sobre NPNA

La Alianza Nacional para los Nuevos Americanos (NPNA) engloba el poder colectivo y los recursos de las 37 más grandes organizaciones regionales para los derechos de los inmigrantes del país en 30 estados. El objetivo de NPNA es alcanzar una democracia inclusiva, justa y próspera para todos. Los inmigrantes son el alma de NPNA y son las comunidades inmigrantes quienes inspiran, implementan y defienden el trabajo de NPNA.

Read more »

As Presidential Candidates Attack Immigrants, Grassroots Advocates Make Huge Push to Honor Citizenship Day

Oregon joins effort with 40 workshops and ceremonies across nation promoting citizenship as White House launches national naturalization campaign

Woodburn, OR--  Grassroots advocacy organizations and cities across America will help thousands of immigrants to become U.S. citizens around Citizenship Day while the White House launches a national campaign to raise awareness about naturalization among eligible immigrant communities. Oregon organizations Causa, PCUN, and the Oregon AFL-CIO will join the national effort by hosting a free citizenship workshop to assist eligible immigrants to apply for U.S. citizenship in Woodburn, OR on Saturday, September 19.

These efforts offer a sharp contrast to the hateful anti-immigrant rhetoric trumpeted by candidates vying for the presidency. Donald Trump called Mexicans “rapists,” had a prominent Latino news anchor forcibly removed from a press conference, and vows to end the 14^th amendment guarantee of birthright citizenship. Other candidates have insulted Asians with the use of the term “anchor babies,” waxed poetic about a fence on the northern border, and have parroted Trump’s racism. These aren’t policy platforms—they are bigoted and xenophobic attacks.

“The recent attacks on Latinos and Asians are attacks on all immigrants and our nation’s values,” said Andrea Miller, Executive Director of Causa. “These are the fastest growing populations of the U.S. electorate. The hateful language used by these candidates are attacks on our Constitution, our values, and our children – they are un-American and will not stand.”

Instead, efforts led by Causa, PCUN, and Oregon AFL-CIO along with national partners will celebrate Citizenship Day and honor the New Americans who make this country great. Causa is a member of the National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA), who will host 40 citizenship workshops and naturalization ceremonies across the country on and around Citizenship Day, September 17, 2015. 

The repeated offenses and attacks against immigrant communities are inspiring many to pursue their dreams of becoming U.S. citizens this year. Sergio, a Salem resident, recently became a U.S. citizen and registered to vote with the help of Causa. Sergio has lived in the United States for nearly ten years. When asked about why he became a U.S. citizen he replied, “I saw it as an opportunity to exercise my right to vote, I did it for my family, and for the chance to exercise my right as a contributing member of the United States.”

In Oregon, there are over 80,000 green card holders who are eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship, demonstrating the huge need to assist individuals through the citizenship process. By hosting citizenship workshops and participating in National Citizenship Day, Causa and its partners hope to increase the number of greed card holders applying for U.S. citizenship.

It shouldn’t take public attacks against immigrants to encourage hardworking Americans to become citizens. There are dramatic benefits for local municipal governments and the country as a whole when immigrants naturalize since citizenship increases local economic revenue, as well as creates new economic opportunities and increased civic engagement. Citizenship can also help New Americans increase their incomes, open businesses, and become homeowners.

 For a list of NPNA Citizenship Day 2015 events, see www.partnershipfornewamericans.org/citizenship-day-2015/.

###

About Causa

Causa is Oregon's Statewide Immigrant Rights Organization. We work to defend and advance immigrant rights through coordination with local, state, and national coalitions and allies. For more information, visit www.causaoregon.org

About NPNA

The National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA) harnesses the collective power and resources of the country’s 37 largest regional immigrant rights organizations in 30 states. NPNA’s aim is to achieve a vibrant, just and welcoming democracy for all. Immigrants are the soul of NPNA, and immigrant communities inspire, implement and champion NPNA’s work. 

Read more »

Community Leaders Speak Out Against Hateful Political Comments

Responding to a rise in hateful political rhetoric heading into the Elections of 2016, Oregon elected and community leaders have issued an Open Letter calling on candidates and politicians to publicly pledge to reject hateful and extreme political comments, and instead focus on real solutions that address the need for immigration reform and growing income inequality.

Causa has joined a diverse list of signatories that include elected leaders and Oregon’s leading community organizations working for racial equity and immigrant rights.  Full text of the Open Letter is below.

September 4th, 2015

As we enter the 2016 Presidential Election, and an ultra competitive Oregon landscape with ballot measures and statewide races, we feel compelled to call out increasingly divisive comments and actions.  In the news recently, a City Councilor in Springfield OR publicly opposed a Salvation Army minister because his Pacific Islander race would bring a “minority element”, anti-immigrant forces are proposing statewide ballot measures targeting immigrant families, and Presidential candidates are engaging in hateful rhetoric that demean our communities to win political points.  For the sake of our democracy, our diverse communities, and our future, we can do better.   

The stereotypes of Asian and Latino communities as “anchor babies”, “birth tourists” and “criminals”, simply inflame racist and xenophobic attitudes of some voters who fear changing demographics, rising electoral power of communities of color, and distract from the real policy issues like living wage jobs, reproductive justice, and comprehensive immigration reform.  

Voters deserve the facts - (1)  Communities of color are strengthening America’s economy, boosting the average wages and stimulating investment., (2) Overall crime is on decline thanks to a shift towards prevention and restorative justice, and away from over-incarceration.  (3) The vast majority of immigration is about keeping families together, protecting, providing and reuniting with loved ones.  

The recent comments made by politicians in the media are stigmatizing, portraying Asian Pacific Islanders and Latinos as the perpetual foreigner, dismissing our strong roots, and ignoring the generations of contributions immigrants, refugees and people of color have made, and treating us as expendable. These expressed views can have damaging consequences that have historically led to the incarceration and removal of families, employment discrimination, bullying in schools, and hate crimes.  

We are also mindful of how the struggles of Asians and Latinos are linked with Black communities, and how rhetoric around immigrants has been used to distance our communities from anti-Black sentiments, Black communities whose historical role in creating the wealth of this nation has never been fully recognized.  We stand for the rights, resources and recognition for all communities to thrive, and against the over-criminalization, over-policing, economic disinvestment and political neglect that has disproportionately impacted Black communities.

We demand better from our leaders.  We expect legitimate candidates and elected officials to engage in meaningful policy dialogue with constituents, not pit communities against one another with racially coded messages.  We all have a responsibility to counter the anti-immigrant rhetoric with efforts to understand the root causes of economic inequality.  We need solutions instead of scapegoats.   We call on all candidates and political leadership to publicly pledge to reject dehumanizing and deceiving political rhetoric, and to instead promote collaboration with diverse communities. Oregon and our country can and will do better.

Add your name here

Rev. Joseph Santos-Lyons, Executive Director

Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO)

Andrea Miller, Executive Director

Causa

Carmen Caballero Rubio, Executive Director

Latino Network

Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury

Multnomah County Board of Commissioners

State Representative Lew Frederick

North/Northeast Portland

State Representative Jessica Vega Pederson

Southeast Portland

State Representative Rob Nosse

Southeast Portland

State Senator Michael Dembrow

Northeast and Southeast Portland

State Senator Chip Shields

North/Northeast Portland

Metro Councilor Sam Chase

Northwest/North & Inner Portland

Multnomah County Commissioner Jules Bailey

District 1

Ramon Ramirez, President

Pineros y Campesinos Unidos (PCUN)

Kayse Jama, Executive Director

Center for Intercultural Organizing

Alberto Moreno, Executive Director

Oregon Latino Health Coalition

Tom Chamberlain, President

Oregon AFL-CIO

Ken Allen, Executive Director

AFSCME Local 75

Nancy Haque & Jeana Frazzini, Co-Directors

Basic Rights Oregon

David Rodgers, Executive Director

ACLU of Oregon

Michelle Stranger-Hunter, Executive Director

NARAL Pro-Choice Oregon

Meg Niemi, President

SEIU Local 49

Jonathan Ostar, Executive Director

OPAL Environmental Justice Oregon

Julia Meier, Executive Director

Coalition of Communities of Color

Toc Soneoulay-Gillespie, Director of Refugee Resettlement

Catholic Charities

Anselmo Villanueva, Executive Director

DisOrient Film Festival of Oregon

Nikki Fisher, Executive Director

The Bus Project

Aubrey Harrison, Executive Director
Oregon Voice

Mel Rader, Executive Director

Upstream Public Health

Sharon Gary-Smith, Executive Director

MRG Foundation

Matt Morton, Executive Director

NAYA Family Center

Gloria Lee, President

Chinese American Citizens Alliance Portland

Darlene Huntress, Executive Director

Oregon Action

Andrea Paluso, Executive Director

Family Forward Oregon

Misa Joo

Pan Asian Community Alliance of Lane County

David Tam

Eugene, OR

Ann Wetherell

Salem, OR

Paul Millius

Portland, OR

Michael Bloom

Portland, OR

Read more »