sent by Rich Stolz, Reform Immigration FOR America
Dear Friends & Colleagues:
Since we announced that the Campaign would work with its many partners to pull together a major mobilization in Washington, DC on March 21, energy has been building across the nation, and Members of Congress and the White House have noticed. We need to bring our voices to Washington to get the legislative process unstuck, and to drive our Members of Congress to act! As Ali Noorani noted in a blog post earlier this week, "The anger is real, the demand for a solution is urgent, and our time to fight is now." For more information about the Mobilization, go to www.reformimmigrationforamerica.org.
News from the Field:
This week, our field organizers and partners are working to build real momentum for reform in the home districts of all of our key swing targets during the February congressional recess, February 15-18. This is a key moment for our chances for reform, and our representatives need to feel the strength and breadth of this movement. Already, our partners in the faith community have already pressed Senator Schumer to push forward the timetable for reform at a Syracuse vigil this week. To find out what events and actions are taking place locally, click here.
Important New Research:
On Thursday, the Economic Policy Institute published a new report, Immigration and Wages-Methodological Advancements Confirm Modest Gains for Native Workers. This new study adds to the growing body of research demonstrating that comprehensive immigration reform will grow our economy and strengthen our workforce. To read the executive summary and full report, click here.
On Tuesday, the Urban Institute released a new study on the impact of the Department of Homeland Security's immigration enforcement policies on children. In Facing Our Future: Children in the Aftermath of Immigration Enforcement, researchers focus new light on the 5.5 million children with unauthorized parents, almost three-quarters of whom are U.S.-born citizens. Over several years, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) intensified enforcement activities through large-scale worksite arrests, home arrests, and arrests by local law enforcement with dire consequences for these children and America's future.
News from Congress:
This week Senator Gillibrand (D-NY) offered two major efforts in support of refugees. The first came in the form of a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton from Senator Gillibrand and Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), which was signed by 31 other members of congress, calling for the protection of LGBT refugees all over the world suffering and fleeing from abuse in their home countries. Senator Gillibrand and Senator Menendez (D-NJ) also announced that they will introduce a bill that would speed up the admission of 55,000 Haitians who both have families in the US and have approved immigration petitions.
Budget:
The White House released its proposed budget this week. From the perspective of immigration advocates across the nation, the President's budget demonstrates the need for comprehensive immigration reform. Following the President's anemic leadership on comprehensive immigration reform in his State of the Union address last week, the budget adds further fuel to a growing fire nationally calling on reform of the nation's broken immigration system.
Census:
Looking ahead to the 2010 Census, campaign partner Ya Es Hora has released a Census education toolkit for community partners, elected officials and national partners. They include marketing and educational materials. Visit this page to see the full toolkit.
In closing, it's clear that the energy for reform is building in communities across the nation, even as we all take into account the challenging political environment in Washington, DC. This weekend a coalition of organizations in the American southwest are organizing to ensure that the deaths at the border caused by our nation's immigration system will not be forgotten. We know why we're fighting. Our families and communities are counting on us. We are called by our conscience, our faith and our relationships to rise to this occasion.
Rich Stolz
Reform Immigration FOR America
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