Thank you companero for this detailed response. I am currently organizing for a fast for immigrant rights where we want to create the space to have these sorts of discussions on what immigration rights means and what are demands need to be to achieve full comprehensive and humane legislation for immigrants. Please check out our website www.fastforourfuture.com and our video on youtube (search "fast for our future") to get more details. I will make sure to pass this on and use it as a tool to build discussions during the fast. Best, Nathalie Contreras
On Tue, Oct 7, 2008 at 8:45 PM, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Compañeros y compañeras; > > I think this statement is a good beginning coming from a group of > congressmen. However, if we read carefully, there is nothing new in their > statement that all immigration activists across the Nation have not said. > *What we need from them is a rectified approach as to how a piece of > legislation is presented and ushered into law.* It reads as if it had ben > taken from Luis Gutierrez's STRIVE Act, where enforcement and border > protection come first. > > Just as in the STRIVE Act. these congressmen fail to address fundamental > issues which are at the core of an effective, just and humane immigration > reform bill. For example: > > 1) There is no mention of including labor law reform as part of an > immigration solution. > reforms that would guarantee a living wage for workers, their right to > organize in their work place, and the right to strike. > 2) No mention of revising NAFTA, which is what has caused the exodus of > immigrants into the United States. No mention of how we must protect the > health and welfare of workers on both sides of the border and how we > must protect the environment. > 3) No mention of the need to bring anti-discrimination protection into > line with those in other civil rights laws. > No mentioned of the need to ensure that immigration enforcement > complements rather than undermine the enforcement of labor and employment > laws. > No mentioned of the need to increase the budget for the Wage and Hour > Division of the Department of Labor and the Occupational Safety and > Health Administration. > > There are other points which an immigration reform bill must contained in > order to reflect the reasons millions and millions of people marched in the > last two years. we need much more than half-baked statements. We really > need the proper representation in Washington. > > *I am running for the 4th Congressional District in Illinois. I ask that, > on November 4th, you lend me your vote to get to Washington, and I will be a > strong and consistent voice for you and will fight to include the above > fundamental points in any immigration reform legislation. > > Omar N. Lopez > Candidate > U.S. House of Representatives > 4th Congressional District > Green Party > www.omarlopez2008 .org <http://www.omarlopez2008.org> > > LIVE GREEN - VOTE GREEN > > * > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Jorge Mujica <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; ChicagoMayDay < > [email protected]> > Sent: Tue, 7 Oct 2008 1:34 am > Subject: <ChicagoMayDay> Statement on Immigration > > *Statement on Immigration** > Hispanic and Jewish Members of Congress > September 29, 2008* > > As Jews and Hispanics, we share an experience that defines our histories > and reflects our families' rootshe experience of being a "stranger in a > strange land." Today we express our commitment to immigrants of all faiths > and backgrounds. After all, as the Old Testament teacheswe are our > brothers' and sisters' keepers. > > In addition to being Hispanics and Jews, we are also members of Congress. > As a result, we are responsible for legislation to safeguard the fair and > humane treatment of all people, and we have the best interests of our > communities and all Americans at heart. > > It is in this spirit of our shared experiences and common goals that we put > forth our shared priori ties for fair and workable immigration reform. > > Our policies must hold employers who do not comply with the law accountable > and empower the federal government to swiftly investigate and root out > bad-acting employers who flout our labor and immigration laws. Securing a > legal workforce also depends on an employment verification system that > accurately and efficiently identifies eligible new hires. > > We also fully support securing our borders. Strong borders require an > adequate supply of manpower, groundbreaking technology and sensible > infrastructure that regulates the flow of people and goods while doing no > harm to local communities or the environment. > > Enforcement alone, however, no matter how well formulated or funded, is > doomed to fail. We cannot deport our way out of this problem. > > Poorly planned raids intended to grab headlines are a not only a waste of > taxpayer money, but they also are an inefficient enforcement tool that > displace U.S. workers, interrupt laborers from organizing, tear apart > American families, and destroy neighborhoods and towns. The blame cannot > simply be placed on undocumented workers; abusive employers who violate our > immigration laws must be held accountable. > > As Jews and Hispanics, we are called to welcome the stranger in our midst. > In policy terms, this means that we must look upon the estimated 12 million > undocumented individuals living among us not with scorn, but with > compassion, as we require them to come forward, apply for legal status, > pass=2 0rigorous background checks, pay back taxes, learn English and fully > integrate into the mainstream economy and American society. Dealing fully > and humanely with the undocumented living in the United States is key to > realistic and effective immigration reform that protects the homeland and is > consistent with our traditions and values. > > In order to strengthen our country in the future, we must also institute > reforms that, unlike those of the past, prevent illegal immigration. > > We need an immigration system that reflects our family values: parents and > children and husbands and wives should be together rather than separated by > antiquated laws and bureaucratic processing. The fair and swift > reunification of families in the United States would eliminate the incentive > to break visa rules or risk one's life crossing a remote border to be with a > loved one. > > Current legal channels for immigration to the U.S. are also insufficient to > provide many employers with the workers they need. Established worker > programs should better fill workforce gaps and protect the jobs, wages and > working conditions of Americans. For too long the absence of legal channels > for low-skilled workers has served as a ready tool for abusive employers to > deny Americans jobs and exploit vulnerable immigrants trying to feed their > families. > > Our nation was founded on the premise that, no matter one's origins, each > person can better his or her lot in life. From the tenements of the Lower > East Side to the border towns in Texas and Arizona, this nation was built on > the sweat and toil of immigrants. Whether crossing the Atlantic or the Rio > Grande, the American Dream comes at an often-perilous cost, and is realized > only with hard work and determination. Immigrants do not come to America > because it is easy; they come to America to work hard and achieve the > American Dream, if only we will let them. > > *Rep. Rahm Emanuel** > Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez > Rep. Joe Baca > Rep. Henry A. Waxman > Rep. Silvestre Reyes > Rep. Gary Ackerman > Rep. Jose E. Serrano > Rep. Jan Schakowsky > Rep. Albio Sires > Rep. Ruben Hinojosa > Rep. Xavier Becerra > Rep. Lucile Roybal-Allard > Rep. Nydia Velazquez > Rep. John Salazar > Rep. Hilda Solis > Rep. Grace Napolitano > Rep. Raul Grijalva > Rep. Solomon Ortiz > Rep. Ed Pastor > Rep. Howard Berman > > * > > > -- > Jorge Mujica > > > ------------------------------ > McCain or Obama? Stay updated on coverage of the Presidential race while > you browse - Download > Now<http://toolbar.aol.com/elections/download.html?ncid=emlweusdown00000001> > ! > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Internet group address: http://groups.google.com/group/ChicagoMayDay To send e-mail: [email protected] To unsuscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
