http://www.miracoalition.org/
please check out this website for Immigrant "Know your rights" brochures in English, Spanish & Portuguese [middle section, half way down the page]. A great handout at any event focused on immigrant rights. Thanks, Ana On Oct 8, 3:14 pm, "Nathalie Contreras" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > 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 websitewww.fastforourfuture.comand 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] -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
