4/18: New Release on Senate Immigration Reform Bill
Contacts: Amy Gottlieb or Chia-Chia Wang
Office: 973-643-1924
Cell: Amy 917-494-6415, Chia-Chia 646-509-3860
[email protected]_ (mailto:[email protected]) or [email protected]_
(mailto:[email protected])
New Immigration Bill Includes Support for Families and Workers, Yet Would
Continue Key Failures of Current System
Quaker Group: Fair Path to Citizenship Must Reflect More Humane Principles
Newark, NJ (April 17, 2013) - The American Friends Service Committee
(AFSC) finds the immigration bill introduced today a modest start on reform,
due
to provisions that address family unification and workers’ rights and
create a narrow path to citizenship for some immigrants. But much of the bill
reproduces many of the current failed policies – making the overall bill a
far cry from the just and humane reforms that immigrant communities, faith,
labor and advocacy groups have been calling for.
“The Senate bill makes meaningful improvements for immigrants with
temporary protected status, undocumented youth, and agricultural workers by
providing a fast track to legal permanent residency. However, it would not end
the current cruel, costly and inefficient system of detention and deportat
ion, or the militarization of the border that has devastated communities on
both sides of the border,” said Amy Gottlieb of the AFSC Immigrant Rights
Program in Newark.
The bill not only doubles down on some failed policies. It also elevates
them to the status of mandatory measurable triggers, including universal
E-Verify, a 90 percent border ‘security’ metric, and a new entry-exit port
system. It would waste billions on drones, costly high-tech gadgetry,
additional fencing, and personnel.
One part of the bill does offer greater accountability and oversight of
border enforcement, a long-standing demand by immigrant communities and their
allies, including AFSC. It would establish a task force of border
community stakeholders to evaluate and make recommendations regarding
immigration
policies along the border. Since 2010, the Border Patrol has claimed the
lives of 20 unarmed civilians, and no official has been held accountable for
these deaths. Federal agents seemingly operate with impunity,
systematically violating the human rights and civil liberties of border
residents.
The bill also includes the right of due process and worker protections
under the mandatory E-Verify provision. However, E-Verify and other employment
verification programs remain highly flawed, problematic and costly.
“We are gratified to see that the bill does begin an important
conversation about future flows of workers to the U.S., by identifying
significant
labor and wage standard protections and opportunities to apply for permanent
status and supporting family unity,” said Amy.
The bill strives to keep families together by restructuring a
fundamentally flawed system with long waiting periods into one that provides
new
opportunities for people to migrate lawfully.
Still, because of limitations in the bill, there may be many who continue
to live in the shadows, subject to the cruelties of a broken system
including exploitation and abuse by unscrupulous employers.
The AFSC implores Congress to adopt compassionate and effective
immigration reforms that are grounded in the following principles:
• Develop humane economic policies to reduce forced migration.
• Protect the labor rights of all workers.
• Develop a quick path to legal permanent residency and a clear path to
citizenship.
• Respect the civil and human rights of immigrants.
• Demilitarize the U.S.-Mexico border.
• Make family reunification a top priority.
• Ensure that immigrants and refugees have access to services.
AFSC has created A New Path, which lays out policy priorities for humane
immigration reform that protects the human rights of all people. These
principles are derived from nine decades of work with immigrant communities,
whose voices must be heard as we seek meaningful and humane policies.
For more on AFSC’s immigrant rights work, visit
http://afsc.org/project/immigrant-rights
and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
###
The American Friends Service Committee is a Quaker organization that
includes people of various faiths who are committed to social justice, peace
and
humanitarian service. Its work is based on the belief in the worth of
every person and faith in the power of love to overcome violence and
injustice.
Chia-Chia Wang
Immigrant Rights Program
American Friends Service Committee
89 Market Street, 6th Floor
Newark, NJ 07102
Main Line: 973.643.1924
Direct Line: 973.854.0402
Fax: 973.643.8924
Email: [email protected]_ (mailto:[email protected])
Subscribe! AFSC ImmigrantRights Newsletter:
http://list.afsc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/immigrantrightsnynj
============================================================================
==
National Immigrant Solidarity Network
No Immigrant Bashing! Support Immigrant Rights!
webpage: _http://www.ImmigrantSolidarity.org_
(http://www.immigrantsolidarity.org/)
e-mail: [email protected]_
(mailto:[email protected])
New York: (212)330-8172
Los Angeles: (213)403-0131
Washington D.C.: (202)595-8990
Chicago: (773)942-2268
* join the immigrant Solidarity Network daily news litserv, send e-mail
to: [email protected]
Please consider making a donation to the important work of National
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(All donations are tax deductible)
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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