Immigrant Communities Come to Washington
March 13-15, 2007
Washington DC
Contact Juan Soto with the Gamaliel Foundation Civil Rights for Immigrants Department at (773) 972-7119 or at juan_f_soto@sbcglobal.net.
A Fair and Comprehensive Immigration Reform Now!
As US Congress gears up to initiate the discussion on immigration reform, the GAMALIEL FOUNDATION, the Border Community Alliance for Human Rights (representing border and interior communities), the Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM) and the National Alliance of Latin American and Caribbean Communities (NALACC) are joining their efforts to bring more that five hundred representatives from their respective communities across the nation to carry out national educational and legislative days (March 13-15) for fair and comprehensive immigration reform and humane border security policies.
On March 13th a Congressional Briefing on Comprehensive Immigration Reform will be held at Capitol Hill. At this briefing representatives of the convening networks will present their reports, testimonies and proposal to congressional staffers.
For Wednesday March 14th, hundreds of legislative visits have already been scheduled with members of Congress (from both sides of the aisle) in which immigrant delegations will present their contributions to the national immigration policy debate and their ideas to bring rights and justice for immigrant communities.
Other activities and actions will be taking place on the evening of March 14th (a candlelight vigil in front of the Capitol or the White House) and during March 15th.
The following principles and pro-active demands encompass our concerns and proposal for a comprehensive approach to immigration reform:
I. Immigrant Legalization and Regularization Policies
Congress ought to implement a broad and serious legalization program with access to permanent residency for hardworking immigrants and families living and making of the US a better place.
II. New Immigrant Work Program
The entry of future immigrant workers and families to the United State must be regulated through the creation of a new work program that contain fundamental rights.
III. Strengthening Worker’s Protection and Reassure Labor Rights of Immigrant Workers
Congress needs to ensure that immigration enforcement complements rather than undermines the enforcement of labor and employment laws.
IV. Enforcing the Law: A Responsible and Accountable Immigration Enforcement
We cannot fix our immigration system with an “enforcement-only approach” and by continuing to enforce dysfunctional laws. Comprehensive Immigration Reform must include the revision of the current border and interior enforcement policies and to allow the creation of effective accountability mechanism to protect human and civil rights.
V. Restoring Due Process Rights and Judicial Discretion
Current detention and deportation laws and procedures are unduly harsh and counterproductive. Immigrants arrested for relatively minor criminal and or immigration violations are often detained indefinitely under mandatory detention policies.
VI. Fixing the Administrative Process of the Immigration System
Immigration reform must provide and overhaul of the immigration administrative system and structure to eliminate backlogs and expedite, among other things, the adjustment of status, asylum and refugee applications.
VII. New Policies for Immigrant Integration
The US Congress must develop effective programs of integration to allow immigrant to fully participate and engage in the social, economic and political life of the US society.
VIII. Addressing the Root Causes of Migration
Beyond immigration policy reform, we need a brand new international economic policy to address the root causes of migration.
We encourage all other networks and immigrant rights’ organizations to join this coordinated effort to tell Congress that now is the time to implement a comprehensive immigration policy.
For more information on how to support this effort you can contact Juan Soto with the Gamaliel Foundation Civil Rights for Immigrants Department at (773) 972-7119 or at juan_f_soto@sbcglobal.net.
Gamaliel's First National Issue Campaign
Civil Rights of Immigrants