A new film is coming to town! "Papers" tells the story of undocumented youth and the challenges they face as they turn 18 without legal status. It will be playing at the E Street Cinema in Washington, DC on March 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.
65,000 undocumented students graduate every year from high school without “papers” and the door to their future slams shut. It is against the law to work or drive. It is difficult, if not impossible in some states, to attend college. Currently, there is no path to citizenship for these young people.
Graham Street Productions produced this film in collaboration with the youth who want to tell their stories as well as community organizations around the country who are working to change immigration policy on behalf of these young people.
Screenings at the E Street Cinema start at 7:00 pm and are open to the public. Tickets are $10 each and you can buy them here.
Not in DC? Don't despair! You can host your own screening of "Papers"! Click here for details.
Showing posts with label DREAM Act. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DREAM Act. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
In Our Community: Immigration News
Welcome back to your local source for immigration news and updates! Since the holiday break, there's been a lot to report so grab your cup of coffee, sit back, and enjoy. Here is your news from Monday, January 4 to Monday, January 11. Happy reading!
It's been a mixed bag this week for the Department of Homeland Security. Starting on January 4, 2010, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) changed its policies on asylum-seekers. People who enter the United States and demonstrate a credible fear of persecution or torture will now be automatically considered for parole, instead of detention. Holding asylum-seekers for months or even years in jail-like detention facilities has been proven to aggravate post-traumatic stress disorder, so this policy change is an important step in the direction of reducing our nation's dependence on detention.
However, the New York Times and ACLU have revealed a shocking story in which immigration officials had actively tried to cover up details about some of the 107 deaths in immigration detention since October 2003. Records show that one detainee was held in isolation for 13 hours with a head injury before treatment was sought, and another was deprived of prescription painkillers for a broken leg. Both died, yet the agency's main concern was apparently not how to prevent their deaths but how to avoid unwanted publicity. See this video from the New York Times for details.
The inhumane treatment of immigrant detainees indicates the real and urgent need for immigration reform. Rep. Luis Gutierrez's has introduced the CIR ASAP Act of 2009, a bill that would reform the immigration system to keep families together, protect workers' rights, and promote immigrants' human and civil rights. FCNL urges you to contact your representative and ask them to cosponsor this bill. This bill offers practical solutions for the broken immigration system, which will hopefully be incorporated into the final immigration bill passed by Congress.
The Immigration Policy Center and the Center for American Progress have introduced a new report, which finds that legalizing undocumented immigrants through comprehensive immigration reform would yield $1.5 trillion for the U.S. economy over the next 10 years. While some are understandably hesitant about reforming the immigration system during a recession, this report indicates that immigration reform would actually help promote economic growth. Immigrant workers would be better positioned to contribute to the economy, and the U.S. government could direct resources away from enforcement and towards the public's urgent needs. For more information, check out the Immigration Policy Center's top 10 resources of 2009.
In fiscal year 2009, the number of federal prosecutions reached an all-time high, due in large part to a flood of immigration prosecutions. Immigration prosecutions started climbing after the 1996 immigration laws were passed, and then prosecutions skyrocketed under the Bush administration. Now, immigration prosecutions make up 54% of federal filings. If immigrants had reasonable legal avenues to come to the United States and integrate into their communities, then the government wouldn't have to devote so many resources to these prosecutions.
Four immigrant students are taking a bold step - several thousands of bold steps, as a matter of fact. These students have embarked on the Trail of Dreams, a 1,500-mile walk from Florida to Washington, DC. Their goal is to promote the DREAM Act, which would allow undocumented students who came to the United States as children to pursue an accelerated path to legal status and eventual citizenship. To support them on their journey, visit the Trail of Dreams website.
I'll leave you with a surprising tidbit: a clip of Lou Dobbs on the Bill O'Reilly show. If you listen carefully and brush past their anti-immigration rhetoric, you'll find that they're actually stating their support for a workable, non-punitive legalization program. They also support family members joining their loved ones in the United States through the legal visa system. Who knew these two could be so liberal?
It's been a mixed bag this week for the Department of Homeland Security. Starting on January 4, 2010, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) changed its policies on asylum-seekers. People who enter the United States and demonstrate a credible fear of persecution or torture will now be automatically considered for parole, instead of detention. Holding asylum-seekers for months or even years in jail-like detention facilities has been proven to aggravate post-traumatic stress disorder, so this policy change is an important step in the direction of reducing our nation's dependence on detention.
However, the New York Times and ACLU have revealed a shocking story in which immigration officials had actively tried to cover up details about some of the 107 deaths in immigration detention since October 2003. Records show that one detainee was held in isolation for 13 hours with a head injury before treatment was sought, and another was deprived of prescription painkillers for a broken leg. Both died, yet the agency's main concern was apparently not how to prevent their deaths but how to avoid unwanted publicity. See this video from the New York Times for details.
The inhumane treatment of immigrant detainees indicates the real and urgent need for immigration reform. Rep. Luis Gutierrez's has introduced the CIR ASAP Act of 2009, a bill that would reform the immigration system to keep families together, protect workers' rights, and promote immigrants' human and civil rights. FCNL urges you to contact your representative and ask them to cosponsor this bill. This bill offers practical solutions for the broken immigration system, which will hopefully be incorporated into the final immigration bill passed by Congress.
The Immigration Policy Center and the Center for American Progress have introduced a new report, which finds that legalizing undocumented immigrants through comprehensive immigration reform would yield $1.5 trillion for the U.S. economy over the next 10 years. While some are understandably hesitant about reforming the immigration system during a recession, this report indicates that immigration reform would actually help promote economic growth. Immigrant workers would be better positioned to contribute to the economy, and the U.S. government could direct resources away from enforcement and towards the public's urgent needs. For more information, check out the Immigration Policy Center's top 10 resources of 2009.
In fiscal year 2009, the number of federal prosecutions reached an all-time high, due in large part to a flood of immigration prosecutions. Immigration prosecutions started climbing after the 1996 immigration laws were passed, and then prosecutions skyrocketed under the Bush administration. Now, immigration prosecutions make up 54% of federal filings. If immigrants had reasonable legal avenues to come to the United States and integrate into their communities, then the government wouldn't have to devote so many resources to these prosecutions.
Four immigrant students are taking a bold step - several thousands of bold steps, as a matter of fact. These students have embarked on the Trail of Dreams, a 1,500-mile walk from Florida to Washington, DC. Their goal is to promote the DREAM Act, which would allow undocumented students who came to the United States as children to pursue an accelerated path to legal status and eventual citizenship. To support them on their journey, visit the Trail of Dreams website.
I'll leave you with a surprising tidbit: a clip of Lou Dobbs on the Bill O'Reilly show. If you listen carefully and brush past their anti-immigration rhetoric, you'll find that they're actually stating their support for a workable, non-punitive legalization program. They also support family members joining their loved ones in the United States through the legal visa system. Who knew these two could be so liberal?
Friday, January 8, 2010
Immigrant Students, Risking Detention, Boldly Set Out on Trail of Dreams
Sometimes, when the world will not listen, when the insistent voices calling out for immigration reform go unheard, a few brave souls must take it upon themselves to lay out the path toward justice and equality. Enduring personal suffering for the sake of what's right, these individuals urge us all to be our best selves and reach out to one another in solidarity.
Felipe, Gaby, Juan, and Carlos are today's brave souls. These four immigrant students have taken it upon themselves to march from Florida to Washington, DC, in support of the DREAM Act. Following the Trail of Dreams will take them four months and 1,500 miles in search of justice and equality for America's immigrants.
Their mission: To empower Americans to unite in solidarity for the passage of just and humane immigration reform.
Sleeping in churches and immigration centers, these students risk more than blisters and sore feet during their journey. Three of the four are undocumented and could be detained and deported for stepping out of the shadows. However, as Juan says, "I'm tired of coming back to school each semester and hearing about another friend who was picked up and deported." For these students, it's time to hit the pavement and march for reform.
Yet they are not alone: Supporters are welcome to join the walkers on the trail, shelter them or organize events, and sponsor them as they seek to reach DC. The media, including the Associated Press, has already picked up on their ambitious actions. The Reform Immigration FOR America campaign will join the students on May 1, when they plan to arrive in DC, to hold a rally for comprehensive immigration reform.
Many of today's undocumented youth, including the walkers, were brought to the United States as young children. Their memories are of growing up in the United States, going to school here, building a life here. Yet every day they face invisible barriers - they cannot get drivers licenses, in-state tuition, or meaningful employment. The DREAM Act would offer an accelerated path to legal status and eventual citizenship for undocumented youth who pursue higher education or military service.
How can you embark on the Trail of Dreams? Follow the walkers' blog and spread the word. Support them on the trail. Plan to be in Washington, DC, on May 1 to be one of the 100,000 people at the rally. Finally, show your support for the DREAM Act by urging your members of Congress to support comprehensive immigration reform.
Monday, December 14, 2009
In Our Community: Immigration News
Here it is, your immigration news from Monday, December 7 to Monday, December 14!
Very exciting news! Tomorrow, Representative Luis Gutierrez (IL) will introduce his progressive comprehensive immigration reform bill, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America's Security and Prosperity Act of 2009 (CIR ASAP). In a press statement released today, Representative Gutierrez said: "We have waited patiently for a workable solution to our immigration crisis to be taken up by this Congress and our President. The time for waiting is over. This bill will be presented before Congress recesses for the holidays so that there is no excuse for inaction in the New Year. It is the product of months of collaboration with civil rights advocates, labor organizations, and members of Congress. It is an answer to too many years of pain —mothers separated from their children, workers exploited and undermined security at the border— all caused at the hands of a broken immigration system. This bill says 'enough,' and presents a solution to our broken system that we as a nation of immigrants can be proud of." FCNL congratulates Representative Gutierrez on his bill and looks forward to working with him and other members of Congress toward humane and fair comprehensive immigration reform in 2010. Read this op-ed to learn why immigration reform is the "right stuff."
The introduction of Representative Gutierrez's bill comes at an important time, on the heels of a major raid in California that serves as a reminder of the urgent need for immigration reform. Nearly 300 immigrants were detained in this three-day raid and at least 100 have already been removed from the country. Meanwhile, advocates in New Jersey have been working tirelessly to keep Indonesian Christians in their community out of detention and state employees in Arizona are struggling to provide public services under new state requirements to report undocumented immigrants to ICE.
The Senate Judiciary Committee is holding an important hearing on December 16, "The Law of the Land: U.S. Implementation of Human Rights Treaties." This hearing, the first of its kind, will examine how the United States can fulfill its international obligations under human rights law. FCNL has submitted a statement for the record about our concerns regarding arbitrary and indefinite detention as well as the need for due process protections for detained immigrants.
An op-ed in the New York Times calls for "Coverage Without Borders," addressing the issue of access to health care for immigrants in the United States. A key quote: "It certainly does not help Americans as a whole to remain healthy when millions of people, including schoolchildren, cannot get basic preventive care like immunizations and medications." The Senate is expected to finish debating the health care bill by the end of the month and - hopefully - the final version of the bill will remove the 5-year bar on Medicaid for green card holders.
Undocumented students are speaking out in unison about the need for immigration reform. In this remarkable story, students who may risk deportation by identifying themselves are coming out en masse in support of the DREAM Act, a bill that would put eligible undocumented students on a fast track to legal status and eventual citizenship. Carlos Roa, from Venezuela, says: “The undocumented youth are losing our fear of being undocumented. I’m public with this. I’m not hiding anymore.”
Why do we need comprehensive immigration reform in a recession? Well, the Boston Globe says, more immigrants are leaping into business ownership now than ever. Immigrant-owned businesses create millions of jobs in the United States each year. Check out FCNL's new document, "Immigration Reform is Key to Economic Recovery," for more information.
I'll leave you with an incredible story by the Washington Post on how second-generation immigrants struggle to find their footing in communities in which they are only partially integrated. Another Washington Post article points out that the children of undocumented immigrants are twice as likely as others to live in poverty. Comprehensive immigration reform would permit families, such as those featured in this article, to fully integrate into the community and contribute more robustly to the U.S. economy.
Very exciting news! Tomorrow, Representative Luis Gutierrez (IL) will introduce his progressive comprehensive immigration reform bill, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America's Security and Prosperity Act of 2009 (CIR ASAP). In a press statement released today, Representative Gutierrez said: "We have waited patiently for a workable solution to our immigration crisis to be taken up by this Congress and our President. The time for waiting is over. This bill will be presented before Congress recesses for the holidays so that there is no excuse for inaction in the New Year. It is the product of months of collaboration with civil rights advocates, labor organizations, and members of Congress. It is an answer to too many years of pain —mothers separated from their children, workers exploited and undermined security at the border— all caused at the hands of a broken immigration system. This bill says 'enough,' and presents a solution to our broken system that we as a nation of immigrants can be proud of." FCNL congratulates Representative Gutierrez on his bill and looks forward to working with him and other members of Congress toward humane and fair comprehensive immigration reform in 2010. Read this op-ed to learn why immigration reform is the "right stuff."
The introduction of Representative Gutierrez's bill comes at an important time, on the heels of a major raid in California that serves as a reminder of the urgent need for immigration reform. Nearly 300 immigrants were detained in this three-day raid and at least 100 have already been removed from the country. Meanwhile, advocates in New Jersey have been working tirelessly to keep Indonesian Christians in their community out of detention and state employees in Arizona are struggling to provide public services under new state requirements to report undocumented immigrants to ICE.
The Senate Judiciary Committee is holding an important hearing on December 16, "The Law of the Land: U.S. Implementation of Human Rights Treaties." This hearing, the first of its kind, will examine how the United States can fulfill its international obligations under human rights law. FCNL has submitted a statement for the record about our concerns regarding arbitrary and indefinite detention as well as the need for due process protections for detained immigrants.
An op-ed in the New York Times calls for "Coverage Without Borders," addressing the issue of access to health care for immigrants in the United States. A key quote: "It certainly does not help Americans as a whole to remain healthy when millions of people, including schoolchildren, cannot get basic preventive care like immunizations and medications." The Senate is expected to finish debating the health care bill by the end of the month and - hopefully - the final version of the bill will remove the 5-year bar on Medicaid for green card holders.
Undocumented students are speaking out in unison about the need for immigration reform. In this remarkable story, students who may risk deportation by identifying themselves are coming out en masse in support of the DREAM Act, a bill that would put eligible undocumented students on a fast track to legal status and eventual citizenship. Carlos Roa, from Venezuela, says: “The undocumented youth are losing our fear of being undocumented. I’m public with this. I’m not hiding anymore.”
Why do we need comprehensive immigration reform in a recession? Well, the Boston Globe says, more immigrants are leaping into business ownership now than ever. Immigrant-owned businesses create millions of jobs in the United States each year. Check out FCNL's new document, "Immigration Reform is Key to Economic Recovery," for more information.
I'll leave you with an incredible story by the Washington Post on how second-generation immigrants struggle to find their footing in communities in which they are only partially integrated. Another Washington Post article points out that the children of undocumented immigrants are twice as likely as others to live in poverty. Comprehensive immigration reform would permit families, such as those featured in this article, to fully integrate into the community and contribute more robustly to the U.S. economy.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Hold Fast to DREAMs
The DREAM Act (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act, S. 729/H.R. 1751) is back.
Today, a bipartisan group* of lawmakers in both the House and Senate reintroduced the DREAM Act, a bill which would offer undocumented children who grew up in the United States a path to legal status and eventual citizenship through pursuing higher education.
As Representative Roybal-Allard said in her remarks as she introduced the bill, "The Act's premise is simple and just: Undocumented students deserve the same opportunities as the 2.8 million others who graduate from this country's high schools every year. We cannot afford to waste our investments in these talented, motivated young people who are products of our schools and our communities...the millions of high school students who comprise the Class of 2009 are mere months away from graduation. Among them are thousands of kids who have the potential to become doctors, lawyers and even members of Congress but face insurmountable legal obstacles. We have a moral obligation to remove these impediments so that all of our young people can accomplish their goals."
The DREAM Act, which by providing a path to citizenship through pursuing education works to mend a gaping hole in the United States immigrats' and children's rights, is only one fix to a much broader problem. At FCNL, we believe the education portion of the DREAM Act should be a critical component of comprehensive immgration reform and we hope to see Congress work with the Obama administration in the coming year to pass humane CIR.
Today, a bipartisan group* of lawmakers in both the House and Senate reintroduced the DREAM Act, a bill which would offer undocumented children who grew up in the United States a path to legal status and eventual citizenship through pursuing higher education.
As Representative Roybal-Allard said in her remarks as she introduced the bill, "The Act's premise is simple and just: Undocumented students deserve the same opportunities as the 2.8 million others who graduate from this country's high schools every year. We cannot afford to waste our investments in these talented, motivated young people who are products of our schools and our communities...the millions of high school students who comprise the Class of 2009 are mere months away from graduation. Among them are thousands of kids who have the potential to become doctors, lawyers and even members of Congress but face insurmountable legal obstacles. We have a moral obligation to remove these impediments so that all of our young people can accomplish their goals."
The DREAM Act, which by providing a path to citizenship through pursuing education works to mend a gaping hole in the United States immigrats' and children's rights, is only one fix to a much broader problem. At FCNL, we believe the education portion of the DREAM Act should be a critical component of comprehensive immgration reform and we hope to see Congress work with the Obama administration in the coming year to pass humane CIR.
Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
For when dreams die
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow
~Langston Hughes
* On the Senate side, DREAM was introduced by Senators Richard Durbin (IL), Richard Lugar (IN), Russell Feingold (WI), Edward Kennedy (MA), Patrick Leahy (VT), Joe Lieberman (CT), Mel Martinez (FL), and Harry Reid (NV).
On the House side, DREAM was introduced by Representatives Howard Berman (CA), Joseph Cao (LA), John Conyersr, Jr (MI), Lincoln Diaz-Balart (FL), Mario Diaz-Balart (FL), Zoe Lofgren (CA), Devin Nunez (CA), Jared Polis (CO), Illeana Ros-Lehtinen (FL), and Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA).
On the House side, DREAM was introduced by Representatives Howard Berman (CA), Joseph Cao (LA), John Conyersr, Jr (MI), Lincoln Diaz-Balart (FL), Mario Diaz-Balart (FL), Zoe Lofgren (CA), Devin Nunez (CA), Jared Polis (CO), Illeana Ros-Lehtinen (FL), and Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA).
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