Senators Introduce Proposal for Immigration Reform, Call for Bipartisan Negotiations

On Thursday evening, Senators Reid (NV), Schumer (NY), Menendez (NJ), Durbin (IL), and Feinstein (CA) introduced a draft framework for immigration reform. The five senators appealed to their Republican colleagues to join them in negotiations to craft a bipartisan bill that could be brought to the floor for a vote.

I'd like to share with you one clip of the eloquent words spoken by Senator Menendez:

"We understand the history of not only this country, but the history of the world. When one group of people become a suspect class, when one group of people are blamed for all the ills of the nation, history has taught us that that has a sad ending. We cannot let that happen here in the greatest country on the face of the earth. It is not who we are as a people. It is not who we are as a nation... That's what is at stake here. This is not a partisan question. This is about the national security of the United States. It is about the national economy of this country. And it is ultimately the preservation of the Constitution - because when I can become a second-class citizen, there is a road in which you can become a second-class citizen. And that is not something we can accept."

You can watch the introduction of the framework on C-SPAN here.

In response, President Obama released a statement highlighting the urgent need for reform:

"What has become increasingly clear is that we can no longer wait to fix our broken immigration system, which Democrats and Republicans alike agree doesn’t work. It’s unacceptable to have 11 million people in the United States who are living here illegally and outside of the system... The next critical step is to iron out the details of a bill. We welcome that discussion, and my Administration will play an active role in engaging partners on both sides of the aisle to work toward a bipartisan solution that is based on the fundamental concept of accountability that the American people expect and deserve."

Senator Leahy (VT), the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, offered a comment on the proposal:

"I remain committed to meaningful comprehensive immigration reform... I hope the outline released today will encourage discussions across the aisle, and that they will lead to a bipartisan legislative proposal. All Americans are concerned with updating our immigration laws, fulfilling our labor needs, and addressing the escalating violence along our southern border. I hope we can come together to address these pressing matters."

Senator Graham (SC), who recently halted his efforts to work with Senator Schumer on draft legislation, released a statement with Senator Kyl (AZ) in opposition to the framework:

"Since 2007, threats have increased, some border technology has failed, and the American people have lost confidence in the federal government's ability to secure our borders. So it is our belief that Congress should focus on border security first and that will eventually allow Congress to seriously consider bipartisan immigration reform, instead of politically-motivated ‘conceptual papers.'"

FCNL's statement on the framework is forthcoming.

Appalled by Arizona? 5 Ways to Show It.

Arizona's new law, S.B. 1070, is the harshest anti-immigration law in decades. Although the law doesn't go into effect for 90 days (and will be challenged in court), here are five steps that you can take now to protest this blatant violation of civil rights.

1. Tell your friends.

Start a conversation at the dinner table, out for coffee, or on the bus. Talk with your friends about how this bill starts the United States on a slippery slope toward widespread racial profiling. Hear their thoughts. Get emotional. Talk it out. Stay informed.

2. Tell the president.

Detention Watch Network is compiling action alerts to stop the implementation of the new Arizona law. Click here to participate.

3. Take your money and run.

Reps. Grijalva (AZ), Gutierrez (IL), and Polis (CO) have called for economic sanctions against Arizona. The American Immigration Lawyers Association has already canceled their national conference in Arizona and relocated it to another state. While this action is debatable - should the entire state be punished for the lawmakers' actions? - you can participate, if you choose, by boycotting Arizona products and tourism.

4. Take to the streets.

Immigration may very well be THE the civil rights issue of the 21st century. In 90 days, when this new law is scheduled to go into effect, join Rev. Al Sharpton's "freedom walkers" in Arizona to challenge racial profiling and stand in solidarity with the Hispanic community.

5. Stand up and be counted.

Follow this innovative suggestion from Linda Greenhouse:

So what to do in the meantime? Here’s a modest proposal. Everyone remembers the wartime Danish king who drove through Copenhagen wearing a Star of David in support of his Jewish subjects. It’s an apocryphal story, actually, but an inspiring one. Let the good people of Arizona — and anyone passing through — walk the streets of Tucson and Phoenix wearing buttons that say: I Could Be Illegal.

In Our Community: Immigration News

Immigration has become a front-burner issue this week with the signing of an anti-immigrant bill in Arizona and turmoil in Congress over whether to take up immigration reform or climate legislation. Grab a cup of coffee, take a break, and join us to learn about the immigration news from Monday, April 19 to Monday, April 26.

On Friday, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed into law S.B. 1070, a bill that requires police officers to check the legal status of anyone who they "reasonably suspect" to be an undocumented immigrant. This is the most anti-immigration legislation passed in decades. Critics have expressed grave concerns regarding racial profiling. To read our blog post on the bill, click here.

But don't take my word for it, watch Stephen Colbert's commentary on the Arizona law.

Rep. Luis Gutierrez (IL), among others, also spoke out strongly against the Arizona law:

The lunacy of rounding up people because they look a certain way or are suspected of being in violation of immigration statutes can only lead to one thing: profiling. I am Puerto Rican, I was born in Chicago, and my family has been U.S. citizens for generations, but look at my face, listen to my voice: I could get picked up. Is this what we want in America?

His bill, H.R. 4321, would provide a workable legalization program for the undocumented, protect workers, and uphold immigrants' civil rights.

In response to heightened concerns about drug cartels on the U.S./Mexico border, Senators John McCain (AZ) and Jon Kyl (AZ) have introduced a ten-point plan to expand border security. The highlights of this plan include deploying 3,000 National Guard troops, adding more unmanned drones to the border for surveillance, and building additional double- and triple-layer fencing. At FCNL, we are very concerned about the militarization of the border - read our blog post for more.

A high-profile murder case in Long Island has been resolved - a white teenager accused of killing an Ecuadorean immigrant was convicted of manslaughter as a hate crime. Marcelo Lucero had been attacked by seven teenagers seeking to beat up Hispanics. Immigrants in Long Island, spurred by the killing, came forward to share stories of harassment and violence.

This week, Congress will determine which will go first - a bill on energy and the environment, or immigration reform. President Obama has been calling senators to drum up support for immigration, while Majority Leader Reid said on Saturday that both issues are important to national security and the economy. We'll have more news for you as new developments emerge during the week.

Do You Know What an Illegal Immigrant Looks Like?

"They came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up."

Today, the U.S. Constitution has been trampled upon. Civil rights have been violated.

Today, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed into law a bill, S.B. 1070, which requires police officers to check the papers of anyone who they "reasonably suspect" could be undocumented. This bill also allows individuals to sue law enforcement agencies in Arizona for not taking sufficient steps to enforce federal immigration laws.

No details of what constitutes "reasonable suspicion" are given in the bill. In today's press conference, Governor Brewer acknowledged that racial profiling is illegal but insisted that this bill "represents what's best for Arizona" as the state works to solve a "crisis" that the federal government "refuses to fix."

Under this law, well-intentioned police will find themselves in a bind, since they will be required to engage in racial profiling and threatened with lawsuits if they do not. (The Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police opposed the bill.) Rogue police officers will have free rein to terrorize communities.

In response to a reporter's question, Governor Brewer said, "I do not know. I do not know what an illegal immigrant looks like."

Across Arizona, individuals are asking themselves: Do I look like an illegal immigrant to you? We should all be asking ourselves the same question. This bill doesn't just violate the basic civil rights of all the residents of Arizona -- it threatens our rights. Each of us.

When this bill goes into effect in 90 days (unless a lawsuit impedes its implementation), parents will be terrified to drop their children off at school in case an officer sees their skin tone and decides they could be "illegal." Victims of domestic violence will refuse to call the police for fear of being wrongly arrested and deported. Residents, acting out of fear or malicious intent, could turn each other in to the police. Anyone with an accent or who "appears" to be foreign-born could be forced to stay in their homes rather than risking a trip to the grocery store.

This isn't who we are. This isn't what we stand for. But the more we tolerate this sort of disregard for the rights of others, the sooner we will see our own rights crumbling as well.

President Obama called this bill "misguided" and instructed his staff to "monitor the situation," but he did not take any direct action to urge Governor Brewer to veto the bill. In this video, he says the bill "threatens to undermine basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans, as well as the trust between the police and their communities that is so crucial to keeping us safe."



As Congress and the Obama administration still have not yet made good on their promise to reform the immigration system, states are taking matters into their own hands.

We find ourselves in a dangerous situation, because those who speak out against reactive and dangerous anti-immigration legislation may put themselves in harm's way. In Arizona, Rep. Raul Grijalva, who opposes S. B. 1070, had to close his Yuma and Tuscon offices because of death threats and threats of violence.

This is out of control.

We desperately need immigration reform. If Congress cannot deliver a humane bipartisan bill this year, Arizona may only be the start.

For the full text of S.B. 1070, click here.

Arizona: Becoming a Police State?

The Arizona House and Senate have passed a bill, S.B. 1070, which would require police officers to check the papers of anyone who looks like they could be undocumented. Governor Jan Brewer is expected to sign this bill into law sometime this week, turning Arizona into the closest thing that this country's seen to a police state in many years.

Picture it: Parents terrified to drop their children off at school in case an officer sees their skin tone and decides they could be "illegal." Victims of domestic violence refusing to call the police for risk of being wrongly arrested and deported. Residents, acting out of fear or malicious intent, turning each other in to the police. Anyone with an accent or who "appears" to be foreign-born staying in their homes rather than risking a trip to the grocery store.

This isn't who we are. This isn't what we stand for.

But if we don't stand up now, this could become our reality.

Critics - including members of Congress, police, faith leaders, civil rights groups, immigrant advocacy groups, and more - have been fiercely vocal in urging Governor Brewer to veto the bill. ACLU and others are preparing a lawsuit. Petitions have been circulating and gathering more signatures every hour, vigils have continued around the clock, and countless messages have been sent opposing this horrific bill.

LA Cardinal Mahoney said in the Huffington Post:

"I can't imagine Arizonans now reverting to German Nazi and Russian Communist techniques whereby people are required to turn one another in to the authorities on any suspicion of documentation," the cardinal said. "Are children supposed to call 911 because one parent does not have proper papers? Are family members and neighbors now supposed to spy on one another, create total distrust across neighborhoods and communities, and report people because of suspicions based upon appearance?"

Rep. Luis Gutierrez (IL) also weighed in:

"It is open season on the Latino community in Arizona... It is a horrifying glimpse at what our future holds across the country if we continue down the path the Obama administration is leading us on immigration... I'm afraid we have turned a very dangerous corner in the war on immigrants. And we have heard nothing from the President."

Nine young adults in Arizona have stepped up their advocacy to include acts of nonviolent civil disobedience, by chaining themselves to the Capitol in protest of S.B. 1070.

The situation in Arizona should be a wake-up call for the Obama administration and for the members of Congress who have promised to deliver immigration reform, but have been badly sidetracked by partisan political calculations. President Obama and Congress need to act swiftly to fix the broken immigration system, or else Arizona may only be the start. We don't want to go down that road.