UWD Launches Launches New Online Platform for Immigrant Youth
The first and largest network of immigrant youth in the country, United We Dream, is at the forefront of the fight for immigration reform and is bringing their message straight to the American people with a major ad in Times Square inNew York City starting this week and continuing through June.
The ad, which can be viewed here, calls for “Immigration Reform Now!” while highlighting photos of DREAMers, workers, and families. The ad, which is expected to be viewed by over 100,000 people, is the latest stage in UWD’s 11 Million Dreams campaign, pushing for immigration reform that stops deportations that tear families apart and puts 11 million undocumented immigrants on a clear, direct path to citizenship.
“Thousands of Americans travel through Times Square every day and will be greeted with a powerful message—immigrants, whether they be young or old, workers or students, are part of this country. The time is now for immigration reform—our families have waited too long already, facing the threat and too often, the reality, of separation. We are Americans, living out our American dreams and pushing Congress to deliver immigration reform with a real roadmap to citizenship!” said Cristina Jimenez, managing director of United We Dream.
The ad, which was sponsored in part by the National Immigration Forum, directs viewers to United We Dream’s new website UnitedWeDream.org, just launched this week. The site features stories of DREAMers, tools and resources for young people and their families, and ways to take action or connect with a local UWD affiliate organization.
Nearly 7,000 petition signatures delivered to Sens. McCain and Flake
PHOENIX – Members of Arizona-based immigrants’ rights coalition will deliver nearly 7,000 petition signatures, collected online in recent weeks, to the offices of Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake in support of a federal immigration reform plan that promises a path to citizenship for the nation’s estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants.
The “petition drop” is part of a series of events being held over the Congressional Easter recess designed to encourage lawmakers to pass an immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship, protects the rights of workers, and keeps families together. (See complete list of events below.)
A group of eight U.S. Senators, including Flake and McCain, have been negotiating terms of a proposed Senate immigration reform bill for weeks and are expected to release their proposal sometime this month—possibly as soon as next week.
The groups represented in the “petition drop” Thursday include: PromiseArizona, Fair Immigration Reform Movement,America’s Voices, Reform Immigration forAmerica, Mi Familia Vota, Moveon.org, and Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA). The senators also will receive a single brick intended to encourage the senators to build a “clear pathway to citizenship” for the undocumented population in theUnited States.
Business, Law Enforcement, Faith Leaders Urge Congress to Act on Immigration Reform
**For a recording, please visit http://tinyurl.com/NashvilleCall.**
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — With both the Senate and House gearing up to introduce immigration reform legislation as soon as next week, faith, law enforcement and business leaders spoke about the strength and support for reform that their constituencies are building locally across the country. Events during the two-week congressional recess should give lawmakers confidence as they return toWashington that their constituents support broad, commonsense reform.
In a press call, leaders emphasized that their rising network is making sure members of Congress hear Americans’ call for accountable and practical reform that strengthens our economy and reflects our tradition as both a nation of immigrants and a nation of laws. Efforts include more than a dozen events in the South, Midwest and West, as well as a new phase of Evangelical Immigration Table radio ads that launched this week on Christian radio in four key states.
The following quotes are from speakers on the press call:
Alberto Gonzales, Former U.S. Attorney General and Doyle Rogers Distinguished Chair of Law, Belmont University:
“I approach this issue from the perspective of being a grandson of immigrants, someone who grew up in a border state, and of course as a former chief law enforcement officer of theUnited States. … When [state and local law enforcement officials] are diverted to enforce federal immigration law, that means that they cannot go after local bank robbers, car thieves and drug dealers. The truth of the matter is, this is very much a federal problem.”
Dr. Richard Land, President, Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, Southern Baptist Convention:
“The time has come. Americans are ready … Immigration is an issue where people of different political parties and different philosophies can come together and do the right thing. It is time for us as citizens to demand that our politicians quit acting like politicians who are looking at the next election and start acting like statesmen who are looking at the next generation. We will continue to work across the country to educate and to mobilize our fellow evangelical Christians to support just and fair immigration reform, and we’re taking our message to Washington.”
Ralph Schulz, President and CEO, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce:
“We’re pleased as a [business] community to be a part of this effort and [we’re] encouraging our legislators, and our business people are encouraging our legislators directly and personally, to engage in resolving this issue as soon as possible so that we can maintain our prosperous trajectory as a community.”
Ali Noorani, Executive Director, National Immigration Forum:
“Once you get outside the Beltway, you find that a new consensus on immigrants and Americahas emerged. This week alone, we at the Forum have found that whether you are in Nashville, Tennessee; Costa Mesa, California;Columbia, South Carolina; or Kansas City, Kansas, those who hold a Bible, wear a badge or own a business want a commonsense solution to the immigration system. The fact is that there is no other public policy issue under consideration by Congress at this moment that has the depth and breadth of bipartisan support that immigration reform enjoys.”
