SENATE
VOTE ON IMMIGRATION THIS WEEK
The
Senate is expected to vote on final passage of its immigration reform bill this week, but given the number of amendments still
to be debated, we don’t know what the final Senate bill is going to look like.
In disappointing developments last week, the Senate added amendments to the bill that would build more fencing along
the border, reduce the number of immigrants allowed to participate in the temporary worker program, and make English the “national”
language (possibly overriding some laws that require vital information and services be provided in languages other than English). On the positive side, Senators beat back efforts to limit immigrants’ access
to Social Security and to deny immigrants in the temporary worker program a path to citizenship.
We don’t
know all of the amendments that will come up this week, but as with last week there will be a mixture of good and bad. One of the good ones will come from Senator Feinstein of California and it will replace
the current three-tiered treatment of undocumented immigrants (a complicated system where access to legalization is dependent
on how long an immigrant has been in the country) with one simple process that applies to all undocumented immigrants living
in the country before Jan. 1, 2006. This amendment will create a much more workable
system for legalization and address many of the concerns that have been raised about the three-tiered process. But, in order for it to pass and in order to ensure that a good final bill comes out of the Senate, your
Senators need to hear from YOU! Reports are coming in that Senators are receiving
lots of calls from enforcement-only proponents, so your voices for compassionate and comprehensive immigration reform are
more important than ever!
ACTION NEEDED
1) Using
the Capitol Hill switchboard number, 202-224-3121, call your Senators and urge them to support the Feinstein amendment and
to make sure that the final bill:
-
Creates
and earned path to citizenship for the nation’s undocumented immigrants;
-
Restores
and respects civil rights and due process protections for immigrants;
-
Provides
strong labor protections for both native-born and immigrant workers;
-
Reunifies
families and provides legal avenues for future migration.
The
switchboard number will be answered by an operator who can then connect you to your Senators’ offices. Be sure to call
BOTH of your Senators!
2) Follow
up your call by writing to your Senators in support of comprehensive and compassionate immigration reform. A sample letter remains available at our action website for you to edit and send.
For
additional talking points and information, please visit the USCCB’s Justice for Immigrants website.
3) Hold a prayer service with your family, friends, or community. Given the importance
of the immigration debate and votes this week, we are reminded of the need to undergird our actions with prayer. Here are a couple of different prayer services written by Interfaith Worker Justice that you can adapt
for use:
http://www.iwj.org/materials/bulletins/rem_immigrant.pdf
http://www.iwj.org/pdf/celebrating_immigrants.pdf
STUDENTS
LOBBYING FOR THE DREAM ACT
This
Wednesday, May 24th, immigrant students part of the United We Dream Coalition will take to Capitol Hill to lobby
for passage of the DREAM Act/American Dream Act (S. 2075/H.R. 5131)—legislation that would provide undocumented students,
who met certain qualifications, a path to citizenship. This legislation has been
incorporated into the Senate’s immigration reform bill, but was only recently reintroduced in the House. The House bill currently has 16 bipartisan co-sponsors, but more are needed to help send a strong
message that hard-working immigrant students deserve the opportunity to pursue higher education and fulfill their dreams.
ACTION NEEDED
1) In
support of immigrant students, call your Representative on May 24th and urge him/her to co-sponsor the “American
Dream Act” (H.R. 5131). You can use the Capitol Hill Switchboard number,
202-224-3121, to be connected to your Representative’s office.
For
more information about the DREAM Act, please click here.
