NDLON

  Gowdy/Goodlatte "Unsafe Act" is Wreckless Arizonification of the US Backwards Bill is Unconstitutional Attempt to Turn Every Law Enforcer into an Arpaio   06.06.2013 - Washington, DC In response to the introduction of the "Safe Act" by Reps. Gowdy and Goodlatte, Pablo Alvarado, executive director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network issued the following statement: "One abusive Arpaio in Maricopa County was already too many. We don't need Arpaio wanna-be's in Congress.  Gowdy and Goodlatte's unsafe act is wreckless endangerment. It takes the worst of Arizona's failures and bigotry and proposes to make it national policy.   When police enforce immigration laws, everyone is less safe. Current policy already has created a public safety crisis because of people now fearing the police.  Goodlatte and Gowdy ignore those very real fears in order to pander to the imagined fears of nativists. They ignore all evidence and endanger our safety in order to enshrine their prejudice. Immigrant communities will not stand for it. It is time for a legalization-first approach that makes political equality and inclusion a priority."   ###

The National Day Laborer Organizing Network (“NDLON”) applauds Congressman Polis and Congresswoman Chu's appropriations amendment, which would defund the failed 287(g) immigration program, ending the infamous deportation program once and for all. "The fact that the White House is still requesting money for 287g is frankly an unreported scandal," explains NDLON's executive director, Pablo Alvarado. "Even Joe Arpaio himself now acknowledges that the program leads to profiling.   At this point, the only ones defending the 287g program are the Heritage Foundation and the Minutemen.  Congress can show its commitment to immigration reform by saving the taxpayers the expense of program which imperils public safety and violates civil rights." 

Day Laborers, Domestic Workers, Families Facing Deportation and Faith Leaders Join National WHAT: Press Conference and beginning of a two-day fast and programming WHO: day laborers, domestic workers, faith leaders, Voz Worker Rights, National Day Labor Organizing Network, St Andrew Catholic Church, American Friends Service Committee, Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice, Oregon Dream Activist, Portland Central America Solidarity Committee

Day Laborers, Domestic Workers, Families Facing Deportation and Faith Leaders Join National WHAT: Press Conference and beginning of a two-day fast and programming WHO: day laborers, domestic workers, faith leaders, Voz Worker Rights, National Day Labor Organizing Network, St Andrew Catholic Church, American Friends Service Committee, Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice, Oregon Dream Activist, Portland Central America Solidarity Committee

  Husband's 110-day detention has devastated family already struggling in wake of wife's surgery, County's possible role in deportation draws criticism    Three months after the case of Ruth Montaño, one local mom nearly deported over a trivial complaint about her barking dogs made headlines, another local mother is stepping up to protect her hard-working husband from deportation.    Mariana Parmar, a Bakersfield resident and US citizen, is imploring immigration authorities to cancel the deportation of her husband, Jagmohan Singh, which she recently learned is scheduled for this Wednesday, May 29. The couple, married for over a decade, have three U.S. Citizen children, ages 6, 8, and 10. [A picture of the family is available here.] 

Puente: Real Justice Requires a Halt to Deportations   05.24.2013 Phoenix, AZ In response to the guilty verdict in the racial profiling case of Sheriff Arpaio, Carlos Garcia, of the Puente Movement issued the following statement:   "While today's court ruling is undeniably a victory, real justice will come when the victims of Arpaio see their rights fully vindicated. At a bare minimum, the White House should repond by immediately suspending deportations throughout Maricopa County."   ###

  House Appropriations for 2014 Homeland Security Budget Exposes Beltway Hypocrisy As Congress Seeks Immigration Reform, DHS Budgets for Increased Detention   05.22.2013 - Washington, DC The day after the Senate Judiciary Committee approved the "Gang of 8" immigration reform proposal to move to the Senate floor, the House Appropriations Committee approved the Department of Homeland Security 2014 budget which included an increase in funding for the Secure Communities deportation program and additional detention center beds and a decrease in civil rights oversight.    Pablo Alvarado, the Executive Director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, issued the following statement:   "In order to truly reform immigration law, we need an end to hypocrisy inside the Beltway.   Congressmen cannot claim to support political equality in principle and approve increased militarization, criminalization, and deportation in practice.During a legislative session that should bring political equality and inclusion, shouldn't Congress and DHS be budgeting for an increase in immigrants' integration?   Why are Congress and DHS budgeting for an increase in deportation, an increase in suffering, and an increase in discrimination? Undocumented Americans should be seen as potential citizens not potential deportees, and that view should be reflected in our national budget."   ###

    TRUST Act heads to state Senate in wake of findings that police involvement in deportation has made crime victims less likely to seek help Sacramento - Today, following several impassioned floor speeches, the California Assembly approved the TRUST Act (AB 4 - Ammiano) by a vote of 44 to 20. The nationally-watched bill would limit harmful deportations often stemming from trivial or discriminatory arrests and rebuild community confidence in local law enforcement. The vote comes days after an unprecedented survey of Latinos in four cities, including Los Angeles, confirmed that police involvement with immigration enforcement has significantly undermined community confidence, with 44% of responds less likely to contact police officers if they have been a victim of a crime. Among undocumented immigrants, 70% were less likely to contact law enforcement.

City Council Set to be first city in the South to Vote on Resolution On Civil Immigration Detainers Immigrant workers and families will come closer to winning the Right to Remain in New Orleans today as City Council is set to vote on a resolution condemning Sherriff Marlin Gusman’s racial profiling-based deportation policy. Over the last two years the Sheriff has faced mounting pressure through civil rights lawsuits and public outcry to stop submitting to voluntary civil immigration holds also known as immigration detainers. .Council members James Gray, LaToya Cantrell, and Susan Guidry will introduce a resolution limiting Sherriff Marlin Gusman’s practice of submitting to voluntary requests of federal immigration officials to detain individuals in Orleans Parish Prison. Immigrant workers who have survived the Sherriff’s policy will testify on the disastrous impacts on families; and advocates will testify on the impacts on city budget (the federal government does not reimburse jail costs) and constitutional integrity. WHO: Council members Gray, Cantrell, and Guidry will introduce resolution. Immigrant workers and families, New Orleans Workers' Center for Racial Justice, Congress of Day Laborers, and advocates for criminal justice reform will testify.WHERE: City Council Chambers, 1300 Perdido St., New OrleansWHEN: 10 AM, Thursday, May 15, 2013###

Rights Groups Call on President to Suspend Deportations as Congress Seeks Immigration Reform 05.13.2013 - Washington, DC Following the first round of mark-up in the Senate Judiciary Committee of the "Gang of 8" immigration reform proposal, rights groups held a telebriefing to call on the President to immediately suspend deportations of those who could be included in the reform.   The AFL-CIO, MALDEF, United We Dream, and the National Day Laborer Organizing Network announced an organizational sign-on letter of immigrant rights groups, begun today, asking the President to take immediate action to alleviate the suffering caused by on-going record deportations and help build the bi-partisan consensus in the Senate through a suspension of removals of those who would qualify for the bill once it passes.  Lorella Praeli, Director of Advocacy and Policy at United We Dream said, "As DREAMers, who won relief from deportations from the administration, we know firsthand the difference this can make.  We're pushing for an end to deportations for our parents and the rest of the 11 million, who are working, paying taxes, and raising their families in this country.  They should not be threatened with deportation every day when they would be on the path to citizenship Congress is debating now.  The President has deported more people than any other president and we will not stand by while these out-of-control deportation continue, tearing apart our families and communities." Ana Avendaño, Assistant to the President and Director of Immigration and Community Action at the AFL-CIO said, “America’s low wage workplace will not stabilize until every participant in it has equal rights to stand up for themselves when their wages are stolen or their workplace is unsafe. We owe it to all workers to cease the deportation crisis while Congress finishes the process of creating a roadmap to citizenship for the aspiring Americans already living and working in our communities.” Thomas A. Saenz, President and General Counsel of MALDEF, stated, "It is a simple matter of fairness and justice that we cease removing those immigrants who would be eligible for relief under the proposed bipartisan immigration reform legislation.  The American people and bipartisan leaders nationwide support providing legal protections to those who have labored in our industry and raised families in our community; it would be cruel and nonsensical to deny widely supported and contemplated relief to some, simply because of a delayed effective date.  So long as relief is…

Additional Funding for SCAAP Program Incentivizes Dangerous Police/ICE Collaboration 05.09.2013 - Washington, DCIn response to Senate Judiciary Committee passage of the Feinstein 1 amendment, Chris Newman, Legal Director for the National Day Laborer Organizing Network issued the following statement: Senator Feinstein made the immigration bill worse today, putting both rights and safety in jeopardy.   The Feinstein 1 amendment  approved by committee is straight from the pages of Arizona's playbook. Feinstein 1 increases federal funding for the SCAAP program which threatens public safety by encouraging local police involvement in immigration enforcement.  As long emphasized by police chiefs and recently confirmed by a survey of Latinos in some of the nation's largest cities, police enforcement of immigration law makes immigrants less likely to call police, leaving crimes unsolved and everyone less safe. By increasing the financial incentive for state and local police to collaborate with ICE, this amendment throws gasoline on a fire and exacerbates the current crisis of confidence in law enforcement.  

Progress to Deliver On Mandate for Equality Will Be Measured by Actions, Not Words 05.09.2013 - Washington, DC Responding to the Senate Judiciary Committee first hearing to mark-up amendments for the "Gang of 8" immigration reform proposal, Pablo Alvarado, Executive Director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network issued the following statement: "There is an undeniable distance between the politics of immigration reform within the beltway and the reality confronting millions of Americans-in-Waiting outside of the nation's capitol. The momentum for reform is a mandate for equality. The debate between Senators, with few exceptions, fails to recognize that. Instead they are busying themselves appeasing the imagined fears of the Right and paying too little attention to the real fears of law enforcement and deportations that actually do imperil our safety and require action." ###