Dear Friends –

I’ve just come from the White House, where I met with a group of top administration officials, and they told me in no uncertain terms:

The president means what he said this summer – he wants to see a congressional debate about immigration in early 2010.

DHS is holding meetings like this with stakeholders across the country. Department officials, along with reform champions in Congress, are preparing policy options. And the DHS bureaucracy is building up capacity to implement reform.

The meeting was somber at times - no one thinks this will be easy. The White House knows, maybe better than anyone, how bitterly polarized the country is today.

But this is where we come in – they need our help to get this done.

What they asked us to do in the short term: start speaking out in the states about the need for reform.

Many members of Congress still don’t get it. Many are still leery of immigration. And when they go home to their districts, they still hear only the voices shouting NO.

We have to help change that. Congressional visits are important – we must keep up that drumbeat. So is recruiting a grassroots rank and file. But we also need to start making our voices heard – publicly.

Have you and others in your coalition considered publishing an op-ed piece or a letter to the editor in the local newspaper? What about visiting the newspaper editorial board? Calling in to a local talk radio show? Speaking up at a Rotary Club or a town hall meeting?

ImmigrationWorks can help – with templates, talking points and advice. We’re going to be reaching out to your coalition in the weeks ahead – we want to do all we can to support your efforts in coming months.

But you need a plan of action and you need to get started now.

Early 2010 will be here before we know it! What are you and other employers in your state doing to prepare for a battle?

All best, Tamar

Tamar Jacoby
President
ImmigrationWorks USA

www.immigrationworksusa.org