Thread: OBL wants another immigration bill proposal to consider

From: "Enrique Morones" <enriquemorones@cox.net>

July 7, 2009

Enrique Morones
Border Angels
San Diego, CA

Dear Enrique,

We are writing as members of an informal coalition of Bay Area organizations and individuals in northern California who came together on April 2nd, 2009 to collectively affirm a set of principles circulated by the National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (NNIRR) in 2006 for immigration reform and discuss the political climate, respective challenges and strategies for base building and advocacy. Recognizing that such efforts must be national, we write to ask you to work with us to develop a strategy for meaningful immigration reform.

We are also sending you this letter, not just about an agreement on a set of ideas, but to engage in a discussion of a strategy for making these ideals a reality. Many of us have been convinced that we need to move beyond ideas, and now seek to get a bill introduced into Congress based on them. We call the proposal an alternative bill, since it would represent an alternative to the kind of proposals we have heard from Washington over the last few years, and which we fear we will hear again this year.

An alternative bill is important, first, because we need to advocate what we actually want, not what we are told is politically feasible or necessary. There are real solutions to the denial of the rights of migrants, to the economic forces that cause migration, and to the economic crisis that affects working people in general. If we have no bill in Congress, we are restricted to criticizing other proposals, rather than putting forward our own solutions. An alternative bill is not based on calculations that emphasize deal-making with employers or the enforcement lobby, but instead on protections of human rights.

More importantly, an alternative bill would be a great organizing tool. It gives us a positive program we can take into communities around the country, and use to talk about real solutions that benefit people. We can make it the subject of community meetings and forums, marches, lobbying visits to Congress members, newspaper articles and other means of rallying people. This bill could serve as a bridge building tool helping us to forge stonger alliances between immigrant communities, immigrant rights organizations, other communities of color, working families and labor, human rights advocates, and the religious community. These are the basic constituencies that have a commitment to human rights, and who already see a connection between U.S. trade policy and poverty abroad, forced migration of families, criminalization policies and economic exploitation. That common perspective is what we can build and organize on.

We would like to ask you to consider this idea, and then to talk with us and with others about how to move forward. We would be happy to begin a discussion with you in any way you like. But time is short, and it is important to begin this work as soon as we can. An alternative is possible if we fight and organize for it.

Please get in touch with the Equal Justice Society (cpena@equaljusticesociety.org), La Raza Centro Legal (ana@lrcl.org or renee@lrcl.org) or Filipinos for Affirmative Action (lgaledo@filipinos4action.org), and let us know what you think and how you'd like to work together. We look forward to working with you.

In solidarity,

San Francisco Day Labor Program
Womens' Collective, SFDLP
La Raza Centro Legal
San Francisco Living Wage Coalition
National Lawyers Guild, Bay Area chapter
Young Workers United
Alianza Latinoamericana por los Derechos de los Inmigrantes
International Socialist Organization
Equal Justice Society
Graton Day Labor Center
El Movimeinto por una Amnistia
United Food and Commercial Workers Local 5
Filipinos for Affirmative Action
Labor Council for Latin American Advancement - San Francisco
Centro Latino Cuscatlan
St. Peter's Housing Committee
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Local 3299
Global Exchange



What We Want: Fair and Just Immigration Reform
Based on the National Statement to Support Human and Civil Rights for All Immigrants
circulated by the National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights in 2006

Fair and just immigration reform means:
o Genuine legalization and opportunities to adjust status for all undocumented immigrants, including youth and farmworkers
o Preservation of due process
o No indefinite detention or expansion of mandatory detention
o No expansion of guest worker programs
o No more wasted resources allocated to further militarize our borders and to contribute to the crisis of human rights and lives in the border regions
o An end to employer sanctions and electronic worker verification systems
o The strengthening and enforcement of labor law protections for all workers, native and foreign born
o No use of city, state or other government agencies in the enforcement of immigration law
o No more criminalization of immigrants, or their service providers
o Expansion of legal immigration opportunities, support for family reunification and immediate processing of the backlog of pending visa applications
o Elimination of harsh obstacles to immigrating, including the HIV ban, "3 and 10 year bars," and high income requirements for immigrant sponsors.

David Bacon

Its NOT what WE want as American citizens so take this request back home with you to your home country...

They are illegals not immigrants. They have no rights here and we don't care about their opinions and/or demands. They are not citizens and they do not pay into our system, they have no say or impact on us. More of their stupid nonsense.

No use of city, state or other government agencies in the enforcement of immigration law

In other words: Every human being has a right to become an American.

Are they eating the 'Magic Mushrooms'?

Originally Posted by Ratbstard

No use of city, state or other government agencies in the enforcement of immigration law

In other words: Every human being has a right to become an American.

Are they eating the 'Magic Mushrooms'?

Sounds like one country trying to undermine another. Classic non-violent take-over. The crazy bastards are trying to take over us.