Oregon's Immigrant Rights Organization Denounces House Judiciary “SAFE” Act that would Criminalize Immigrants, Take AZ Law Nationwide

Oregon's Immigrant Rights Organization Denounces House Judiciary “SAFE” Act that would Criminalize Immigrants, Take AZ Law Nationwide

Causa asks Congressman Walden to Reject Extreme Enforcement Bill and Support Path to Earned Citizenship

Salem, OR  — This week, the Republican-led Judiciary Committee in the House of Representatives passed an immigration bill inappropriately named the “SAFE Act,” that would make the presence of immigrants in the United States without proper documentation a federal crime and empower states and counties around the country to turn their police into immigration agents.  

As the Senate prepares to vote on legislation in the coming week that would provide a path to citizenship for 11 million aspiring Americans, the House bipartisan group is putting the finishing touches on its own bill that also includes a roadmap to citizenship. Despite the bipartisan approach in both chambers of Congress to include a pathway to citizenship, immigrant and community leaders are outraged that the House Judiciary Committee is acting alone and advancing legislation that would criminalize immigrant communities. 

“It’s as though Republicans in the House Judiciary Committee have forgotten every lesson from the November election when the American people—and especially Latino voters—made clear that immigration reform was the way forward," said Luis Guerra, Executive Director of Causa Oregon. “I certainly hope that Congressman Greg Walden will reject these political games and support the movement of a bipartisan solution that will fix our immigration system once and for all.”

This House bill is a reprisal of the notorious Sensenbrenner bill which passed the House in 2005, and motivated millions of immigrants and their allies to take to the streets in peaceful protest. It also applies the tenets of Arizona's "show me your papers" law nationwide. It is the exact opposite of the thoughtful, fair, and comprehensive immigration solution most Americans want.    

According to a recent a bipartisan poll taken in 29 states, 72 percent of likely voters support immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship.  Support from Latino voters is even greater. A recent poll from Latino Decisions found that 84 percent of Latino voters support the bipartisan Senate plan, which includes a path to citizenship.

Guerra added, “We know that in Oregon, there is broad support for immigration reform with a roadmap to citizenship from Republicans, Democrats, and Independents. Plus, it’s the right thing to do for our economy and for immigrant families across our state. We understand that the House needs to have its own process on immigration, but the House Judiciary bill is unacceptable. We will not stop fighting until legislation that criminalizes our communities is defeated and both houses of Congress pass a common-sense solution with a clear path to citizenship.”

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Causa, Oregon's Statewide Immigrant Rights Organization is largest Latina and Latino civil and human rights and advocacy organization in the Pacific Northwest. We work to defend and advance immigrant rights through coordination with local, state, and national coalitions and allies. For more information, visit www.causaoregon.org 

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National Immigrant Rights Leaders Disrupt Markup of Extreme Immigration Bill

BREAKING NEWS: Immigrant Rights Leaders Disrupt Markup of Extreme Immigration Bill

WASHINGTON D.C. --Prominent Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM)  leaders from across the country rose in unison during the House immigration markup hearings to vocally oppose the extreme anti-immigrant bill introduced by House Republicans, HR 2278.

The bill represents a desperate, far-right measure by House Republicans to impose their will on the majority of Americans who have time and again supported and voted for sensible comprehensive immigration reform. The bill would take the extreme measure of instantly turning millions of undocumented fathers, mothers and workers into criminals, mimicking the far-right Sensenbrenner bill of 2005, and attempting to nationalize Arizona’s infamous SB 1070.

Following their disruption of the House markup proceedings, the immigrant rights leaders, who are executive directors of organizations with FIRM, released the following statements:

"Leaders from all over the country took action today and reminded our elected officials that no SB1070 like legislation will be tolerated. Our families are not criminals" – Luis Guerra, Executive Director, Causa Oregon

“Previous far-right efforts to criminalize immigrant and Latino families galvanized and helped mobilize our communities, igniting a political backlash that punishes opponents of reform once and again – as recently as the last presidential election. And for good reason: Our families are not criminals. We are mothers, aspiring doctors, teachers, DREAMers, engineers, farmworkers and job creators.” –Lawrence Benito, Chief Executive Officer, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.

“This bill signals that House Republicans will take any opportunity to score political points with their base at our expense. It criminalizes families who are part of the fabric of America. It tears fathers and mothers from their children. It is not pro-enforcement; it is anti-family. Have House Republicans learned nothing from the 2012 elections?”—Kica Matos, Director of Immigrant Rights and Racial Justice, Center for Community Change.

“Like any other American in pursuit of the American Dream, we will not accept the criminalization of our families. As long as Republicans seek to treat us as criminals and destroy our families, we will continue to mobilize, organize, register, and turn out voters, until the last anti-family extremist has been voted out of office. Experienced elected officials understand that quashing and denigrating immigrant families brings political consequences. Come the next election, we will ensure that House Republicans get the memo as well.”—Angelica Salas, Executive Director, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles.

The following FIRM leaders were also at the hearing today: Eva Millona, Executive Director, Massachusetts Immigrant and Advocacy Coalition; Gustavo Torres, Executive Director, CASA de Maryland; Stephen Fotopulos, Executive Directors, Tennessee Immigrant Coalition; Chung-Wha Hong, Executive Director, New York Immigration Coalition; DJ Yoon, Executive Director, National American Korean Service and Education Consortium; and Ryan Bates, Executive Director, Michigan United.
                                                                              

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The Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM) is a national coalition of grassroots organizations in 30 states fighting for immigrant rights at the local, state and federal level. For more information, go to www.fairimmigration.org. 

Causa, Oregon's Statewide Immigrant Rights Organization is a member of the Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM) and the largest Latina and Latino civil and human rights and advocacy organization in the Pacific Northwest. We work to defend and advance immigrant rights through coordination with local, state, and national coalitions and allies. For more information, visit www.causaoregon.org

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Causa and USCIS host Flag Day Ceremony for 20 New U.S. Citizens in Salem

Salem, Ore. -- In commemoration of Flag Day today, twenty people from the Salem area became United States citizens in a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) ceremony held at the Oregon State Capitol. Causa Oregon co-hosted the ceremony with USCIS in Salem which saved the new citizens a 100-mile round trip they’d have had to make to attend a ceremony in Portland.

Flag Day is said to have originated in 1885, started by a teacher in Fredonia, Wisconsin. He promoted June 14 as the 108th anniversary of the adoption of the Stars and Stripes, the Flag Resolution of 1777. The observance was celebrated sporadically until May 1916, when President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the establishment of Flag Day. In August 1949, President Harry Truman standardized the observance, designating June 14 as National Flag Day.

Causa, Oregon's Statewide Immigrant Rights Organization, is the largest Latina and Latino civil and human rights and advocacy organization in the Pacific Northwest. We work to defend and advance immigrant rights through coordination with local, state, and national coalitions and allies. For more information, visit www.causaoregon.org

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