Act Now: No More Militarization of the border, Yes to including workers!
THE NEW GANG OF 8 PLAN CALL FOR ACTION! CALL TODAY!
ACT NOW! NO TO MILITARIZATION OF THE BORDER; YES TO INCLUDING WORKERS
THE NEW GANG OF 8 PLAN IS EXCESSIVE, EXPENSIVE, AND EXTREME.
The Senate Gang of 8:
•Made a new deal Wednesday night that greatly increases border enforcement, without any increase in accountability and transparency, via more agents and more fencing. (THUNE Amendment 1197). The deal they struck calls for 20,000 MORE agents on the border and 700 miles of new fencing.
•Meanwhile, The Grassley Amendment 1299 would replace and worsen the already punitive Senate bill 744 provisions regarding gang membership disqualification bars to legalization and deportation for those with lawful status. It would create a new broad definition of criminal street gang and substantially increasing the burden of proof on a person to prove he did not know or reasonably should have known about the gang. A person would be permanently blocked from legal status and/or deported if the person falls within this new amendment.
Call 1-866-940-2439 to be connected with your Senators. You can also call the Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121 or find Senators’ direct lines at www.senate.gov
Please call Boxer and Feinstein immediately. Tell them:
“My name is _____________, and I LIVE IN THE BAY AREA. I am calling to ask Senator _________ to reject the proposal that the Gang of 8 is talking about RIGHT NOW to double the number of agents in border communities and add hundreds of miles of more fencing. I am also calling the Senator to opposed the Grassley Amendment #1299 that relates to suspected gang membership because: This amendment would punish mere “membership,” and is nothing more than guilt by association.”
Dianne Feinstein: (202) 224-3841
Barbara Boxer: (202) 224-3553
HELP ENSURE DAY LABORERS HAVE PATH TO LEGALIZATION
Finally, Please join the following urgent action to help ensure day laborers have an avenue to legalization! The pathway to legalization and citizenship is closed to much of the day laborer community in the US because of a requirement to prove continuous employment at the 6 year and 10 year mark. The inconsistent and seasonal nature of day labor work (more work in the summer and less in the winter), means that day laborers will either be excluded from immigration reform or will have to remain with exploitative employers and in abusive working conditions for years in order to meet this requirement.
Support Maryland Senator Ben Cardin’s Amendment 1294 to add a Community Service component to the Senate bill’s legalization program.
The bill now requires applicants to demonstrate employment history 6 years after receiving provisional status and again at 10 years. This means many immigrants will be excluded and may more will endure terrible working conditions to avoid becoming ineligible. Having a community service alternative will protect working people, encourage community engagement, and ensure an open path exists.
But we have to act fast. By the end of the day FRIDAY, JUNE 21, please do the following:
1) Post and distribute this PETITION: //bit.ly/support1294
2) Call your Senator and tell them:
“We support Cardin’s amendment #1294 because community service should be part of the legalization program.”
Dianne Feinstein: (202) 224-3841
Barbara Boxer: (202) 224-3553
Now is the time be vigilant.
Now is the time to take action.
In solidarity,
Causa Justa :: Just Cause
#Not1More #NiUnaMas