Tag Archives: immigration

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Pledge now to make 2012 the year for immigrant families


Reform Immigration FOR America

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Pledge now to make 2012 the year for immigrant families
The end of the year is a time for reflecting on the past, and planning for the future. This has been a tremendous year for immigrant rights — we were able to secure prosecutorial discretion on the national level, and declare major state victories in Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, California and Arizona.
Yet we know how quickly victories can be taken away. When our representatives continue to cave to anti-immigrant zealots, our achievements can we undone. Only when we unite our energy and efforts can we overcome, as we saw just this weekend with our allies in Alabama.
I’m calling on all of us to make a resolution for 2012: let this be the year immigrant families show our strength, in our communities and across the country. Will you join me in this pledge?
Soon you will be hearing from other allies in our movement, some new and some familiar. Although I am stepping out of my role with RI4A, I remain as bound to this movement — and each of you who make up its whole — as ever.
I am so proud of the work we have done together.Let’s rededicate ourselves, no matter where we are, to defending and empowering our families — join me in making the pledge for 2012.
As always, thanks for all that you do,
Marissa Graciosa Reform Immigration FOR America
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Marissa Graciosa, Reform Immigration FOR America


One year later, the DREAM lives on
One year ago today, we received the bitter news that the U.S. Senate would not take the DREAM Act to a vote. Callous Senators sought to punish immigrant youth, and overwhelmed those Senators who stood with us in our fight for the vote. You made over 80,000 calls, sent thousands of faxes, and brought countless new individuals into the struggle by convincing them of a simple truth, the truth that lit the fire within us all: the hard work of young people deserves the recognition and reward of our entire country, no matter their status. Without the federal legislation, what has become of the DREAM? Immigrant youth continue to lead and continue to fight — winning major victories this year in Illinois, Maryland and California.But as long as our leaders continue to support a broken system, these breakthroughs will remain fragile. One year ago, I wrote asking you to remember where our legislators stood on this vote. We have a lot of work ahead in 2012, and we won’t be forgetting who stood with us and against us one year ago today.I know you won’t either.

Thanks for all that you do,
Marissa Graciosa Reform Immigration FOR America
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50,000 stand with Alabama families! Marissa Graciosa, Reform Immigration FOR America


Your messages against HB 56 delivered to the Capitol
Over one hundred community members joined at the steps of the state Capitol this weekend to deliver nearly 50,000 signatures, collected by national immigrant rights and faith groups, and to show our solidarity across the nation with Alabama’s immigrant families.

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50,000 stand with Alabama families!
Watch the petition delivery now, and share our blog post on the rally.

Your messages were delivered, but this is just the beginning: today, our allies are launching One Family, One Alabama, a state-wide campaign to repeal HB 56. Together, we will move forward to fight back for all of our communities.

Click here to watch your signatures delivered at the Capitol.

Thanks for all you do,

Marissa Graciosa
Reform Immigration FOR America
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Occupying A Private Prison … “Axel Caballero from Cuéntame”


 

Correction Corporation of America’s Stewart facility in Lumpkin, Georgia is the largest private detention center in the nation. Stewart currently profits close to $50 million a year. As if that weren’t enough, CCA often cuts costs by denying basic services to detained immigrants and by limiting access to their family members.

CCA charges inmates close to $5 a minute to make a phone call. To pay for this, inmates work in the facility and earn a whopping $1 a day. Five days of hard work gives them just enough time for a one minute phone call.

Watch the video and take action to shut down Stewart Detention Center.CCA’s greed knows no boundaries. In the past few years they have spent $14.8 million lobbying for anti-immigration laws, like HB87 in Georgia, to ensure they have continuous access to fresh inmates and keep their money racket going. It’s time to put an end to it.

This is why on November 18th, Brave New Foundation‘s Cuéntame is partnering with a coalition of immigrant and civil rights organizations, in a powerful vigil and occupation outside the Stewart facility in Georgia. The demand: Shut down Stewart Detention Center now.

You can join-in too online! Add your demand message and we will read and deliver it at the action event!

Your voice is the most important tool we need to fight back against the private prison greed and abuse.

Yours,
Axel Caballero and the Cuéntame team.

I invite you to join Cuéntame on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

IN CASE YOU MISSED OUR OTHER IMMIGRANTS FOR SALE VIDEOS:

         
A Family Split ApartPedro Guzmanspent 19 months at CCA’s Stewart private detention because he missed an immigration order.Authorities showed no mercy after Guzman explained the court order was sent to an old address.CCA profited approximately $72,000 from Pedro’s detention.Guzman’s wife Emily and only son Logan endured a painful and debilitating struggle to survive while they fought for Pedro’s release.   Death For ProfitRoberto Martinez-Medina died in CCA’s Stewart Detention Center in Georgia in 2009.Medina had been arrested a month earlier for not having a driver’s license.CCA profited off of Medina’s incarceration, and ensured a greater profit by denying him critical health care.CCA has gone to great lengths to hush Medina’s death.   Immigrants For Sale Animated TrailerTop 3 things YOU need to know about the private prison money scheme:1) The victims: Private prisons don’t care about who they lock up. At $200 per immigrant a night, this is the “perfect” money scheme.2) The players: CCA, Geo Group and MTC— combined currently profit more than $5 billion a year.3)The money: These corporations spend $20 million a year lobbying legislators to get anti-immigrant laws approved and thus more inmates.
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Victory in Arizona: What’s next? Marissa Graciosa, Reform Immigration FOR America


 A major win
 for our communities in Arizona

In April 2010, Reform Immigration FOR America and our partners supported our communities when Arizona passed the most extreme anti-immigrant bill in the United States. We held vigils. We rallied in the streets. We boycotted. Today, we stand behind Arizonans again, but for a very different purpose.

 

 Voters in Arizona’s District 18 ousted Russell Pearce, the architect of the hate-filled bill SB 1070, Tuesday night. He’s being replaced by Jerry Lewis, a pro-immigrant candidate committed to reforming our immigration policies in a humane, just way.

 This victory is a big one and we’re going to shout it from the rooftops.   http://act.reformimmigrationforamerica.org/go/1129?akid=776.164689.ecXJBU&t=5

 Pearce’s bill set the devastating tone for the rest of the nation’s immigration policies over the last 18 months. Anti-immigrant copycat bills were introduced in several states and a few were even passed. In Alabama, state legislators used SB1070 as the model to create the most extreme anti-immigrant bill in the country.

 Join us on Facebook to talk about what this victory means for our communities.

 By ousting Pearce, we’ve shown we’re resilient, we’re powerful, and we’re going to keep fighting for our rights. In 2012, anti-immigrant legislators will now have to think twice before pursuing anti-immigrant policies in our states.

 Congratulations on this victory,

 Marissa Graciosa
 Reform Immigration FOR America