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Balal Parveez has nine brothers and sisters, a wife, and two parents who love him — they’re all American citizens. But because of a laeyer’s error from years ago, Balal is the only person in his family who is undocumented. Now Balal is facing deportation: He’s been held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for eight long months, during which time the former athlete has grown thin and depressed. This week Balal required surgery to remove growths on his chest, and ICE threw Balal back into his cell right after surgery. Balal’s family is fighting hard to keep him in America. Balal’s sister, Nosheen Dean, went to visit him in Florida last week. She says, “I told him, ‘I promise you I’m not going to let them deport you.’” Nosheen started a petition on Change.org begging ICE to let Balal stay in America. Click here to sign Nosheen’s petition right now. Balal embodies the idea of a model American. He was brought to the US from Pakistan when he was five. He was a good student, played on his high school football team, went to community college, and married his high school sweetheart. Balal has no criminal record whatsoever. But Balal first came to the U.S. with his aunt, and the family lawyer mistakenly processed Balal’s immigration case with his aunt’s instead of his parents’. That’s why Balal has spent 8 months in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in Florida, 1200 miles from his family in New York. He’s facing deportation to a country that’s foreign to him — a place where he could be killed because of his father’s outspoken opposition to the Taliban. Balal shouldn’t be in detention in the first place. He clearly fits the new criteria laid out by President Obama that should make him an extremely low priority for deportation. ICE officials need to know that their actions are being watched, and that it is unacceptable for them to rip apart American families. Please sign Nosheen’s petition demanding that ICE release her brother Balal from detention and allow him to stay with his wife and family in the U.S.: http://www.change.org/petitions/release-dreamer-balal-parveez-to-his-family-and-stop-his-deportation Thanks for being a change-maker, – Jackie and the Change.org team |
Tag Archives: United States
AFL – CIO
| According to press reports, Democrats on Congress’s debt reduction “super committee” proposed hundreds of billions of dollars in cuts to Social Security and Medicare benefits, as well as Medicaid, while Republicans proposed even bigger and more harmful cuts to these essential middle-class benefits.AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka recorded a video message to fill you in on what’s happening and what you can do. Please watch right away.
The Once you’ve watched President Trumka’s video, be sure to share it on Facebook and Twitter with your friends and family. And stay alert. We may soon need you to take action to save the middle class. Hours or even minutes could matter. We are the 99%, and Congress needs to represent us. It’s that simple. In Solidarity, Manny Herrmann Online Mobilization Coordinator, AFL-CIO |
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Department of Justice … Jim Dean
“The universal rights of assembly and free speech must be protected, and the United States stands with all who seek to exercise those rights.” — President Barack
Obama.
You may be thinking the above quote from President Obama was talking about the Occupy Wall Street protests — but he wasn’t. He was talking about the protests in Iran this past year.
Yet every morning, we read another story from a DFA member involved in an Occupy Wall Street action — stories about how protesters are struggling with authorities just to be able to exercise their basic rights. Every day we hear about some new dirty trick being pulled in an effort to stifle and break up the movement.
The tactics are varied. Some days it’s the Mayor of New York attempting to forcibly evict protesters from Zuccotti Park under the guise of “cleaning” or taking away the power supply. Other days, it’s mass arrests in Boston in the middle of the night. And just days ago it was the horrific story of police firing dangerous weapons on unarmed peaceful demonstrators in Oakland — and even seriously wounding a United States marine who served in Iraq.
The truth is: the universal rights of Occupy Wall Street protesters to free speech and assembly are not being protected right now. It’s time for our nation’s top law enforcement agency to stand up and defend its own civilians who are under attack — from New York to Oakland and every occupation in between.
At other pivotal moments in American history, the Department of Justice and the President have taken action to protect its citizens engaged in protest from injustice and police brutality.
We need that same leadership again now.
President Obama has stood up and showed great leadership in demanding that all governments worldwide protect the rights of their people to peacefully protest without harassment. It’s time for the Obama administration to lead again by demanding those exact same protections for peaceful protestors here in the United States of America.
Thank you for everything you do,
– Jim
Jim Dean, Chair
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Support the Local Farms, Food, and Jobs Act
Urge Congress to support local food systems, instead of subsidizing unhealthy processed foods — tell your members Congress to cosponsor Local Farms, Food and the Jobs Act !
Currently, billions of taxpayer dollars subsidize unhealthy, processed foods, while farmers who grow healthy foods work without support—but we can change that!
Leaders in Congress have introduced the Local Farms, Food, and Jobs Act to support local farmers and food markets. A recent UCS report found that expanding local food systems will boost local economies, create jobs, and encourage consumption of fruits and vegetables. As a bonus, these farmers are also more likely to embrace practices that protect our air, water, and soil.
With enough support, this bill could become part of the larger Food and Farm Bill, currently moving through Congress at a lightning pace.
Write to your members of Congress and ask them to cosponsor the Local Farms, Food, and Jobs Act today!
Take Action Today!
Sincerely,
Jenn Yates
National Field Organizer
UCS Food & Environment Program
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wicked weather Wednesday … &some News
featured photo by Nick Lippert 
just another rant … dang it’s cold
I received a comment in response to an article about Government regulations which I appreciate
HIM: Submitted on 2011/11/01 at 11:32 AM |
ME:re: Getting the facts straight on regulation.
What we need are MORE Regulatory agencies doing their jobs … period
No disrespect, but the notion that there is over or excessive regulation going on in a time when lack of it created our … the USA financial crisis , it created the BP spill and tell me you have not forgotten the Massey Mine disaster have you? There are things that need strict guidelines and most parents want Clean Air, Clean Water and not only affordable health care but some of us would actually pay a smidge more to make sure that food, flights and anything else that seems too big to handle for an individual can be by the Government and not privatized. If, folks believe privatization only creates more jobs please remember that it also means your cost for services will go up and isn’t that what folks are already complaining about now? An increase in insurance premiums would be just a start. I like having firefighters, cleared roads, police, the EPA and FEMA available and they are all worth paying the Government to act for everyone not just a select few. I will not forget the man who failed to pay his protection fee which resulted in his house burning down; that is what privatization does. I expect the Government to be our children’s watchdog for their health and our future. I would say corrupt regulators need not apply and while you and the Heritage Foundation have a different attitude about regulations, it is my contention that your opinion should not be driving what Republicans in Congress do or say, especially in both Chambers of Congress. A lack of Regulation along with people who got used to excessive behavior drove our economy to the edge of disaster. The Grover Norquists of the world and Heritage foundation like organizations just do not understand that they only represent a small percentage of voters and after having read your 10/12 article; it definitely sounded like the Heritage Foundation would love to go around the voter if they could. I find it almost amusing to read how conservative groups rationalize their feelings about regulations. Then again, it just puts the light on how out of touch your group is and if this is the meme being pushed on members of Congress who are not only supposed to be working for the people paid by we the people, truly a sad example of what being members of Congress means.
The quote below is from ordinarycitizenextraordinarytimes
“Holding Congress Accountable- Congressional approval of proposed new rules would be an important step toward holding both regulators and Congress accountable for the regulations imposed on the private sector. It is no panacea for the problems of excessive regulation. But, especially if combined with other steps, it would be a significant step forward.”
Sir, again, a lack of Regulation with a big R is just the tip of the sinking ship and though I totally get Capitalism … I believe it should be with a lower case c, which includes small businesses, and those who aspire to get ahead not just or only for big C as in Corporations who more often than not seem to send opportunities and jobs overseas to avoid regulations which is harmful to everyone.
Be a Seed for Change 
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