Wednesday, March 08, 2006

Immigration Action

There are a lot of causes. We could post another cause every day. But Feinstein is up for re-election this year and now is the time to push her button on the immigration issue. The following alert is from the UFW. Do we need Camejo leading a march before we get involved? I don't think so.

E-mail Sen. Feinstein As Judiciary
Committee Debates Immigration!
Send your e-mail today!

Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee will start the debate on the immigration reform proposal that will be presented on the Senate floor later this month. Please e-mail Senator Feinstein today and tell her farm workers desperately need AgJobs. Our nation can do better than punitive provisions that would criminalize undocumented immigrants and compromise basic civil liberties. Tell her that as the senior Senator from the largest immigrant and agricultural state in the nation--whose economy relies heavily on immigrant labor--you are concerned about the previous positions she has taken on this issue.

Just last year she was one of the only Democrats not to vote for the UFW-sponsored AgJOBS bill, when the majority of Senators--including 15 Republicans--voted in support of this historic bipartisan compromise.

In addition, while Senator Feinstein co-sponsored the DREAM Act in 2003--in committee she unexpectedly pushed for last minute harmful changes including the elimination of eligibility for federal student aid grants.

Given Senator Feinstein’s recent history, it remains to be seen how she will vote on the bill that the judiciary committee is reviewing. This bill, proposed by Senator Specter and known as the "Chairman's Mark”--includes the following punitive provisions:

  • Expanding the definition of "alien smuggling" to something as innocent as taking someone to the hospital or driving your child’s friend home after school.

  • Impeding an immigrant's ability to get a full and fair trial, which means innocent people can be deported without any hearing even if they are in the U.S. legally.

Please send your e-mail to Senator Feinstein today. Urge her to support realistic and humane immigration reform that offers the opportunity for hardworking undocumented immigrants to earn a path to citizenship, such as the UFW-sponsored AgJOBS bill (S. 359).

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