FLOC On May 1

FLOC members are largely immigrant workers, and FLOC has long been a grassroots leader in the immigrant rights movement.   FLOC workers have taken a stand on essential provisions in any immigration law:
º  Immigrants must have an ongoing means to permanent residency and citizenship, in order to continue building their lives as a part of the American society.
º  Family reunification is essential for those separated by international borders, with an ongoing process that is timely and simple.
º  There must be full recognition and enforcement of human, civil, due process, and working rights for all immigrants.

In the recent months, we have seen anti--immigrant forces push hateful and punitive policies to the front, and seen in the Sensenbrenner HR 4437 bill that passed in the U.S. House of Representatives.  The Senate Judiciary Committee sent a more positive bill to the floor, which included legal residency for undocumented immigrants and family reunification, though with weak guarantees for working and civil rights and denial of important due process rights like legal counsel and judicial review of cases.  At the same time, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist introduced his own bill following the tone of FR 4427, and a Hagel-Martinez "compromise" bill was worked out that still includes provisions for making felons of undocumented immigrants and their supporters, indefinite detentions, restricted due process rights such of judicial review of contested cases, and mandatory employer verification of workers' status.  The Senate wound up doing nothing before taking a two-week recess, and has not addressed the issue since their return.  In the meantime, we have see the Department of Homeland Security increasing its immigration enforcement activities, threatening millions of people trying to support their families.

In response to the hateful approach of Congress, millions of immigrants and their supporters have rallied all over the country. 

FLOC has joined with an international coalition of  immigrant groups, with the National Coalition for Dignity and Residency, with the Grassroots Global Justice Alliance, and with an Ohio coalition of immigrant groups in an international action on May 1 in support of immigrant rights.  (For supporters in Ohio and nearby areas, please contact Beatriz Maya at 419-243-3456x3 for more information on how you can be involved in this action.  For supporters in N.C., please contact Liliana Hernandez at 919-731-4433 for more information on how you can be involved in this action.)
 

ACTON ALERT: Hold Them Accountable

FLOC is asking all of our supporters to be involved in a united action on Monday May 1 to hold our elected officials accountable for their actions regarding immigration.  Anti-immigrant groups are well-organized, and are flooding the offices of U.S. Representatives and Senators with calls calling for harsh policies against immigrants.  Congressional staff have told us that they are receiving thousands of anti-immigrant calls and only a handful of calls for immigrant rights.  They are giving the impression that most Americans want such policies.  Most Americans are decent people, and the FLOC position is that it is time to call for the highest standards, not to compromise.

This is an ELECTION YEAR, with serious consequences for the major political candidates and parties, and after the mass protests in recent weeks even some of the sponsors of anti-immigrant legislative provisions are back tracking on their positions.  American voters need to hold our political leaders accountable for their impacts on our future.
*  Are politicians responding positively to the millions who have marched in recent weeks calling for positive policies that uphold basic American values and that recognize the contributions of immigrants, or are they responding to the haters like the Minutemen hunting immigrants on the borders?
*  Are our political leaders leading us towards a stable and productive future for our society, or are they feeding into short-term fears and prejudices that undermine our long-term well-being?  What are the consequences of hateful immigration policies on the kind of society are we creating for ourselves and our children? on our national image among the people of the world who are watching how we treat their relatives and compatriots?

Contact your U.S. Representative:

Find out who your U.S. Representative is at http://www.house.gov/, and click on your state in "Find Your Representative" in the upper right corner to find out how to contact your Representative.  (You can also go to: http://www.commoncause.org/siteapps/advocacy/search.aspx?c=dkLNK1MQIwG&b=196434&kntaw4229, and enter your ZIP code.  In addition, you can look in the Blue Pages of your phone book and find the local office of your elected officials.)

Find out how your U.S. Representative voted on HR 4437 at http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll661.xml. 

MOBILIZE PEOPLE IN YOUR AREA to call their Representative, and tell them:
1.  You support or oppose their vote on HR 4437,
2.  You are fed up with the hateful and punitive approach Congress is taking towards immigrants.
3.  If you are a VOTER tell them you will remember this in how you will vote for candidates and parties in the coming elections,
       and that you will be passing this on to other voters you know in your networks.
4.  Make it clear that you support policies that
        (1) grant legal residency for undocumented immigrants,
        (2) reunite families separated by borders, and
        (3) full enforcement of human, civil, due process, and working rights. 
       And that you will not accept anything less than provisions for positively integrating immigrants into our society.
5.  Ask for a written statement on their position on immigration reform,
     and let them know that you will distribute their responses to your networks.

Anybody can call an elected official, since they are supposed to represent everyone in their district.  If you are a registered voter, make sure you identify yourself as a voter, and say that this is an important issue for you in the elections this Fall.

Contact your U.S. Senators

Since the Senate has not yet acted on any immigration bill, we will keep you informed as things develop. 

In the meantime, find out who your Senators are at http://www.senate.gov (or go to http://www.commoncause.org/siteapps/advocacy/search.aspx?c=dkLNK1MQIwG&b=196434&kntaw4229, and enter your ZIP code... or look in the Blue Pages of your phone book and find the local office of your elected officials.)

Tell you Senators:
1.  You are fed up with the hateful and punitive approach Congress is taking towards immigrants.
2.  If you are a VOTER tell them you will remember this in how you will vote for candidates and parties in the coming elections,
       and that you will be passing this on to other voters you know in your networks.
3.  Make it clear that you support policies that
        (1) grant legal residency for undocumented immigrants,
        (2) reunite families separated by borders, and
        (3) full enforcement of human, civil, due process, and working rights. 
       And that you will not accept anything less than provisions for positively integrating immigrants into our society.
4.  Ask for a written statement on their position on immigration reform,
     and let them know that you will distribute their responses to your networks.

Again, anybody can call an elected official.. but if you are a registered voter make sure you identify yourself as a voter, and say that this is an important issue for you in the elections this Fall.

Contact the President

President Bush endorsed the Sensenbrenner HR 4437 when it came up for election in the House.  Now he is saying it is unrealistic to make criminals of 12 million undocumented immigrants and their supporters, yet has endorsed the Hagel-Martinez "compromise" bill which still includes criminal provisions and restricts due process rights.

Call President Bush at 202-456-6213, or email him at comments@whitehouse.gov, and tell him:
1.  You are fed up with the hateful and punitive approach Congress is taking towards immigrants.
2.  If you are a VOTER tell them you will remember this in how you will vote for candidates and parties in the coming elections,
       and that you will be passing this on to other voters you know in your networks.
3.  Make it clear that you support policies that
        (1) grant legal residency for undocumented immigrants,
        (2) reunite families separated by borders, and
        (3) full enforcement of human, civil, due process, and working rights. 
       And that you will not accept anything less than provisions for positively integrating immigrants into our society.

Support Immigrant Rights Day

There is a general national call for a Day Without Immigrants planned on May 1.  You can show your solidarity with immigrants by:
1.  Wearing white (for peace) the whole day in support of immigrant rights.
2.  Do not purchase any goods the whole day in support of the contributions immigrants make.

 When people ask you why you are supporting immigrant rights, help them think about the issue, such as the following points:
*  How should we treat human beings?  Immigrants resent being treated like terrorists and criminals when they are working hard to support their families and fulfill their dreams for a better life.  Hundreds of thousands have expressed appreciation and devotion to America for the hope and opportunities they have experienced.
*  Why are they here?  Few elected officials have asked why immigrants have come in the first place, or recognized that migration is increasing all over the world given global economic and social forces, often as a result of U.S. foreign policies.  Immigrants are coming for the same reasons Americans are moving to other communities, and the same reasons all of our forefathers came to the U.S.  Who wants to leave their families to go to a strange land?  But in this process we can see devotion to family, courage to seek now opportunities.
*  How do their contributions help our communities?  Immigrants fill vital jobs in economic production and services, and they do pay taxes with every paycheck they receive and every purchase they make.  They create and support jobs for other Americans with their purchases of food and clothes, household appliances, cars and gasoline, and all the other goods and services it takes to live their daily lives.  They bring admirable commitment to family values and their religious faith.
*  What are the consequences of anti-immigrant hate?  Hate corrupts the basic principles upon which our society were founded.  As we have seen in our national history, racism and discrimination do not address the migration process, but rather create an underclass where poverty, social conflict, and crime are bred.  At the same time, they validate a strong image around the world that the U.S. is an arrogant and spiteful society.  As we have asked many times, who is benefiting from oppressive policies?

It is time to act!  Otherwise, policies will be made on the basis of anti-immigrant hate and narrow vested interests, which will negatively affect the long-term well-being of our society.

PASS THIS ON TO YOUR NETWORKS!

Thank you for your support!  As with all advances in social justice, it is because people like you stand up to make a difference in our society.  Together, we can realize our basic American values like liberty and justice for all.
 

This list is operated by the Farm Labor Organizing Committee AFL-CIO to keep our supporters informed about FLOC activities and events.

If you wish to support the efforts of FLOC for farmworker and immigrant justice, please go to the FLOC website at www.floc.com, where you can donate online. Tax-deductible donations to support the farm labor movement can be made to the Campaign for Migrant Worker Justice, Inc., 1221 Broadway St., Toledo Ohio 43609, 419-243-3456.