Immigrant Rights

WNPJ Blog: Finding inspiration in Arizona

Submitted by admin on Tue, 08/10/2010 - 10:29am
 
Kristen Petrosius (center) at a civil resistance
action in Arizona

Kristen Petroshius of the Madison Groundwork anti-racist collective was one of more than 80 people recently arrested in Arizona for engaging in acts of civil resistance against the state's new anti-immigrant racial-profiling law, SB1070. The Phoenix protesters targeted the Fourth Avenue Jail run by Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who has led a wave of police repression against immigrants and people of color in the state. In deciding to risk arrest, Kristen had to confront the fears that keep many of us from taking action against injustice, and found inspiration and role models in those who shared her jail cell. Read and comment here...

Wisconsin Driver Card

LEGISLATION INTRODUCED BY REP. PEDRO COLON FOR ISSUANCE OF DRIVERS CARDS

(This bill was introduced during the Winter 2010 legislative session; it did not pass.  Rep Colon is now following developments in Arizona before deciding if to introduce it again in the next session.)

       

Voces says: Wisconsin is not Arizona!

Submitted by staff on Fri, 05/21/2010 - 5:32pm

From WNPJ member group Voces de la Frontera:  Wisconsin is Not Arizona! Join us this Saturday, May 22, at noon at the Frontier Airline Center (formerly Midwest Express Center), 3rd and Wisconsin, for a press conference in front of the State Republican Convention to condemn gubernatorial candidate Scott Walker's recent reversal on Arizona SB1070 law; now proclaiming, "If I were governor of Arizona, I too would sign the Arizona immigration bill"

Urge Attorney General Holder to protect constitutional rights of all Arizona residents

Submitted by staff on Wed, 04/28/2010 - 12:14pm

Arizona's harsh new anti-immigrant law, SB 1070, requires the police to investigate and detain anyone who could "reasonably be suspected" of being an undocumented immigrant, and even makes it a crime for legal immigrants not to have papers proving their immigration status. The bill is a clear violation of 4th Amendment protections against unreasonable government search and seizure, and, just as in the 1960's, federal action is needed to protect civil rights in a  state where the governor and legislature are writing racial discrimination into the law. Click here to sign an online petition urging Attorney General Holder to enforce the Constitution by blocking the enforcement of Arizona's anti-immigrant racial-profiling bill.

Thank Milwaukee Area Tech College for "Boycott Arizona" vote

Submitted by staff on Thu, 06/10/2010 - 4:14pm

By a vote of 6-1, the Board of Milwaukee Area Technical College voted to join the growing "Boycott Arizona" movement and ban any purchase by the college of goods and services from Arizona-based businesses.

Tens of thousands, including Wisconsin activists, march in Phoenix against racial-profiling law targeting immigrants

Submitted by admin on Mon, 05/31/2010 - 6:46pm

Tens of thousands of people, including members of WNPJ member group Voces de la Frontera, (some of whom are pictured) participated in the May 29 National Civil Rights March in Phoenix in response to Arizona's new law which requires police to stop and question any person if they can claim to have "reasonable suspicion" that the person is in the country illegally. The law also makes it a crime to assist or transport any undocumented person.

Students rally for DREAM Act, immigration reform

Submitted by staff on Thu, 01/21/2010 - 1:47pm

Daily Cardinal: The Madison Student Coalition, a union of local high school and college students and immigrant rights advocates, rallied Tuesday as part of a national week of action to encourage federal immigration reform.
The march began at Memorial Library and finished on the Capitol’s steps, where activists held a press conference to voice their support for two bills: the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, introduced in 2001, and the Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America’s Security and Prosperity Act, introduced in December.  Both bills would provide a path to higher education and citizenship for immigrant youth brought to the United States at a young age.

Schumer/Graham

The Schumer/Graham Blueprint

Senators Chuck Schumer (D-New York) and Lindsay Graham (R-SC) are the only legislators who have agreed to work on immigration reforms.  On March 18, 2010, they announced a "Blueprint" with an ouline of the legislation they may introduce to the Senate.  President Obama immediately declared his support and urged Congress "to act at the earliest possible opportunity".  He also pledged his cooperation in the effort to secure bipartisan consensus to move toward comprehensive immigration reform.

 

Robert Reich: Immigration can save Social Security

Submitted by staff on Tue, 04/13/2010 - 3:14pm

Robert Reich on Immigration
Fed Chair Ben Bernanke this week listed choices to reform Social Security. "To avoid large and unsustainable budget deficits," he said in a speech on Wednesday, "the nation must choose among higher taxes, modifications to entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare, less spending on everything else from education to defense, or some combination of the above."

Bernanke is almost certainly right about "some combination," but he leaves out one other possible remedy that should be included in that combination: Immigration.

Points of unity

The Madison Immigration Reform Coalition (MIRC) has adopted the following points of unity:

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