Reform Immigration FOR America

Imagine leaving home each morning to head to work to provide for your family with the knowledge that you may never return. Millions of immigrants, living in the U.S. face the threat of deportation, without access to due process protections. This constant threat began 20 years ago with the passage of the 1996 immigration laws, two laws that together created the current fast-track deportation procedures that unjustly criminalize immigrants and separate millions of families without even allowing them to see an immigration judge. 20 years of unjust deportation and family separation is 20 years too many. Call on our next president to commit to ending fast-track deportation of immigrants. By making low-level non-violent offenses punishable with immediate deportation, the 1996 laws--also known as the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (or IIRIRA) --criminalized the immigrant community. Under current law, the penalty for an immigrant parent getting pulled over for a broken tail light could mean never holding their children in their arms again. Minor non-violent offenses should not tear families apart through automatic deportation. Let’s repeal these aggressive laws and protect families! What’s more, mandatory detention and deportation, as established by these laws, stripped judges of any decision-making power, made immigrants’ access to lawyers difficult, and removed the right to due process for any immigrants seized by immigration law enforcement. Immigrants, like all of us, deserve the right to make their case heard in court. We must restore their right to justice by repealing the 1996 laws. Now is our chance. Join me in calling on the next president to roll back the 1996 laws.

UPDATE October 1, 2012: We just delivered your signatures to the NewsHour offices. Stay tuned for the debate on October 3! After months of campaigning across the US, the Presidential Debates put President Obama and Governor Romney in the same room, where they have to answer hard questions about our nation's future. During these debates, we deserve to have the most relevant and important issues addressed so that all voters are well informed before  November 6. At the top of this list is comprehensive immigration reform. We can’t have patchwork solutions for our immigration policies. Our current system splits families apart, threatens workers' safety, and continues to isolate immigrant communities. Now, more than ever, we need comprehensive immigration reform. And we need to know where candidates stand. Before going to the voting booth this fall, voters need to know where President Obama and Governor Romney stand on comprehensive immigration reform. And when better to find out than during the Presidential Debates. Ask the Commission on Presidential Debates to include immigration reform in the domestic policy debate.

This summer has been monumental for immigration policy. President Obama announced that deferred action against deportations for all DREAM-eligible youth -- while the Supreme Court also upheld the worst of Arizona’s SB1070, allowing law enforcement to demand papers from those they suspect to be undocumented. We can’t have patchwork solutions for our immigration policies. Our current system splits families apart, threatens workers' safety, and continues to isolate immigrant communities. Now, more than ever, we need comprehensive immigration reform. And we need to know where candidates stand. Before going to the voting booth this fall, voters need to know where every candidate stands on comprehensive immigration reform. Urge political candidates to speak up on immigration reform, so voters can make informed decisions this November.

The FBI just arrested four East Haven, CT police officers for assaulting undocumented immigrants and making up false reports against Hispanics. The East Haven officers assaulted individuals while they were handcuffed, unlawfully searched Latino businesses, and harassed and intimidated individuals, including advocates, witnesses, and other officers who tried to investigate or report misconduct or abuse the officers committed. These continual and deliberate patterns of racial profiling did not go unnoticed by the FBI. The federal investigation found “life was made miserable for Hispanics” by these officers in East Haven. But instead of standing up for the Latino community in his city, East Haven Mayor Joseph Maturo immediately came out in support of the police department. Then on a radio show, the Mayor was asked what he is going to do to help the Latino community in wake of this disgusting racial profiling tragedy. “I might have tacos when I go home, I’m not quite sure yet.” Even though he later said sorry, a politician's apology clearly isn't enough to make up for allowing institutionalized racism in a police force and city government. Tell Mayor Matruo: he needs to replace the East Haven Chief of Police and send a clear message that racial profiling won't be tolerated.

Last month Alabama became the fifth state to pass an extreme anti-immigrant law—and Alabama’s version is even more draconian than the law that inspired it—Arizona’s SB 1070. The new law is dangerous and will impact the lives of Alabama citizens: -- It inhibits children’s access to public schools by requiring school officials to verify the immigration status of children and parents; -- It authorizes police to demand “papers” demonstrating citizenship or immigration status during traffic stops, which invites racial profiling of Latinos, Asians and others who appear foreign to an officer; -- It unconstitutionally bars many lawfully present immigrants from attending public colleges or universities in Alabama; and -- It turns teachers, landlords, and community members into de facto immigration enforcement agents. A coalition has filed a lawsuit to try and overturn the law – but the Department of Justice needs to know there is a groundswell of opposition to this discriminatory law. Take action and join civil rights groups in this fight! Tell the DOJ that laws like this one erode our civil rights and fundamental American values.