Monday, May 15, 2006

New Immigrants Rights Alliance formed

The We Are America Alliance a newly-forming nationwide alliance of 41 immigrant, grassroots, labor, local, statewide and national organizations has announced a plan to organize lobbying and voter registration efforts on behalf of comprehensive immigration reform.

The group plans to start off it's campaign with a "National Lobbying Day" on Wednesday May,17, during which they are urging people to either go to Washington DC, make calls or send e-mails to their Senators to let them know that they should support comprehensive immigration reform.


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As President Bush prepares to address the nation tonight about immigration, a newly formed network of groups that organized demonstrations for illegal immigrants is conference calling, brainstorming and consolidating its forces so that it can respond to the government with a unified voice.

The We Are America Alliance of 41 immigrant resource groups, unions, churches, day laborers and Spanish-language disc jockeys opposes House legislation that would criminalize illegal immigrants, but it will lobby Congress and compromise to realize its goal of obtaining legal residency for many of the 11 million people who live in the shadows

-snip-

Bush's plan to dispatch National Guard troops to the Mexican border was not greeted well by the immigrant coalition, which plans a day of civil action Wednesday, with demonstrations at the White House and on Capitol Hill, and the launch of a nationwide voter registration campaign at churches and nonprofit organizations that hopes to sign up a million new voters among legal residents.

Washington Post

According to the organizers, the new group has a goal to:

  • Produce a million new voters and citizens between now and Election Day 2006

  • Press our lawmakers to stop the punitive and harsh HR 4437

  • Enact real and comprehensive immigration reform that provides a path to citizenship for America's undocumented immigrants, reunites families, respects civil rights, and protects all workers.


Over the next six months the We Are America Alliance will launch its "Millions for Change and Democracy" action plan, conducting advocacy drives, organizing rallies, and, in order to hold lawmakers more accountable, producing a million new citizens and voters between now and Election Day, 2006.

May 17 – National Lobby Day – With the Senate expected to take up immigration reform that week, grassroots advocates will descend on Washington, D.C. from across the country in support of real, comprehensive immigration reform. A rally the same day is expected to draw five to ten thousand participants. Those from around the nation who cannot make it to Washington, D.C. will be making visits to lawmakers in their home states and districts. For more information, please call 1-888-347-8234 or email us info@weareamericaalliance.org

July 1 – Democracy Summer – On July 1st, the We Are America Alliance will kick off Democracy Summer activities to help a million eligible individuals become citizens and voters.

Labor Day Weekend – Million-person mobilizations – Regional mobilizations in Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington, D.C. are expected to attract a million supporters for comprehensive immigration reform.

September Through Election Day – Get Out the Vote Efforts – Organizations and networks making up the Alliance will launch a massive GOTV effort to mobilize eligible voters to participate in the November elections.

Link

Details for Wednesday May 17th from the We Are America Alliance:

Please continue to make your voice heard by participating in the We Are America Nationwide Lobby Day. Come to Washington, DC to meet with your Senators and Representatives or engage them in your home state through visits, calls, letter deliveries, etc.

WHEN: Wednesday, May 17th 2006

WHERE: Washington, DC or your home state

WHY: To make your voice heard in the debate around immigration reform
This is the first nationally coordinated event of the We Are America Alliance. With the Senate expected to take up immigration reform beginning on May 16th, it is more important than ever for our elected officials to hear from us. A We Are America Rally will be held in Washington, DC on the afternoon of May 17th.
If you are interested in coming to DC or your organization plans to engage members of Congress in your home state, please call us at 1-888-347-8234 or email us us so we can amplify this national effort as well as prepare for those of you who will come to DC. The schedule for the DC Lobby Day is as follows:

DC SCHEDULE
9am-9:45am Continental Breakfast and Packet Distribution at United Methodist Building; 110 Maryland Avenue NE

10am-3pm Lobby Visits with Senate and House [all groups should schedule their own visits]
Link


If you wish to contact your Senator or Congressional Representative:

US Senate.gov

US House.gov

Online directory 109th congress

Online directory 109th Congress (en español)

Congressional E-mail directory

1 comment:

theboz said...

Duke,

You're extremely fast with this stuff. I was about to write something up on this myself. :-)