1. Immigration Policy: Advocating for change Tammy Alexander MCC Washington Office March 2013

2. Immigration Reform Proposals

3. Senate Framework Bipartisan “Gang of 8” (January) Introduction: “We will ensure that this is a successful permanent reform to our immigration system that will not need to be revisited.” Four “pillars”: –Path to citizenship –Reform system –Employment verification –Future workers

4. Path to citizenship “Contingent” upon securing borders and addressing visa overstays –Worth noting: 2006/2007 benchmarks met

5. Path to citizenship First: background check, fine, back taxes, no criminal background --> probationary legal status (can live and work in the U.S.) Citizenship: after border enforcement measures are complete, go to the back of the line, learn English and civics, demonstrate work history, current employment

6. Path to citizenship DREAMers – more lenient requirements Agricultural workers – special program –“…have been performing very important and difficult work to maintain America’s food supply while earning subsistence wages”

7. Reform system Recognizes current system is broken, legal path is difficult, families are separated Reduce visa backlogs – family and employment Admit “best and brightest” – Masters or PhD in STEM field from U.S. university

8. Employment verification Mandatory E-Verify

9. Future workers Creates a workable program for “lower- skilled” workers –Agricultural –Dairy Must try to hire “American” worker first

10. Future workers Would allow more workers during economic expansions –fewer during recessions Stronger labor protections Permit workers to earn greencards

11. White House Proposal Similar to Senate Framework but… –Path to citizenship not contingent on enforcement measures (however, “more work to do” on border security) –Focus deportations on criminals –Use alternatives to detention, reduce detention costs

12. White House Proposal –Improve immigration courts –Raise country caps, eliminate existing backlogs for families –Better protect victims of crime, asylum seekers

13. Questions/comments? Where does the Senate proposal make needed changes? How does it fall short? What is missing?

14. ADVOCACY

15. What is advocacy? Calling for changes to policies at the federal, state, and local levels Identifying systemic injustices, built into our laws and practices – and pushing for specific changes to address those injustices

16. Who do we advocate to? Federal policymakers –U.S. Congress –White House –Other administrative departments (DHS, ICE, HHS) State & local policymakers –State legislature, governor –City council, mayor –Sherriff / law enforcement

17. Example: The DREAM Act –A bill in the U.S. Congress that would allow some undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children to get on a pathway to citizenship. –2001: first introduced –2010: big push Passed in U.S. House Fell 5 votes short in the U.S. Senate

18. Ex: DREAM Act –Injustice continued –Story after story of DREAMers deported –Thousands more at risk –Switch target: who else has power? Obama Administration

19. Ex: DREAM Act –Pushed Obama Administration Interfaith letters, meetings Grassroots campaigns – letters, calls, op-eds –Result: June 2012 – DACA announcement! Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Many DREAMers now safe from deportation –Temporary fix – legislation still needed

20. Ex: DREAM Act –State “DREAM Act”s In-state tuition bills

21. Example: Secure Communities –Fingerprints submitted by local police to FBI are sent to immigration authorities –2008: Began as a voluntary program; cities told they could ‘opt out’ –2010: DHS says program is mandatory

22. Example: Secure Communities –Today: Several localities are trying to opt out or are refusing to participate Santa Clara, CA; Cook County, IL NY, IL, DC CA – Trust Act

23. Ex: Secure Communities –Who has the power? Where do we target advocacy? Federal – Obama administration, DHS, ICE State/local –Governors, legislatures, county commissioners, etc. –Local police

24. Ex: Secure Communities –Who are our allies? Immigrant advocates Faith groups / faith leaders Law enforcement groups Civil rights organizations

25. Ex: Secure Communities –Federal advocacy: Letters, meetings with Obama administration; grassroots pressure –State/local advocacy Letters, meetings Campaigns: CA Trust Act Local police education

26. QUESTIONS?

27. What can I do? PRAY LEARN ADVOCATE TEACH ENGAGE

28. For immigrants For the church For political leaders Prayer/worship resources –washington.mcc.org/immigration PRAY

29. washington.mcc.org/immigration immigration.mcc.org –MCC action alerts –E-Memo –Facebook –interfaithimmigration.org (webinars) –immigrationforum.org Learn your family’s migration history LEARN

30. Sign up for alerts/facebook –washington.mcc.org Letters Phone calls Letters to the editor in your local paper Participate in campaigns: –Call-in days, letters, petitions –Organize vigils, forums, etc. ADVOCATE

31. Sunday school Other small group classes Forum washington.mcc.org/immigration TEACH

32. Engage with local immigration advocacy groups –washington.mcc.org/stateimmigration Engage with immigrants in your community & beyond –Recent immigrant churches –Detention visitation –Volunteer (ESL, documentation) ENGAGE –Migrant Trail –Borderlinks

33. Does my voice make a difference? Yes! U.S. Congress 2010 –10:1 anti-immigrant calls –DREAM Act push: 1:1 Anti-immigrant voices are very loud Any positive messages are helpful – you don’t have to be an expert

34. QUESTIONS?

35. WHAT ARE YOU DOING? Discussion

36. Action plan What are your strengths? What do you need? What can you commit to in the next two months? Six months?

37. QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION

38. © 2013 Mennonite Central Committee washington.mcc.org Immigration.mcc.org

39. Other charts (not used)

40. You & your policymakers Called? Written a letter? Visited office (local or DC)? Letter to the editor?

41. Letters Tips? –Short (1 page) –Specific (1-2 specific “asks”) –Stories (especially local) –Facts –Hand written Letter writing time in Sunday school, after church Offering of letters

42. Visits Tips? –Can be short (10-60 min) –Be specific (1-2 specific “asks”) –Stories (especially local) –Facts (“leave behinds”) –Follow up –Others?

43. Letters to the editor Tips? –Short (100-200 words) –Timely (ideally, within 24 hours) –Specific –Stories (especially local) –Facts –Others?

44. Social media Facebook –Friend your policymakers –Engage Twitter –Use twitter to share what you're doing with your members of Congress (by sending them a Direct Tweet or mentioning them in your tweet) Other suggestions?

45. Find an issue or a couple of issues that you’re really passionate about – use the 5 steps –DREAM / deferred action (DACA) –Border militarization –Family separation –Children put into foster care –Secure Communities / local policing –Detention –Farm workers –State pro- and anti- immigrant laws Working for Justice

46. –What are the economic costs of undocumented immigration? –What are economic benefits of undocumented immigration? ECONOMICS

47. Costs –Public school –Emergency services –Public spaces – use roads, sidewalks, parks ECONOMICS

48. Costs –Public benefits (e.g., food stamps and welfare) Undocumented immigrants are NOT eligible (though, their U.S. citizen children may be) Documented immigrants must wait until they have been in the U.S. for 5 years ECONOMICS

49. Benefits –Taxes Sales taxes Gas taxes Property taxes (through home ownership or rent) Income taxes –Majority pay federal, state, local –Social Security & Medicare ($6-7 billion/yr) ECONOMICS

50. Costs vs. Benefits –National studies (including one from CATO) show a large net positive benefit –State studies as well show immigrants pay more in taxes than they receive in benefits Texas Iowa Colorado ECONOMICS

51. Other Economic Costs Border security –$10 billion/yr Family separation –Almost 400,000 deported/yr –Many are parents of U.S. citizen children Private prison industry –30,000+ detention beds –Multi-billion dollar industry (CCA, GeoGroup) Deaths –4000+ have died crossing dessert since 1998

52. Economic impacts on countries of origin Benefits Remittances Potential to bring family Skills learned in college Costs Brain drain Cost of crossing Loss of income when migrant can’t find job or is exploited Loss of life

53. RULE OF LAW

54. The immigration process U.S. Citizens: –Child/spouse/parent: 3-4 years –Adult children: 10-20 years

55. The immigration process –No Family? –No “skills”? –No green card

56. The Law Romans 13 –“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities…” Matthew, Leviticus –Care for those in need –Love the “alien” as yourself

57. QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION

58. What would you do? To feed your child? To care for a sick parent? Move away to find work? Cross a desert? Break the law? Quality of life choices Life and death choices

59. What would “welcoming the stranger” look like for you and your family? What about for your church? What about for U.S. laws and policies? Do you think the command to welcome immigrants and the command to be subject to governing authorities can be reconciled together? How? How would you respond if you were born into a situation where you were struggling to live on $2 a day? What voices or ideas have influenced your views on immigration? Have any been from a Christian perspective? REFLECTION QUESTIONS