Contact: Reshma Shamasunder, rshamasunder@caimmigrant.org; Jon Rodney, jrodney@caimmigrant.org (español)
With immigration in spotlight, Over 100 CA organizations urge legislators to champion inclusive reform
Bold statement of values calls for reform to protect all families and uphold equality, from the border to the workplace
2013.3.18 - Today, as the Senate Judiciary Committee conducts a hearing on “How Comprehensive Immigration Reform Should Address the Needs of Women and Families," leading civil and immigrant rights organizations in California unveiled a statement of principles and a set of policy recommendations shaped by the state's unique position as the home of nation's largest immigrant population.
The recommendations call for legislators to protect the principle of family unity for all, including LGBTQI families; create a road to citizenship for 11 million aspiring citizens that is free of obstructions; end unjust detentions and deportations; protect worker rights; and ensure a humane and efficient border. The full document, including a statement of principles, list of signatories, and detailed policy recommendations, is available here.
From the border to the workplace, California has more at stake than any other state in the immigration debate. More than 92,000 of its residents have been deported under the controversial "Secure" Communities program, and troubling incidents of brutality by border patrol agents have impacted local border communities. Additionally, if the E-Verify employment verification system were to be mandated nationally, California would be hardest hit, with errors in the system killing the jobs of some 90,000 authorized workers in the state while pushing many others deeper into the shadows. (E-Verify is a flawed web-based program through which U.S. businesses can verify the work authorization of new hires. It is currently optional for the vast majority of employers.)
In recent years, the state has begun to take the lead on pro-immigrant policies, passing measures like the California Dream Act and the Employment Acceleration Act (limiting E-Verify). While advocates continue to fight for the California TRUST Act (limiting deportations), which the Governor has pledged to sign this year, the bill has already been copied this year in Connecticut, Florida, and Massachusetts.
"At the end of the day, reform needs to champion the principle that all people are created equal - not undermine it," said Reshma Shamasunder, Executive Director of the California Immigrant Policy Center, which coordinated the statement of values in partnership with the National Immigration Law Center.
"The nation, and California in particular, have suffered for years from wasteful federal immigration policies that divide families and undermine core values. Many elected leaders have admirably 'evolved' on immigration reform in recent months. The next logical step is to 'evolve' on deportations, worker rights, and the border."