5 ways to Support Immigrant Rights in Your Community
1) Demand a Repeal of SB1070!
As you may be aware, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer recently signed a law
that will authorize officers to pull over, question, and detain anyone
they have a "reasonable suspicion" to believe is in this country
without proper documentation. Arizona SB 1070 is a recipe for outright
racial profiling. It's the most draconian anti-immigrant law seen in
recent years and we have to stop it. Tell Your Representative To take
action against SB 1070 today. Visit our Take Action page for talking points and sample letters.
2) Unite Against ICE Collaboration
with local law enforcement in your community. The situation in Arizona
highlights the dangers and risks of involving local law enforcement in
immigration enforcement. Witness for Peace Northwest supports the Safe
Communities Project, a coalition of immigrants and civil rights
organizations working together to end local law enforcement
collaboration with ICE in Oregon. Currently, the focus of the project
has been to oppose ICE presence in county jails, and programs such as
the Secure Communities Initiative, particularly in Clackamas,
Multnomah, and Washington Counties. For more information on ICE and
local law enforcement collaboration and how you can be involved, please
visit the Safe Communities Project website, www.safecommunitiesproject.com
3) Tell Yout Newspaper: Replace Merida! Mexico
is in the news as President Obama and Mexican President Felipe Calderón
discuss the future of the Mérida Initiative: the faltering Bush-era
program to fund Mexico's losing "war on drugs." Click here to call for Mérida's replacement by sending a sample letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Also, check out this Buscando America radio interview of WFPNW Regional Organizer, Colette Cosner, about the Merida Initiative and the Roots of Migration
4) Tell Congress to support the TRADE act.
On May 27th, 2010 we joined our parters at the Washington Fair Trade
Coalition and Seattle CISPES in a protest outside of Rep. Jim
McDermott's office, urging him to sign the TRADE Act. The action
included a street theater performance about ways in which free trade
agreements harm communities and the environment in El Salvador. Click here to watch the video and check out TRADE act talking points and background information on our take action page.
5) Educate your community
on the root causes of migration. From July 12-22nd, members of the
Witness for Peace Northwest community will travel to Oaxaca, Mexico to
examine the root causes of migration. Throughout August and September
the delegates will be presenting their findings to our Northwest
community through report back house parties. Please contact, Regional
Organizer Colette Cosner,
about hosting a report back house party from this special delegation.
Report backs are essential to our mission and provide delegates with
an opportunity share the important stories, photos, videos, and
experiences. Watch the latest WFP documentary "Migrating Towards Understanding" and share it with your friends. This is also an excellent way to financially support our region!
Also, check out this great op-ed piece by David Bacon called Immigration Reform: We Need a Better Alternative
