MALDEF OPINION ON IMMIGRATION REFORM

Gracias to "Marianna Rivera" < marizapa94@gmail.com >
To: hr4437@zsc.org
Subject: [HR4437] MALDEF OPINION ON IMMIGRATION REFORM

ACTION ALERT
March 16, 2006
Comprehensive Immigration Reform Deserves Careful Consideration, Not a Rush to Passage.

The United States Senate Judiciary Committee, under the leadership of Chairman Arlen Specter (R-PA) is now considering immigration reform legislation. Committee members include senators with years of immigration lawmaking experience from both parties who have well-defined legislative proposals. MALDEF supports comprehensive immigration reform most closely expressed by the bipartisan Kennedy-McCain bill that enforces immigration law and provides for a legal pathway for individuals already in the United States to remain here with legal work authorization and eventual permanent status.

While we disagree with many of the provisions currently in Chairman Specter's bill, MALDEF firmly believes that the Committee should be given the opportunity to apply its expertise and consider divergent opinions. The colossal task of reforming our broken immigration system is too complex, and the stakes too high, to be rushed.

By contrast, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) threatens to take jurisdiction away from the Committee before it is finished and force immigration reform on the full Senate agenda as early as March 27. Abruptly interrupting the legislative process in this way will make for bad policy and bad law. The enforcement-only House bill, for example, was introduced on December 6 and debated by the full House just two days later. For the past quarter century, virtually every major immigration reform bill enacted into law took longer than one Congress to pass. We need smart legislation, not a quick rush to judgment. We urge community members to let their senators know that we want the Senate Judiciary Committee to take the time it needs to pass smart comprehensive immigration legislation.

MALDEF supports legal opportunities for people to work and contribute to American businesses and communities legally; the DREAM Act (to be offered by Senator Durbin (D-IL) to permit college students and members of our Armed Forces to adjust their immigration status; and federal immigration enforcement mechanisms that promote public safety and consistency and uphold time-honored civil rights guarantees.

Although the bill now being debated in the Senate Judiciary Committee represents a bipartisan and good faith effort to begin addressing the issue of immigration reform, MALDEF has deep concerns about key provisions. For example, it would open the door to local police stopping and arresting people for federal immigration violations and criminalize unlawful presence in the United States. It also opens the door to America only part way – long enough for people to work here – and closes the door to permanent status, an opportunity we traditionally have provided to immigrants.

MALDEF is working against an amendment that would block effective local measures like one in Los Angeles that establishes day labor centers at large home improvement stores, providing a safe and central place for day laborers to seek work.

As some Senators seek to build a wall between the United States and Mexico, others are attempting to dismantle the Constitution. MALDEF is strongly opposed to a bill that would end the 400-year-old principle of "birthright citizenship," that makes any person born in the United States a United States citizen. The bill violates the Constitution and, if enacted into law, will be subject to legal challenge. If it comes to that, MALDEF will make that challenge.


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What You Can Do Now!
** Urge your senator to contact Majority Leader Bill Frist to let the Judiciary Committee continue its important work;

** Urge your senator, especially senators on the Judiciary Committee, to support the McCain-Kennedy Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill for a legal pathway to permanent immigration status;

** Urge your senator, especially senators on the Judiciary Committee, to join Senator Durbin's DREAM Act effort to make it possible for students going on to college to adjust their immigration status.

For additional information, please contact Eric M. Gutiérrez, Legislative Attorney, at (202) 293-2828, x 14 or visit the MALDEF website, www.maldef.org.

Senate Judiciary Committee Members – Contact Information by State

California:
Senator Feinstein's office at: (202) 224-3841
e-mail: directly through link on feinstein.senate.gov


Delaware:
Senator Biden's office at: (202) 224-5042
e-mail: directly through link on biden.senate.gov


Illinois:
Senator Durbin's office at: (202) 224-2152
e-mail: directly through link on durbin.senate.gov


Iowa:
Senator Grassley's office at: (202) 224-3744
e-mail: directly through link on grassley.senate.gov


Kansas:
Senator Brownback's office at: (202) 224-6521
e-mail: sam_brownback@brownback.senate.gov


Massachusetts:
Senator Kennedy's office at: (202) 224-5251
e-mail: directly through link on kennedy.senate.gov


New York:
Senator Schumer's office at: 202-224-6542
e-mail: directly through link on schumer.senate.gov


Ohio:
Senator DeWine's office at: (202) 224-2315
e-mail: senator_dewine@dewine.senate.gov


Oklahoma:
Senator Coburn's office at: (202) 224-5754
e-mail: directly through link on coburn.senate.gov

Pennsylvania:
Senator Specter's office at: (202) 224-4254
e-mail: arlen_specter@specter.senate.gov


South Carolina:
Senator Graham's office at: (202) 224-5972
e-mail: directly through link on graham.senate.gov

Texas:
Senator Cornyn's office at: (202) 224-2934
e-mail: directly through link on cornyn.senate.gov

Utah:
Senator Hatch's office at: (202) 224-5251
e-mail: directly through link on hatch.senate.gov

Vermont:
Senator Leahy's office at: (202) 224-4242
e-mail: senator_leahy@leahy.senate.gov

Wisconsin:
Senator Kohl's office at: (202) 224-5653
e-mail: directly through link on kohl.senate.gov


Senator Feingold's office at: (202) 224-5323
e-mail: russ_feingold@feingold.senate.gov
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Relevant Links ~~~
Mexican American Legal Defense Fund
http://www.maldef.org/

H.R. 4437: The Border Protection, Antiterrorism and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005. Read Summary Report.
http://www.maldef.org/pdf/HR4437_Summary.pdf