Message to the new Administration and 111th Congress: The Interfaith Immigration Coalition is urging the enactment of humane, equitable immigration reform in 2009. The IIC has put forward a Platform on Immigration reform and the Episcopal Church has joint this effort. This document will welcome the new administration and members of the 111th congress and urge them to enact humane, equitable immigration reform. Attached is the final version of their platform.
TPS for Haitians: Before visiting Haiti the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, Katharine Jefferts Schori,sent a letter to President Bush requesting Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians immigrants living in the United States. Please find attached the letter.
U.S.-Mexico Border and Immigration Task Force: members of the task force travelled to Washington DC for the Border Policy Summit. The Episcopal Church was represented by Rev. Seth Polley (AZ). Border community representatives discuss immigration and border policy& offer recommendations based on their new U.S.-Mexico Border Policy Report. You can access the report here: http://blog.immigrationforum.org/
Diocesan Resolution:
The Diocese of Chicago passed the Resolution on Protection of Immigrants and their Families at convention their convention on November 21st! The resolution is modeled after the two resolutions passed in the Diocese of Los Angeles in 2006 and 2007. You can access the resolution here: http://www.epischicago.org/
Advent Reflections on Immigration!:Access to the advent reflections produced by the Migration and Immigration Task Force and the Office of Ministry Development:"Crossing Borders, Reflections for Advent"
Religious Worker Bill Passes Unanimously in Illinois House and Senate The Access to Religious Ministry Act (HB 4613), ensures access of religious workers to immigrant detainees in county jails across the state, passed in the Senate and the House unanimously.
The Elections and Immigration:
Obama won big among Hispanics
By Andres Oppenheimer
The Miami Herald (FL), November 5, 2008
http://www.miamiherald.com/andres_oppenheimer/
What will be the new US immigration policy?
By Liam Clifford
Globalvisas.com, November 5, 2008
http://www.globalvisas.com/news/what_will_be_the_new_us_immigration_policy_582.html
Somali-Americans Turn Out to Vote in Ohio
By Amy Merrick
The Wall Street Journal, November 4, 2008
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/11/04/somali-americans-turn-out-to-vote-in-hilltop-ohio/
Sheriff Arpaio Wins Re-election
The Associated Press, November 4, 2008
http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=7794081&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1
Ballot Measures:
1. Ballot Measure 5-190 passed in Columbia County, Oregon.This measure imposes a $10,000 fine on any employer found to be knowingly or willfully hiring an undocumented worker. For more info on the measure, visit: www.TimesareToughEnough.com
2. Law to modify illegal immigrant sanctions rejected
Arizona voters have rejected a measure that would have made business-friendly modifications to sanctions for employers of illegal immigrants.
http://www.abc15.com/content/news/election/story.aspx?content_id=0d641628-c141-4d47-80dc-cc601246c0a7
3. In Missouri an initiative passed that will amend the state constitution and make English the official language. The initiative will add a statement to the constitution that says English shall be the language of all governmental meetings at which any public business is discussed, decided, or public policy is formulated whether conducted in person or by communication equipment including conference calls, video conferences, Internet chat or message board.
The Transition:
President-elect Obama has chosen Alexander Aleinikoff, dean of the Georgetown University Law Center, and Mariano-Florentino Cuellar, a professor at Stanford Law School, to serve on an "immigration policy working group" that will develop proposals for an immigration plan
Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano (D) has been chosen to serve as secretary of the vast and troubled Department of Homeland Security for President-elect Obama, Democratic officials said. Napolitano is a border governor who will now be responsible for immigration policy and border security, which are part of Homeland Security’s myriad functions.
DHS and E-Verify: In a concession to business groups, the Homeland Security Department will significantly scale back its planned crackdown this winter on federal contractors that hire illegal immigrants. Under a rule published this month, the agency said only contractors that do more than $100,000 in federal work will be required to use an electronic government system to check the work documents of new hires. Originally, officials had proposed that companies doing $3,000 in federal work must comply.
