Arizona’s Precedent-Setting SB 1070 Anti-Immigration Law Headed to Supreme Court This Week

The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments regarding Arizona’s precedent-setting SB 1070 anti-illegal immigration law this week (Wednesday April 25).

There are nationwide implications depending on what the Supreme Court decides on Wednesday. Anti-illegal immigration laws patterned after SB 1070 are now in place in several states, including Georgia. Two months ago, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta decided that it would not render an opinion on legal challenges to immigration laws in Georgia and Alabama until the Supreme Court made its decision regarding Arizona’s law.

According to journalist Leslie Berestein Rojas, it’s unlikely that the Supreme Court will issue a ruling on SB 1070 until June, unless the court splits its vote 4-4, which would prompt an announcement soon after the vote.

Whenever the ruling is made, its affects will likely be felt here in Georgia and beyond. Stay tuned.

Press Release: Immigrant and Community Groups Announce Rally on May Day

Workers Rights are Immigrant Rights are Human Rights 

The Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights is calling for a joint labor-immigrant rally on May 1, 2012 in the tradition of the long standing celebration of May Day as international workers day. Participants will assemble at 11:00am at the Georgia Capitol (Washington St, Atlanta, Ga.).

This May Day will mark a historic coming together of immigrants and working people in the face of the austerity measures faced by the economic depression. Our communities are struggling against anti-immigrant attacks, detention and deportation; union busting and cuts to workers’ wages and benefits; cuts to public services including education, health care, and transportation; and racist violence, police brutality, and mass incarceration. Propelled by strong community based organizations increased labor participation, and leaders have stepped up all across Atlanta to demand the state we deserve.

On May 1, we will rally in solidarity, workers documented and undocumented, and students, around the following demands: 

• Stop Secure Communities and 287g programs.
• Stop the Attacks on Workers and Unions!
• Jobs for All and No to E-verify.
• End Deportations, End Racism, and End the New Jim Crow era.

WHAT: An immigrant- workers rally for May 1, 2012—May Day, the International Day of the Working Class.

WHO: Representatives from Georgia, immigrant rights movement, labor movement, faith community, student movement, and other community organizations

WHEN: Tuesday May 1st, 2012 11:00 am

WHERE: Georgia Capitol –Downtown

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Undocumented Latina makes Time’s 100 Most Influential People list

This week Time Magazine released its 100 Most Influential People in the World list. Among the presidents, CEOs and entertainers was a 27-year-old undocumented Latina, Dulce Matuz.

Dulce Matuz represents the finest of her generation, putting herself through college partly via scholarships and graduating with an electrical-engineering degree. An undocumented Latina confronted with legal barriers to pursuing her engineering dream, she chose to fight for the right to contribute to the country she has called home since she was young. As president of the Arizona Dream Act Coalition, Dulce promotes a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who, like her, were brought to the U.S. before they were 16, attend college or serve in the military and are of good moral character. Dulce takes on powerful opponents with grace and conviction, saying, “We are Americans, and Americans don’t give up.”

Press Release: FOIA Request for ICE Data on Georgia Deportations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Freedom of Information Action (FOIA) Request to Shine Light on Georgia Police/ICE collaboration via Secure Communities and 287(g) 

April 17th, 2012, Atlanta, Ga.- The Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights (GLAHR), the ACLU Foundation of Georgia, and the National Day Labor Organizing Network will file a Freedom of Information Act request with Immigration and Customs Enforcement for previously unavailable data related to the relationship between local law enforcement agencies across the state and the deportation of Georgia residents by ICE.

GLAHR cites the climate of hostility created by HB87 and the recent statewide activation of the federal deportation program, Secure Communities, for contributing to the recent ICE data indicating that the ICE Atlanta region (including GA, NC, and SC) deports nearly double the rate of parents of US citizens than any other region in the country. 

Who: GLAHR, ACLU Foundation of Georgia, and NDLON 

What: Press Conference on Filing of FOIA to obtain documents shedding light on police/ICE collaboration 

When: April 17th, 2012 11:00 AM 

Where: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Department of Homeland Security 180 Spring Street SW, Atlanta, Georgia 30303 

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May Day: Joint Labor-Immigrant Rally!

GLAHR is calling for a joint labor-immigrant rally in the tradition of the long standing celebration of May Day as international workers day. Join us! We will be assembling at 11:00am at the Georgia Capitol (Washington St, Atlanta, Ga.) on May 1, 2012.

This May Day will mark a historic coming together of immigrants and working people in the face of the austerity measures faced by the economic depression. Our communities are struggling against anti-immigrant attacks, detention and deportation; union busting and cuts to workers’ wages and benefits; cuts to public services including education, health care, and transportation; and racist violence, police brutality, and mass incarceration.

On May 1, we will rally in solidarity, workers documented and undocumented, and students, around the following demands:

• STOP SECURE COMMUNITIES AND 287(g) Programs
• STOP THE ATTACKS ON WORKER’S AND UNIONS!
• JOBS FOR ALL NO TO E-VERIFY
• END DEPORTATION, END RACISM, AND END TO THE NEW JIM CROW ERA

Use public transportation and get off at Five Points or GA State Station.

Bring:
Wear your white t-shirt
Water bottle
Trash Bag

Please Don’t Bring Any Sticks

If you have any questions please call: 770-457-5232

Young Undocumented Activists Stand Up for Parents’ Dreams

Read Colorlines’ recent article about “Young Undocumented Activists Standing Up For Their Parents’ Dreams.”

Some people think that students will forget about their parents and end the fight. In this article, we see both sides of the story: A mother that supports the DREAM Act and her daughter who is fighting for her education.

This article is a reminder that sometimes older folks forget to ask the youth what they are really thinking, working, and fighting for. They assume that since they are older, they know best but sometimes they need to step back and LISTEN.

Popular Committees Speak Out About Unity and Victory!

Turning The Tide shared the following inspiring quotes from participants of GLAHR’s recent Asamblea Popular 2012!:

“We’ve now realized that the only way that we are going to be able to stop the hate around the country is if we, as undocumented people, come together. We have to show these politicians that we are no longer afraid and that we are going to stand up and fight for what we believe. We cannot wait for someone to come save us; we need to speak for ourselves and our communities.” – Giovany Diaz

“That’s what we need to achieve first I believe. Its not Immigration Reform, it’s unity amongst Latinos… From what we saw at the Statewide Assembly, we’re on the right path, we all have the intention of this outcome. Are we going to pass the buck? Well that’s what’s been always happened! This is about spreading the word, to share, to grow and once and for all to be a protagonist..Yes we Can!!” – Miriam de Atlanta 

“To win we must fail, it doesn’t matter how many times we fail. What’s important is to lift our heads and know how to continue the struggle towards victory.” – Adrian de Tipton  

What Do You Think About the GOP Version of DREAM Act?

A group of Republicans in Congress are getting ready to introduce their version of the DREAM Act.

Below is a CNN contributor’s opinion on the GOP version of the DREAM Act. What’s your opinion?

While it’s not perfect — and no piece of legislation is — it is better than nothing, which is all the critics have been able to offer, even when Democrats controlled both houses of Congress and the White House.

Like the bill that has been kicked around in Congress for more than a decade, and which met its demise in December 2010 when five Senate Democrats effectively killed it by voting against cloture on the debate, the Republican plan would give undocumented students a path to legal status in exchange for going to college or joining the military.

But unlike the earlier version, it would not include a path to citizenship. Students could become citizens later. It’s not like they’d be barred from the citizenship process. But they would have to take the initiative. … (Read rest of article here.)

SB 458 is DEAD!!

At midnight last night Georgia’s 40-day legislative session ended. We’re happy to say that SB 458 IS DEAD.

And this is the first year in many years where no anti-immigrant measures passed in Georgia according to the Immigrant Rights Project at the ACLU of Georgia!

Photo Gallery: GLAHR’s Asamblea Popular 2012