Nebraskans join thousands in D.C. for June 19 Children and Families’ March for Comprehensive Immigration Reform

Final debate in the Senate over immigration reform is moving VERY QUICKLY.

What can you do?

1. CALL your Senators:

Your Senators need to hear your voice! Urge them to support family unity and pathways to citizenship for current and future workers. Make a call each week.

Call this number, and follow the instructions to connect to the offices of your Senators:

1-800-417-7666

Tell your Senators to ACT NOW IN FAVOR OF COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM!

The real solution is real reform. We want comprehensive immigration reform that:

  • Provides a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and future workers
  • Unites families
  • Protects workers – U.S. and foreign-born
  • Restores due process protections
  • Addresses the root causes of migration
  • Strengthens America

2. IF YOU ARE AN ORGANIZATION, SIGN-ON to a letter supporting comprehensive reform:

English | Español If you are an organization, church, synagogue, mosque, educational institution, union, or business, please sign on to this general letter supporting comprehensive reform (this is a national letter being signed state by state). Simply send an email to Darcy Tromanhauser indicating the name of the organization as it should appear on the letter.

3. HELP US COLLECT POSTCARDS:

The above sign-on letter is for organizations. Individuals can sign postcards for comprehensive reform. Just email Rebecca Gonzales if you would like to help gather signatures, and we’ll send you a batch of postcards for your friends, family, faith group, etc.

4. INVITE OTHERS TO MAKE CALLS:

Download these flyers to invite others to call their Senators. English | Español

RESOURCES FOR COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM

IMMIGRATION RAIDS

Worker rights during immigration raids

Know Your Rights English (UFCW)
Know Your Rights/Conozca Sus Derechos Español (UFCW)
Know Your Rights Wallet Card English-Español (UFCW)

Know Your Rights at Home and at Work English | Español
(Ejecución de las Leyes de Inmigración: Conozca sus derechos en su hogar y su trabajo respecto a Inmigración) From National Immigration Law Center 09/05

Know Your Rights if You Have Been Arrested or Detained by the U.S. Government
English | Español From CASA of Maryland

Donate to the Grand Island, NE, families

If you would like to make a donation to help the Grand Island families, there are several options:

  • Grand Island Public Schools. Make check out to Grand Island Public Schools - Education Foundation” (special fund set up for the families). Send to Grand Island Public Schools, attn. Pat Cummings, 123 S. Webb Road, Grand Island, NE 68802. More information: Pat Cummings 308-385-5900 x122.
  • Grand Island Multicultural Coalition. Make check out to Grand Island Multicultural Coalition, and send to 504 N. Elm Street, Grand Island, NE, 68801 (please put “for the Swift families” in the memo line). More information: Odalys Perez 308-385-5242.
  • Catholic Church. More information: Sister Isabel 308-398-1709
  • United Way.

Donate to the Marshalltown, IA, families

Donations to help the Marshalltown families can be sent to:

  • Hispanic Ministries/St. Mary's Church. Make check payable to Hispanic Ministries (write “Swift families” in the memo). Send to Hispanic Ministries/St. Mary’s Church, 12 W. Linn Street, Marshalltown, IA 50158. For more information call 641-753-7815.

Candlelight vigils across the immigration raid states: list of vigils

To contact a family member detained in Georgia instructions

Today’s Workplace Raid in Grand Island Meatpacking Plant Is Merely the Last Gasps of a Broken System, and Is Both an Economic Dead-End and Cause of Human Misery. There Is a Better Way.

Today’s mass raids on the Swift meatpacking plant in Grand Island, and five others around the country, by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is not only a heartless and mean spirited action during the holiday season, it is merely the last gasps of a broken immigration system. All this will do is break up hundreds of Nebraska families, send desperately needed workers (including, based on past experience, citizens and fully legal workers) into an indefinite stay in our county jails, deport hundreds more who will then risk life and limb to be rejoined with their families, leave American children to go home to empty houses at the end of today’s school day, and create long-term economic damage for the Grand Island and Nebraska economy. Press Release

Gov. Vilsack's Statement | Gov. Vilsack's Letter to President Bush | Sen. Harkin letter

In the press

Appleseed Releases New Report on Nebraska’s Meatpacking Workers Bill of Rights

One hundred years after Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle and six years after Governor Mike Johanns signed the Nebraska Meatpacking Industry Workers Bill of Rights to improve safety in Nebraska’s leading industry, Nebraska Appleseed set out to determine whether this unique state-level policy has been making a difference. In a new report released today, “Dignity on the Line: An Evaluation of the Nebraska Meatpacking Workers Bill of Rights,” Appleseed finds that the policy has been an important first step but that there is significant work yet to be done.

Read the Full Appleseed Report | Read the Executive Summary | Read the Press Release

In The News...

Immigration raid an 'economic dead end' Chicago Sun-Times 11/23/2006
Meatpacking workers' safety still an issue Lincoln Journal-Star 11/21/2006
Meatpacking pace under fire Lincoln Journal-Star 11/16/2006
Human Rights Program Examines Meatpacking Industry University of Minnesota Human Rights Program Winter 2006
Packing plant safety still lagging, study says Sioux City Journal 11/16/2006
Workers In Meatpacking Plants Still Face High Risk Of Injury Nebraska StatePaper.com 11/16/2006
Study looks at working conditions for meatpacking employees NPRN 11/15/2006
Study: Safety In Meatpacking Plants Still Lagging KTIV News Sioux City 11/15/2006

In The Blogs...

Slow Line Speeds In Meatpacking Confined Space Blog 11/20/2006
Government called on to slow down meatpacking lines E. Coli Blog 11/16/2006

Safe food comes from a safe workplace: Release of “Fast Food Nation” movie puts meatpacking work conditions back in public eye

The release of the movie Fast Food Nation this month again puts meatpacking, Nebraska’s leading industry, in the public eye. The movie tells the story of how billions of burgers go from the ranch to the fast food consumer – which is to say, to each and every one of us. Those burgers, of course, don’t just materialize out of thin air, neatly packaged with a side of fries. There are a lot of stories behind that burger, including how it comes from the sweat and tears of thousands of low-paid, mostly immigrant Latino workers in towns and cities across Nebraska and other major meatpacking states.

Read the Full Appleseed Statement | Download a printable Post Card to Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Johanns - tell him to Slow Down The Line!

'Fast Food Nation' exposes conditions of meatpacking industry Daily Nebraskan 11/16/2006
Students urge Johanns to aid meat workers Omaha World-Herald 11/17/2006
Page to Screen: 'Fast Food Nation' NPR 11/16/2006
The Ties That Bind America’s Food Chain New York Times 11/17/2006

Resources for Rallies

We Are America Sign | We Are America Sign (Blue) | We Are All God's Children Sign

Sample Talking Points: English & Español | Sample Faith Based Talking Points | Civil Rights Talking Points

Groundswell Meets Groundwork: Preliminary Recommendations for Building on Immigrant Mobilizations 06/2006 The Four Freedoms Fund and Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees

www.justiceforimmigrants.org | www.communitychange.org | www.cirnow.org

Click on these links for more information:

Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) principles

Faith Community Support for CIR

Business Community Support for CIR

Failed history of enforcement approaches

Immigration raises wages and creates jobs

Cardinal Mahony’s Op Ed

For additional information, visit these sites:

www.cirnow.org

www.justiceforimmigrants.org

www.immigrationforum.org

www.communitychange.org

Sign-On to Support Comprehensive Immigration Reform:

Electronic: English | Español or Print the form: English | Español