Racism, Feminism, Immigration & Organizing - Rinku Sen to Speak at UA

Tonight! March 29, 2011

6pm

Gallagher Theater, Student Union

University of Arizona

Author of The Accidental American: Immigration and Citizenship in the Age of Globalization, and Stir It Up: Lessons in Community Organizing, Rinku is a leading figure in the racial justice movement and has expertise in race, feminism, immigration, economic justice, philanthropy and community organizing.

Over the course of her career, Rinku has woven together journalism and organizing to further social change and has regular columns at Colorlines, Huffington Post, and Jack and Jill Politics.

This event is part of the Who Draws the Line? - Social Justice Perspectives on Diversity Speaker Series - sponsored by UA Student Services Fee, Tohono O’odham Nation, African American Student Affairs, Native American Student Affairs, Asian Pacific American Student Affairs, Chicano/Hispano Student Affairs, LGBTQA Affairs, Women's Resource Center, UA Bookstore, Office of the President, Dean of Students, and YWCA.

Arizona CEO's Say YA BASTA to Immigration Legislation

In a letter sent to AZ Senate President Russell Pearce last week, several CEO's of major employers and several businesses and civic groups wrote, "Arizona should be pushing for federal action on immigration and border issues."

As a result of their efforts, combined with the ongoing work of civil rights groups, activists, educators, students, and families, five anti-immigration bills were defeated last week. No motions to reconsider them were filed on Monday, the last day to do so. Community leaders working for immigrants' rights breathed a sigh of relief for a moment, before quickly fighting against the 20+ additional pieces of anti-immigrant legislation in AZ.

Here's a summary of what was defeated:

• SB 1308 and SB 1309 - two bills that challenged birthright citizenship and the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution
• SB 1405 - would require hospitals to acquire immigration status of patients before providing care
• SB 1407 - would require schools to collect immigration data on students
• SB 1611 - 30-page immigration omnibus bill which contained similar provisions like the other bills listed above (written by Sen. Pearce, author of SB 1070)

You can read the entire letter from the AZ CEO's. While they don't seem to necessarily be pushing for better pathways to citizenship, they clearly are looking for better, FEDERAL solutions, that address the immigration issues faced by families every day. They want AZ to be focused on fixing it's broken economy.

The CEO's ended their letter with "Together, we can get results."

So what does working together look like?

~ mM

The I-Word

What do the following things have in common?

Jaywalking

Littering

Speeding

Rolling through a STOP sign

Downloading music without paying for it

They're all ILLEGAL.

What's not illegal? HUMANS. Immigrants are humans.

Sign the pledge. Drop the I-Word.

AZ SB1611 = NO College for Undocumented Immigrant Students

Last night (2/22/11), the AZ Senate Appropriations Committee voted 7-6 in favor of SB1611, an omnibus bill that would ban undocumented immigrants from ALL public services. This would now include college and driving, among other things.

If the new bill is passed by the full Senate, full House, and signed by the Governor, SB 1611 would preclude undocumented students' admission to state colleges and universities entirely. That means Pima Community College, UA, ASU, NAU, and all other state institutions's doors would be closed to any student who can't prove their U.S. residency or citizenship.

According to a recent AZ Daily Star article, Sen. Pearce, author of AZ's infamous SB1070 and many other anti-immigrant bills, said,

"It is irrelevant that the fees these students are paying may help keep tuition down for Arizona residents. "They can't be employed" in this country, Pearce said, so their education is not a benefit to Arizona. And he disputed the contention out-of-state tuition covers the full cost of educating students at universities or community colleges. Read the full article.

Many thought SB1070 was the worst anti-immigrant legislation created in recent history. However, it was only the beginning. Now, more than ever, we need YOU to get involved. Raise your voice! Stay aware! Stop this bill from becoming law!

• Call AZ Senators. Tell them you are against this bill.
• Attend a rally.
  
• Use Facebook, Twitter, texting, calls, emails to tell your friends to get involved.
• Stay updated with Border Action Network on anti-immigrant and anti-education legislation. SB1611 is only bill. There are others.
  

Our struggle, together, continues...

First SB1070...Now SB1611

From an Arizona Interfaith Network press release (2/23/11):

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AIN Decries Last Minute Omnibus Attack Bill

Yesterday’s sudden introduction of a 30-page anti-immigrant Omnibus bill further threatens to polarize the state, tear at its social fabric, and damage economic recovery.

Senate President Russell Pearce overrode Senate Rules to spring a new 30 page bill on his Senate colleagues, immediately assigning it to Senate Appropriations to be heard today. SB1611 immigration omnibus roles into one bill all the various bills from this session and the last several sessions designed to require proof of citizenship for all services in Arizona. This bill would expand government scrutiny over every interaction between Arizona residents in public and in private, turning officials and business leaders into immigration officers and tearing apart our social fabric.

The surprise move leaves no time for critical debate and discussion. SB1611 is the 22^nd bill on a 24 bill Appropriations Committee Agenda. Not only have Senators had only 24 hours to review the bill, but Senate Research has yet to issue a Fact Sheet, which most legislators use to understand a bill.

"This last minute omnibus bill is an end around on democracy, hiding from the real debate and deliberation. It's a bad sign for how business is being conducted at the Capitol and will have social and economic consequences" said Tom Donovan, Valley Interfaith Project Executive Team Member.

This bill further distracts the Legislature from its true priorities. While Arizona faces its worst fiscal deficit in its history, and with unemployment and foreclosures soaring, Senator Pearce is allowing his obsession with immigration to divert attention from the state’s economic and fiscal recovery.

The Senate Judiciary Committee did not have the votes to move SB1308 and SB1309, the two bills challenging the 14^th amendment, thus requiring him to move these non-money bills to his Appropriations Committee.

Arizona Debates 14th Amendment

Congressional leaders across the country continue to debate whether the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution applies to children born to undocumented parents. But the battle continues to brew in Arizona, where state legislators have proposed SB1308 and SB1309 to take a stand on this debate against undocumented families.

As Border Action Network states, "These two measures would not only deny citizenship to children of undocumented parents and try to force the Supreme Court to review the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, but would also create an “interstate compact” with other states recognizing one another’s new state-determined citizenship."

Yet again, some AZ legislators are trying to tear apart families. Take ACTION with Border Action Network! Tell the Senate Appropriations Committee to Vote NO on SB1308 and SB1309!

Follow all the updates about immigration legislation through Border Action Network's page. Signup for Arizona Action Alerts.

ScholarshipsA-Z is in Mourning With Its Tucson Families

We send our condolences and strength to the victims of the Jan. 8 shooting in Tucson, AZ. We are mourning the loss of leaders, younger and older. We WILL recover together. As one of our co-founders wrote, "I love Tucson. It's my home. I will continue to fight for humanity." We WILL continue to fight for humanity. Join us.