When education's under attack, don't light a candle

At 8pm on March 13, 2012, members attending the 2012 NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education annual conference in Phoenix, AZ, including leaders from ScholarshipsA-Z were asked to light candles at a Candlelight Vigil for Social Justice.  Meant to bring awareness about social injustices in AZ, specifically those that target LGBTQ and immigrant families, this event only attracted approximately 5% of the entire population attending the conference (250+ out of 4,700).  As a result, this "act of kindness" became a paternalistic and passive move in a community that primarily creates change through action, not vigils.  Fortunately for NASPA, there was at least one moment of inspiration when the chairs of the GLBT and Latino/a Knowledge Communities spoke out against Arizona's oppressive legislation.  Leaders like Dr. Michelle Espino (University of Georgia) and Dr. Juan Guardia (Florida State University),  brought TRUTH to the otherwise passive and politically correct event by impacting the hearts and minds of everyone in attendance with their words and promises for action.


When education's under attack, what do you do?  Fight back!  With candles? NO, with action.


Because while we were lighting candles, the Maricopa County Sheriff was organizing yet another workplace raid to detain and deport more hardworking members of our community who happen to be undocumented.  

Candles = silence = inaction = injustice 

- Matt
Director, ScholarshipsA-Z

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

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.

SB 1070 & DREAM Act Impacts on AZ Economy

Immigrant advocates compare the economics of S.B 1070 and the DREAM Act

By Marcos Restrepo 11/23/10
(published in Florida Independent)

The DREAM Act would generate long-term economic benefits while Arizona-type immigration enforcement has had a negative economic impact on that state’s economy: That was the message delivered by participants in a press conference hosted by the Alliance for Immigrants Rights – Michigan.

The DREAM Act would grant a person who entered the U.S. illegally before the age of 16 conditional permanent resident status for a period of six years, after which he or she could aspire to be a legal permanent resident. The act requires youth to attain at least an associate-level college degree to be eligible for legal permanent resident status.

Arizona’s S.B. 1070 immigration enforcement law, meanwhile, would criminalize undocumented immigrants, currently a civil violation under federal immigration law.

Marshall Fitz told conference participants that the Center for American Progress contracted the firm Elliott D Pollack and Company to study the impact of S.B. 1070 on the convention industry. The study shows that conference cancellations and a stop to future bookings resulted in a $400 million loss in economic output and more than $130 million in lost earnings.

Fitz added that the only people who benefit from S.B. 1070-like measures are the politicians who create these wedge issues. He concluded that hopefully this study will give legislators pause before they follow Arizona’s path.

According to the Migration Policy Institute, there are up to 2.1 million people eligible for DREAM Act benefits, but only about 825,000 beneficiaries would gain legal permanent resident status.

The DREAM Act would produce thousands of college graduates, contributing to the pool of higher-income earners needed by the future workforce.

A UCLA No DREAMERS Left Behind study looks at two scenarios to project the national economic benefits generated by the DREAM Act by calculating the income of those affected over a 40-year period.

Raul Hinojosa, one of the authors of the UCLA study, said during the Tuesday press conference, “This is a critical moment for American civil rights and how we are looking to fill the high-skilled workforce of tomorrow.”

Hinojosa explained that the estimates of the net benefit for the U.S economy is in 2010 dollars and does not include the overall value of what people produce.

In one scenario, dubbed by the authors the No DREAMers Left Behind scenario, 2.1 million undocumented immigrants would become legalized and generate approximately $3.6 trillion over a 40-year period.

In the other scenario, in which 825,000 eligible individuals achieve legal permanent resident status, the study concludes that the income generated over 40 years would be $1.4 trillion.