This week’s roundup covers two new polls, more debate on comprehensive immigration reform, and last Friday’s May Day marches.
National News
Two new polls show increased support for legalization of undocumented immigrants. An ABC poll found that support for a legalization program increased from 49% in December 2007 to 61% in April 2009. A CBS/New York Times poll also showed that 65% of Americans support a path to citizenship or temporary legal status.
The current Boston Review has a lively debate on “The Case for Amnesty.” The main article is written by Joseph Carens and there are responses to his argument from T. Alexander Aleinikoff, Mary Lyndon Shanley, Gara LaMarche, and thirteen others.
Over at HuffPo, Simon Rosenberg gives seven reasons why Congress should pass comprehensive immigration reform this year:
- In tough economic times, we need to remove the "trap door" under the minimum wage.
- In a time of tight budgets, passing immigration reform will bring more money into the federal treasury.
- Reforming our immigration system will increasingly be seen as a critical part of any comprehensive strategy to calm the increasingly violent border region.
- Fixing the immigration system will help reinforce that it is a "new day" for U.S.-Latin American relations.
- Passing immigration reform this year clears the way for a clean census next year.
- The Administration and Congress will grow weary of what we call "immigration proxy wars," and will want the issue taken off the table.
- Finally, in the age of Obama, we must be vigilant to stamp out racism wherever it appears.
New York Senator Chuck Schumer is predicting that comprehensive immigration reform will pass within the year. At a hearing Senator Schumer organized as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees and Border Security, Alan Greenspan testified that illegal immigration provides a flexible workforce that makes a significant contribution to U.S. economic growth.
Federal Judge Sonia Sotomayor is thought to be President Obama’s preference to replace outgoing Supreme Court Justice David Souter. If selected, she would become the first Latina justice on the Supreme Court. Judge Sotomayor graduated from Yale Law School and worked at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. She was nominated by President Bush, Sr. to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, then by President Clinton to her current post.
The U.S. Census is enlisting Latino leaders to encourage their community to participate in the 2010 census.
The Supreme Court ruled that the use of the Aggravated Identity Theft charge is unlawful in the case against undocumented immigrants arrested in a raid in Postville, Iowa last year. The immigrant lawyers’ national bar association consequently called for the dismissal of guilty pleas of the nearly 300 undocumented immigrants.
States News
Reports from last Friday’s May Day marches for immigrant and worker rights say that the marches were less well-attended than expected, but still numbered in the hundreds and thousands in some cities. The marches were attended by hundreds in cities including Miami, Austin, Milwaukee, Boston, Seattle, New Jersey, New York City, and Washington DC. Thousands were reported in Chicago and Los Angeles.
Two Pennsylvania teenagers were cleared of serious changes in the fatal beating of a Latino immigrant. They were convicted of simple assault and could be sentenced to 1-2 years in prison.
A Day of Action is being planned in Arizona at the State Legislature on May 12th to meet with legislators on issues including the economy and civil rights. Information can be found here.
Resources
The Immigrant Legal Resource Center conducted a Know Your Rights training at Berkeley. Here is Part 1 and Part 2 of the video. ILRC has also developed a DREAM Act Advocacy Toolkit.
Read more at The Opportunity Agenda’s blog.
