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MICHIGAN IMMIGRATION REFORM

ICE Out of Control

Immigration Agents Surround Local School, Trap Parents

On Thursday, March 31st, parents were followed from their homes to the Hope of Detroit Academy and trapped with a toddler inside while half a dozen ICE vehicles surrounded the building. At least two parents were arrested following random, warrantless stops outside the school.

ICE’s own policies explicitly prohibit these type of intimidation tactics near schools and places of worship, except in extreme circumstances and with prior authorization from headquarters.

ICE is out of control.

Help stop the abuse.  Demand that children and families be safe at school.

(The playground at Hope of Detroit Academy)

Tell Governor Snyder

 
Wednesday, a coalition of anti-immigrant legislators introduced HB 4305, an Arizona-style immigration bill for Michigan.
We don’t need legal racial profiling in Michigan.
We don’t need our police checking people’s papers instead of stopping crimes.
We don’t need to make our state more hostile to immigrants.
 
Michigan is Not the Next Arizona.  
Make a commitment to veto HB 4305!
You can attend a community support rally Saturday, Feb 26th, at St. Gabriel’s Church in Detroit, 8118 West Vernor, at 1:00 pm.

Citizenship for Children of Immigrants Under Attack:

Take Action!

Radical legislators all across the country are attacking a cornerstone of our Constitution and Civil Rights law– the 14th Amendment.

They’re trying to overturn this critical Constitutional protection to deny children born to immigrant parents, particularly the undocumented, the right to US Citizenship.

This is a broad attack against immigrant communities and their children.  

Most alarming, as they advance their hateful campaign against immigrants, these politicians are targeting *kids*.

We know that our Constitution should protect diversity and work for inclusion, not divide us against each other.

But here in Michigan, a group of legislators has introduced a resolution -encouraging- Congress to join the attack against our Constitution and immigrant children.

We know this resolution doesn’t represent our state– take action today and let the legislature know that Michigan believes in civil rights for all.

Please contact one of HR 30’s main co-sponsors, Democrat Lesia Liss of Warren, Michigan today.  

Our goal is to encourage Representative Liss to do the right thing and drop her co-sponsorship of the hateful HR 30.

Pro-Immigrant Michigan?

Tell Governor Snyder What YOU would do to make Michigan a Pro-Immigrant State

In his first major speech to the state of Michigan, Governor Snyder announced that he wants to encourage immigrants to come to Michigan, especially the highly-educated. He thinks it will help the economy and create jobs. We’re excited to see Governor Snyder acknowledge the positive impact of immigrants in Michigan. We also know that Michigan’s immigrants are contributing to our state whether they are “highly educated” or not.

But the big question is: what will the Governor do?  

What do you think he should do?

We know that the politicians in Lansing don’t have all the answers, so we want to make sure that they hear from *you*.Fill out the form here, and let us know what you would like to see the Governor do to make Michigan a “pro-immigrant” state.

The Alliance for Immigrants Rights will deliver all your answers to the Governor at a rally in Lansing.

Together, we can make sure Michigan treats all our immigrant communities justly and fairly.

UPDATE: Sulejman Sefa’s mother, Ahmedijie, and his brother, Sherif, have been granted visas by US Citizenship and Immigration thanks to your action.  Great work!  
When we fight, we can win. Please send a “Thank you email” to
 

 

Sulejman Sefa Has Terminal Brain Cancer.  
His Last Request?  
A visit from his mother and brothers from Albania.

Tell Immigration to stop delaying their visas. 
Families deserve dignity.  Click to act.
 
 
 UPDATE: We’ve received word that Immigration has 
 granted Sulejman’s mother, Ahmedijie, a visa!  This is
 a direct result of your advocacy.  The hundreds of
 faxes and emails you sent in to Immigration made it
 impossible for them to ignore the Sefa family.
 
 Great work.
 
 But we need to keep the pressure up– Immigration is
 still denying visas for Sulejman’s brothers.  Not only
 should Sulejman have the right to see his brothers 
 Elez and Sherif, but Ahmedijie is 83 years old and
 doesn’t speak English– she will need Elez or Sherif
 for the arduous journey ahead.
 
Click to say thank you to immigration for taking the first step, and demand that they give this family a full measure of justice: visas for at least one of the Sefa brothers.

Michigan immigrant Sulejman Sefa is from Albania.  During his twenty years in the United States, he earned his citizenship, paid his taxes, and started a family.  Working as a handyman at an apartment complex, he built a life in West Bloomfield with his wife Aferditia, and their children Eduardo and Suela.

Tragically, Sulejman recently developed terminal brain cancer.  His doctors give him only a few weeks or months to live.  He spends his days in Beaumont Hospital, barely able to sit up.

Sulejman’s wife Aferdita has been fighting with immigration for two months to grant his last request: a visit from his mother and two of his brothers now in Albania.

They’ve been given excuse after excuse while fighting insulting bureaucrats and senseless regulations.

They have letters from their doctors, Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow and Congressman Gary Peters– still this isn’t enough for immigration.

With time running short, the Sefa family needs your help.

Tell US Citizenship and Immigration Services that the Sefa family deserves their dignity and their visas now.

        
Sulejman and his wife Aferdita at Beaumont hospital
 
 
 
Sulejman’s scars from unsuccessful brain surgery.
December 18, 2010:
Friends-
This morning, the Senate failed by 5 votes to reach the 60 needed for passage of the DREAM Act.
This failure of the Senate today elevates the politics of fear and hatred above the honest dreams of our nation’s youth.
But we aren’t going to stop marching.  We aren’t going to stop voting.  We aren’t going to stop organizing our friends and neighbors. 
We aren’t going to stop fighting until our communities have the justice they deserve.
In Detroit, a few dozen Dreamers and supporters watched the vote together.  Afterward, everyone shared what they were proud of, and what they were feeling. 
Most people said that they were proud of each other.
It is this enduring spirit of love and solidarity that will move us forward and will grow our movement. 
In the end, it is why we will win.
That’s why I’m coming to the next AIR meeting.  I hope you’ll be there too.
-Ryan, Sally, Jonathan, and the AIR Team
PS: Please click here to send an email thanking Senator Stabenow for voting yes.  We needed her support, and she was there for us.

Upcoming (AIR) Meetups

Enforcement Accountability Committee Meeting

Reunión con (AIR), la alianza pro los derechos de los inmigrantespara detener las practicas abusivas de la patrulla fronteriza/ICE

DATE:   Wednesday, Feb 23th

FECHA: Miércoles, 23 de febrero de 2011

TIME / HORA: 5:30pm – 7:45pm

PLACE:  ACCESS, 2651 Saulino Court, Dearborn Sign up for more information.

LUGAR:  Las oficinas de ACCESS, 2651 Saulino Court en Dearborn.  Regístrate para obtener más información

Join our (AIR) Enforcement Accountability Committee to document,  expose and stop abusive practices by Border Patrol and ICE.

Estamos convocando un “Comité de Cumplimiento de Responsabilidades” para trabajar en documentar y exponer las practicas abusivas por parte de la Patrulla Fronteriza (Border Patrol) y  ICE. Â¿Puede unirse a nosotros?

(AIR)

Saturday February 26th,

Sabado 26 de febrero

1:00 PM

Free From Fear In Our Neighborhoods:    Rally

Libres del Temor en nuestros vecindarios: Manifestación

Location / Lugar:

8118 W. Vernor Hwy.

Father Anthony Bologna Hall, Saint Gabriel Parish in Southwest Detroit. Padre Anthony Hall de Bolonia, Parroquia San Gabriel en el suroeste de Detroit. Sign up here to get event details. Registrese aqui para recibir detalles del evento Has Border Patrol ever stopped you on the street to “ask for your papers”? Are you tired of feeling afraid in your own community? Has ICE abused your family? The Alliance for Immigrants Rights (AIR) and the St. Gabriel Hispanic Social Justice and Immigrants Rights Committee are working together to help stop these abuses and make sure that law enforcement treats our community with dignity and respect. Please join us for a press conference to announce the beginning of the “Freedom From Fear in our Neighborhood” campaign. Speakers will include community members organizing to stop racial profiling and abuse by law enforcement, and Father Jaime Hinojos. Please join the rally to show your support for immigrants rights. Inmigración lo a detenido en la calle y le a preguntado “por sus papeles?” Esta cansado de tener miedo en su propia comunidad? ICE a abusado de su familia? La alianza para los derechos de inmigrantes, la justicia social hispana de San Gabriel y derechos de inmigrantes están trabajando juntos para detener estos abusos y asegurarse que agentes de policía trate a nuestra comunidad con dignidad y respeto. Por favor únase con nosotros para una conferencia de prensa para anunciar el comienzo de nuestra campaña “Liberémonos del Temor en Nuestras Comunidades.” Oradores incluyen a miembros de nuestra comunidad organizados para detener el abuso de la policía hacia inmigrantes y el Padre Jaime Hinojos. Por favor únase a nuestra manifestación para demostrar su apoyo a los derechos de inmigrantes. Si gusta más información: info@ michiganimmigrationreform.org

 

 Advocacy Day

Save the Date: 

April 13th

Want to tell *your* story to the legislature?  Sign up!

Too often, it feels like decisions that affect our lives are being made far away, by people we don’t even know. No one is listening to our side of the story. Let’s fix that. The legislature needs to hear loud and clear from the immigrants rights community about what WE care about. On April 13th, immigrants rights supporters from all across Michigan will descend on the Capitol.  We’ll meet with as many of our legislators as we can.  We’ll make sure the Governor listens to us. There’s too much at stake to be silent. If you’re interested in going, please mark your calendar and sign up. If you can, please put in to take time off from work or school. Details about transportation, times and locations, and what materials will be available for advocacy are still being worked out, so stay tuned! ____________________________________________

Saturday, Feb 5th:

Immigrants Know-Your-Rights Meeting

Conozca-Sus-Derechos para Inmigrantes

DATE

Saturday, February 5th,

 

FECHA

Sábado, 5 de Febrero,

 

TIME/HORA

12:30 PM

 

PLACE

1st Latin American Baptist Church

6205 West Fort Street, Detroit

  LUGAR: 1ra Iglesia Bautista Latinoamericana 6205 West Fort Street, Detroit English/Spanish Interpretation and Resources Provided Inglés / Español traducción y los recursos proporcionados