America's Voice Blog

Posted 01/06/09 at 04:20pm By Paco Fabian

2+2 = $6.3 million?

FAIR’s New Report Misses the Real Numbers of Americans Who Want Comprehensive Immigration Reform

So, it looks like the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) is ringing in the New Year with a little too much bubbly. After suffering staggering losses during the 2008 election cycle, they have produced a new “report” on money spent lobbying Congress by organizations who care about immigration, jumping on the anti-lobbyist bandwagon in another desperate attempt to convince the public that FAIR’s approach to immigration reform is the right one for America.

This is another blatant attempt by anti-immigration groups to change the subject from what is good for America (comprehensive immigration reform) and what America wants (comprehensive immigration reform) to FAIR’s distorted world view (apparently, an end to immigration and lobbying, those evil twins).

We are confident that once the hangover sets in, FAIR will realize that elected officials are more accountable to the people that just put them in office. That’s right, the people that just voted scores of anti-immigrant politicians out of office and put the decidedly pro-immigrant—and consistently pro-immigration reform—Barack Obama in the White House. Unfortunately for FAIR, and fortunately for America, people want real solutions to our broken immigration system, not the status quo that FAIR represents.

Now, a look at FAIR’s fuzzy math, according to the report:

In analyzing the lobbying data it is important to note two things. First, the current reporting requirements do not mandate that an organization specifically list the amount of money spent lobbying on a particular bill, and therefore the amount of dollars spent on a single piece of legislation is difficult to determine. For example, for the first half of 2008 the U.S. Chamber of Commerce reported spending $17.7 million lobbying, and expressly reported lobbying on H.R. 5515. However, how much the U.S. Chamber spent on this specific bill is not detailed, and what it argued in its lobbying efforts will not be revealed through the lobbying reports.

Still, the report lists Exxon Mobil as having spent around $6.3 million on lobbying on behalf of immigration. I know, it’s hard to believe that they would not be spending their money on energy issues, opening up Alaska to “drill baby, drill!” or a host of other issues related to the oil industry. The problem is that FAIR’s report does not separate the amount spent on immigration lobbying. It just lists the amount spent on lobbying by groups that worked on immigration bills, as if that were a useful measure of the influence lobbyists have had on the fate of immigration reform these past several years.

Furthermore, FAIR conveniently omits and misrepresents the expenditures that it and its allied organizations like NumbersUSA and others spent on lobbying for the same bills. The Center for Responsive Politics says that FAIR has spent around $200,000 on lobbying in 2007, more than double the $80,000 that they claim in their report for the first half of 2006 and 2007. What’s even more glaring by its omission is the $600,000 that NumbersUSA.com spent on Lobbying in 2007. Looks like FAIR is content with pointing fingers at “special interests” while conveniently omitting that, by their own standards, they are a “special interest” too. Even Dan Stein, their Executive Director, is a registered lobbyist.

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Posted 12/26/08 at 10:45pm By Web Team

Hope for the Holidays

For many, hope is the word this holiday.

On the topic of immigration reform, the New York Times chimes in:

It's way too early to tell whether the United States under President-elect Barack Obama will restore realism, sanity and lawfulness to its immigration system. But it's never too early to hope, and the stars seem to be lining up, at least among his cabinet nominees.

The Center for Community Change has a new video out, asking what communities are hoping for in the new year. Much of the hope hinges on a call for real immigration reform, not raids:


The San Diego Press (La Prensa San Diego) is running an opinion piece entitled, "A New Era of Hope for Comprehensive Immigration Reform," by Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum. The piece details the many costly failures of Bush-era immigration policy:

Three years ago at this time of year, the Republican-controlled House had just passed H.R. 4437, a bill that would have amounted to the most restrictive immigration legislation in generations and which sparked huge demonstrations nationwide. Two years ago, the first in the new era of workplace raids unfolded at jobsites just in time for the holiday season. This year has seen more raids, more separation of families, continued bureaucratic processing delays, and a legal immigration system unresponsive to the reality facing families, employers, and individuals.

But it, too, strikes a chord of aggressive hope at the end:

President-elect Obama's cabinet nominations reflect a desire to make significant progress on immigration reform. Nominating people like [...] Gov. Janet Napolitano (Secretary of Homeland Security), Gov. Bill Richardson (Secretary of Commerce), [...] Rep. Hilda Solis (Secretary of Labor), indicates he and his Administration are serious about working with Congress to deliver comprehensive immigration reform for the American people.

...2008 also saw an election where immigrant and Latino voters turned out to vote for change in record numbers. The tired politics of immigrant bashing once again failed to deliver for firebrand politicians.

...Now it is up to people of conscience to hold our elected representatives accountable and demand immigration reform that benefits the American people, America's economic and homeland security, and moves us towards a new era of recognizing that immigration is not a source of weakness for America, it is a sign of our strength.

On that note, happy and hopeful holidays to all!

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Posted 12/26/08 at 09:13pm By Jackie Mahendra

CNN: Shedding Light on"Toughest Sheriff” Joe Arpaio

We first reported on Sheriff Joe's small-screen debut earlier this month in a post entitled, "Pink Underwear on Primetime?" Now, it's official: America's most dangerous, racist sheriff is set to hit Fox reality televeision tomorrow. Here's a video we've released about it:

Today CNN raised some tough questions about Sheriff Joe Arpaio's record, quoting Paco Fabian, of America's Voice:

But Arpaio's critics aren't amused.

They say they fear the show will give the controversial sheriff positive publicity, ignoring what they call a darker side to his 16-year tenure as top lawman in the county that includes Phoenix.

"It's going to celebrate a sheriff that's frankly scaring this community, a sheriff that has seen violent crime increase significantly in his county, a sheriff that is racially profiling the Latino community, and I doubt that the show is going to reflect that," said Paco Fabian, spokesman for the immigrant-rights group America's Voice.

CNN continued:

In a statement on the group's Web site, Fabian calls Arpaio a "modern day Bull Connor," comparing him to the public safety commissioner in 1960s Birmingham, Alabama, whose use of attack dogs and firehoses on civil rights demonstrators made him a symbol of racial intolerance. [...]

And then, of course, there's the pink underwear.

The truth is, Sheriff Joe makes his name whatever way he can, whether dressing inmates in pink underwear or forcing them to eat rotten bologna sandwiches. Many Arizona leaders can't stand his costly publicity stunts. According to CNN:

Earlier this year, the mayor of Phoenix wrote a letter to the U.S. attorney general's office, asking the FBI and the U.S. Justice Department's civil rights division to investigate Arpaio's aggressive illegal immigration crackdowns. Mayor Phil Brown wrote that Arpaio's sweeps show "a pattern and practice of conduct that includes discriminatory harassment, improper stops, searches and arrests."

The letter came after Arpaio, who had already been the target of hundreds of lawsuits, launched a series of what he calls crime-suppression patrols in largely Latino neighborhoods. Critics say the patrols use racial profiling to unfairly target Hispanic drivers and pedestrians..."

It's high time the media shed light on the true "Toughest Sheriff" Joe Arpaio and his ugly methods.

If you haven't already, please sign the petition calling for an investigation of Joe's tactics.

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Posted 12/22/08 at 03:37pm By Paco Fabian

Separating Fantasy from Reality

stop modern slave labor protestIn “The Three-Legged Stool of Immigration Reform,” Real Clear Politics columnist Ruben Navarette goes to great pains to defend what many groups have called “Bush’s midnight attack on farmworkers.” Navarette laments:

Just look at what happened recently when the Bush administration -- which tried to get comprehensive immigration reform through Congress but failed in part because of labor's opposition to guest workers -- tried to make it easier for one group of employers to use foreign workers. 

Back up. Who killed immigration reform? Was it organized labor?

According to an MSNBC article, “Immigration bill suffers major defeat in Senate,” published immediately following the bill’s collapse:

The vote was a stinging setback for Bush, who advocated the bill as an imperfect but necessary fix of current immigration practices in which many illegal immigrants use forged documents or lapsed visas to live and work in the United States.

Victory for GOP conservatives

It was a victory for Republican conservatives who strongly criticized the bill's provisions that would have established pathways to lawful status for many of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants. They were aided by talk radio and TV hosts who repeatedly attacked the bill and urged listeners to flood Congress with calls, faxes and e-mails.

Now that we’ve got that straight, Navarette continues:

The bureaucratic change, the most significant in 20 years to the nation's H-2A visa program, was met with incredible hostility from organized labor and its friends in the Democratic Party. […]

Farmers had typically bypassed the program because -- with its bureaucratic delays, red tape and requirement that they pay foreign workers more than minimum wage -- they considered the option to be more trouble than it is worth.

Apparently, farmers go around the H-2A program now in order to pay their workers less for back-breaking work.

What’s more absurd than not blaming the GOP for killing immigration reform? Putting the fox in charge of the chicken coop, as it were: giving employers free reign to treat their workers as they will.

Immigration reform that’s got a chance must be good for US workers, immigrant workers, and the economy. We needn’t choose between worker protections and real immigration reform, but we do need to separate fantasy from reality.

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Posted 12/19/08 at 03:49pm By Paco Fabian

LaHood: New Transportation Secretary, Strong Republican Voice on Immigration

Ray LahoodCongressman Ray LaHood (R-IL), who is the President-Elect's pick for Secretary of Transportation, is the grandson of Lebanese immigrants and has been a co-sponsor of several immigration reform measures. Though he was set to retire after his seventh term representing Illinois' 18th District, it's clear that Ray LaHood's firm history of bipartisanship will be an addition to the incoming administration.

According to a statement put out by the Arab American Institute yesterday:

With his knowledge of Congress and his fair-handed demeanor, LaHood has often chaired the House of Representatives on contentious issues. [...] Arab Americans are proud of Ray LaHood's service to our country. He is a measured and thoughtful voice on the Hill, someone who has never been afraid to reach across the aisle to find common ground.

The Congressman co-sponsored recent legislation that would have enacted comprehensive immigration reform, and his pick is just another appointment that bodes well for getting a real reform passed in the new administration.

We also hope he becomes a model on immigration for the GOP, many of whose leaders are re-thinking the party's hard-line immigration strategy in the wake of major losses this election.

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Posted 12/19/08 at 01:56pm By Lynn Tramonte

A Sweet Goodbye to Goode

To be fair, he gave it a good run. It was so close to call that he got a recount. In the end, challenger Tom Perriello beat Virgil Goode by 727 votes, though, and it's time for us to say good-bye.

Well, we can't say we'll miss him.

During the 2008 election, Immigration08.com tracked 22 competitive races where immigration was shaping up to be a major issue. While the Virginia congressional race that pitted Tom Perriello (D-VA) against Virgil Goode (R-VA), didn't make the cut at that time, it ended up being one of themost competitive races this cycle. 

And one of the ugliest, in terms of anti-immigrant rhetoric. Just watch this gem from the campaign trail:

This came as little surprise, as Goodehad been raising eyebrows for some time. As the Associated Press reported: 

Goode has stirred controversy in recent years for his strong anti-immigration stances, including a 2006 letter he wrote to constituents criticizing a decision by Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota to use the Quran when he was sworn in. Goode warned that unless immigration was tightened, "many more Muslims will be elected."

Back when pundits were searching fora scapegoat to blame for this whole financial mess, Virgil Goode was sure he'd found the answer: undocumented immigrants.

In a Sept. 28th story in the Martinsville Bulletin, Goode said that undocumented immigrants who can'tpay back loans are the root cause of the nation's financial problems.

With that, he joined the lonelychorus of restrictionist-turned-"conservative pundit" Mark Krikorian and rightwing loudmouth Michelle Malkin, who've been blaming immigrants, and Latinos in general, for the financial crisis. Because clearly it had nothing to do with CEOs and federal regulators.     

But Goode's challenger for hisCongressional seat, Democrat Tom Perriello, cried foul. His communications director, Jessica Barba, wrote:

"It's outrageous that while the working families of Southside and Central Virginia are watching their investments plummet and their jobs disappear, Congressman Goode is trying to blame illegal immigrants for a problem he helped create.  The truth is that the crisis has been caused by the pervasive lobbying of Congress by Wall Street looking to make a quick buck. If Rep. Goode was more focused on helping the people of the 5th District, and less on Wall Street lobbyists, he wouldn't have voted against cracking down on predatory lenders and protecting working families here in Virginia." 

Rep. Goode's immigration gaffe inSeptember didn't come as much of a surprise. He had already built a firmrecord of trying to pin problems on undocumented immigrants — and usinginflammatory language in the process.  He has long railed against the Constitution, which holds that all babies born in America are U.S.citizens. Borrowing a line from the Minutemen's playbook, he calls thesechildren "anchor babies," not Americans, and seeks to get their citizenship-alongwith the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution-revoked.

But trying to anchor an election inbashing undocumented immigrants? That's one boat that didn't float thiselection.

For immigrant advocates, the long, Goode goodbye this election was particularly sweet.

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Posted 12/18/08 at 04:31pm By Paco Fabian

Rep. Solis’ Appointment: Another Good Sign for Workers and Immigration Reform

solis photoToday's Associated Press announcement that Rep. Hilda Solis (D-CA) is the President-elect's pick to head the Department of Labor is an exciting development for all workers in our country. Not only has Solis been a long-time labor advocate, she has stood firm for immigration policy that makes our nation stronger. She has also been a leader on the issue of immigrant detentions and the ill-conceived Bush administration raids.

According to a statement released by the National Immigration Forum:

Rep. Hilda Solis has been a key leader for immigrants, workers, and comprehensive immigration reform throughout her career and we eagerly welcome the good news that she has been selected as the next Secretary of Labor.  Joining Gov. Janet Napolitano at the Department of Homeland Security, Sen. Hillary Clinton at the State Department, Gov. Bill Richardson at the Department of Commerce, and other key nominees, Rep. Solis is joining a strong team that can work with Congress on behalf of the President to deliver real reform for the American people on the issue of immigration. 

In this time of economic insecurity, it is more important than ever that we have stability in our labor market and the conditions by which workers - immigrant and native-born alike - can stand together to win better wages and better jobs.  Restoring the rule of law to our immigration system through comprehensive immigration reform is a key ingredient in defending and extending workers' rights.

In nominating a leader as skilled and dedicated as Rep. Solis to this important office, President-elect Obama is sending the clear signal that American workers, regardless of their country of birth, are a valued part of America's future and a top priority for his Administration.

 This is just one more sign that the new administration is taking immigration reform and the rights of all workers seriously.

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Posted 12/18/08 at 12:00pm By Web Team

Court Delays Prevented Thousands of Potential New Citizens from Voting

citzenship cakeGuest Blogger Fred Tsao is the Policy Director for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights | Cross-posted at icirr.org.

As the Washington Post reported yesterday, citizenship delays likely prohibited thousands of immigrants from voting in this historic election. According to the Post:

In one of the nation's busiest courts, a judge's delay caused nearly 2,000 people to not receive the oath in time to register for November's general election, USCIS ombudsman Michael Dougherty said in a 13-page report released yesterday.

The finding adds a new twist to long-standing complaints that applicants for citizenship face long waits, poor service and different treatment depending on which immigration office handles their paperwork.

Progress Illinois had this to say:

He found that in one of four cities where judges have exclusive authority to call the hearings, court officials reported that they weren't given enough time to conduct the oaths in the days preceding the election. (Dougherty wouldn't say which city, but Chicago is one of the four.) The result? Nearly 2,000 new citizens were denied the right to vote.

Immigrants already have to struggle with enough obstacles in the citizenship process, including high fees, long waits, and tougher tests. Now it turns out they have to deal with federal courts that won't swear them in on a timely basis.

It's particularly outrageous that thousands of people--who took all the appropriate steps to become citizens so they could vote in this historic election--were denied access to this cornerstone of our democracy. It's time for the courts to make naturalization a real priority.

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Posted 12/16/08 at 08:50pm By Jackie Mahendra

The Attention Joe Deserves

sheriff joeAs we've been saying, self-proclaimed "America's Toughest Sheriff" Joe Arpaio is scheduled tolaunch a new reality television show two days after Christmas.

The FOX network is giving a giant megaphone to a public official known for his anti-immigrant antics and racial profiling. Smile! You're Under Arrestwill celebrate the slimy depths Sheriff Joe has been willing to sink toin Maricopa County, Arizona. Well, we've launched a new video askingthat Joe get the attention he really deserves — an investigation by the Department of Justice.

Watch the video and raise your voice!

We're calling for an investigation into Sheriff Joe's appalling record. Here are some highlights:

  • 2,700 lawsuits have been filed against Arpaio

  • Joe prioritizes immigrant sweeps over prosecuting felons (there are 40,000 outstanding warrants in his county)

  • The Sheriff discriminates against Latinos, as found in an Arizona Republic study

Don't get mad that Fox is glorifying Joe — Get even. 

Demand a long-overdue investigation into the Sheriff's antics.

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Posted 12/16/08 at 03:16pm By Patty Kupfer

‘Immigration Sunday’ a Call to the Faithful

bishop stained glassMinnesota's Catholic bishops have declared January 4th, 2009 to be 'Immigration Sunday.' The decision was made to heal divisions left by a large immigration raid in Worthington, Minnesota and to engage Catholics on the Church's immigration teachings.

The raid, which happened two years ago, inspired area Bishops to enter into our nation's immigration debate by issuing a call for comprehensive reform and encouraging Catholics around the state to learn more about the issue.

Today's Minnesota Post had the story:

The group notes: "Anti-immigrant sentiment continues to divide communities throughout Minnesota and recent immigration raids have had a devastating impact on immigrant families and our rural communities. In the context of a new administration and new Congress, the Minnesota Catholic Bishops will release a joint statement calling for comprehensive immigration reform and strategies to reduce global poverty.

"Immigration Sunday" is just one of many faith-based efforts to bring communities together in the wake of stepped-up immigration enforcement that targets immigrant workers and their families, instead of reforming our nation's immigration laws.

As the Bishops of Minnesota continue to plan for "Immigration Sunday," we hope that leaders of other states, and from all faiths, take up the call.

 

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