May 26 From Philly to Phoenix, Just Immigration Reform NOW

Rally in front of the Constitution Center

gather at 5th and Market at 11:30 am

followed by a march through center city.

Come to call for an executive order from Obama to reverse SB 1070. Call for the end of all collaborations between the police and ICE. And demand leadership from the federal government to move comprehensive immigration reform, before things get worse.

Since last month’s passage of Arizona’s law, SB 1070, criminalizing immigrants and creating state sanctioned racial profiling, ten other states have introduced similar anti-immigrant legislation, including PA, where Sen. Metcalfe has introduced the HB 2479.

Simultaneously, policies such as Secure Communities, that encourage police and ICE collaboration, are spreading across the country, and is happening here in Philadelphia, under the radar. As grassroots and political pressure mounts for action and leadership on immigration reform, Arizona has shown Congress and the nation, the time to act is now! 

We are facing a critical moment in the course of history, not unlike the abolition movement, or the civil rights movement. Arizona SB 1070 is a regression in the fight for the civil rights and dignity of all. We must respond!

Coalition Meeting / Reunion de Coalición

en espanol abajo...

New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia
Coalition Meeting- The Time to Act is Now
Thursday, May 13 @ 7pm
Visitation BVM Church, 300 E. Lehigh Ave in the school basement

The time to act is NOW!  It is time to respond to the recent law in Arizona, SB 1070, the introduction of anti-immigrant legislation in the PA legislature, and building momentum around our local campaign to end collaboration between police and ICE.  Come to discuss and practice how to talk about all these issues.  We will discuss our message and then role play how to talk about the issue with different audiences.

In Peace and Solidarity,

Peter and Jen 

                                                     _____________________________________

Nuevo Movimiento Santuario de Filadelfia

Reunión de Coalición - el tiempo para actuar es ahora!
el jueves13 de mayo a las 7pm
Iglesia Visitación, Calle Lehigh # 300 en el sótano de la escuela

El tiempo para actuar es AHORA!  Es el tiempo de responder a la ley de Arizona, SB 1070, la introducción de una ley contra inmigrantes en el congreso de Pennsylvania, y aumentar la atención sobre nuestra campaña local para terminar la colaboración entre la policia y la migra.  Venga para discutir y practicar como hablar sobre estos temas. Nosotros discutiremos nuestro mensaje y prácticaremos con dramas sobre como hablar a diferentes audiencias. 

En Paz y Solidaridad,

Peter and Jen

"Secure Communities" in Philadelphia

Our campaign to end collaborations between Philadelphia police and I.C.E. is featured on the "Uncover the Truth" website. Read the full article at http://uncoverthetruth.org/philadelphia-our-stories-give-us-power

This video highlights one of the powerful, first-person stories from our Philadelphia community, shared by one of the participants in the Philadelphia Storytelling project.

Immigration Rally @ Sen Casey's office 10am on Thurs May 6th

Today, with the introduction of Rep. Medcalfe's HB 2479, Pennsylvania joins the lists of states attempting to replicate Arizona style anti- immigrant legislation.   Quite simply, congressional inaction has created a void, allowing state representatives to propose hateful policies.  We cannot allow this to continue. 

Please join us this Thursday, at 10 AM, as we rally at Sen. Casey's office (2000 Market St) and demand that he protect Pennsylvania from wrongheaded policies by showing leadership in Congress to pass fair, humane, and practical comprehensive immigration reform this year. 

The 10 AM rally at Sen. Casey's office (2000 Market) will be followed by a march down Market Street to Love Park, where faith leaders will join with the Mayor's National Day of Prayer event, to offer prayers on behalf of immigration reform.  Bring posters, American flags, noisemakers, and as many people as possible with you -- together, we must send a strong message that we will not stand by and let our state follow in the footsteps of Arizona.

Rep. Medcalfe's proposal is exactly the wrong approach to our broken immigration system, because it will strain law enforcement to the breaking point, will undoubtedly lead to racial profiling, and will inevitably lead to lawsuits that cost the taxpayers of Pennsylvania.  Instead, we need reform that will help our economy while creating jobs, protect our workers, create a fair and practical path to citizenship, and make us safer with smarter enforcement.

One more thing:

Today!  Call President Obama.  Let him know about the introduction of this bill in PA, and tell him you are counting on him to deliver on his promise to pass immigration reform this year. 

Toll Free Numbers:  English line: 866-956-8590  Spanish line: 866-584-3906

RSVP for Thursdays rally:  marchforamericapa@gmail.org

Public Radio International features Philadelphia New Sanctuary in report on immigration issues

Listen to this brief audio clip from today's PRI "The World" segment on immigration enforcement issues and Secure Communities.  http://media.theworld.org/audio/043020103.mp3

The report features challenges by immigration activists to local-federal law enforcement collaboration on immigration enforcement under the "Secure Communities" program of Homeland Security.

Highlights include the story of a Philadelphia high school student and family from El Salvador, plus comments by Jen Rock of Philadelphia New Sanctuary Movement.

ICE MEMO LEAKED: ICE USES SPIN AND DECEPTION IN RESPONSE TO RIGHTS GROUPS' FOIA AND EVENTS

Washington DC, Today a six page internal memo from Immigration and Customs Enforcement was leaked to the press. The memo contains ICE's media strategy in response to rights groups' "Uncovering the Truth on ICE and Police Collaboration" campaign—a week long effort of rallies and press conferences in 14 cities to denounce the dangerous and disastrous police-ICE partnerships that led to the human rights crisis in Arizona. The week of advocacy was launched on Tuesday in conjunction with a FOIA lawsuit filed in the Southern District of New York by the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, the Center for Constitutional Rights and the Immigration Justice Clinic of Benjamin Cardozo School of Law to demand records relating to the Secure Communities program.

The memo included targeted op-eds in "major newspapers in the right cities where protests are planned."  On the day of the launch John Morton, director ICE placed op-eds in Atlanta, GA, Miami, FL, and Morristown, New Jersey—sites of the campaign.

The following is a statement of Sarahi Uribe, organizer with the National Day Laborer Organizing Network and national coordinator of the "Uncover The Truth" campaign: 
"It is deeply disturbing that Immigration and Customs Enforcement responds to our simple request for truth and accountability with an aggressive strategy for spin and deception. At a time when its clear that the federal government's irresponsibility gave rise to the crisis in Arizona, rights groups now feel under attack for demanding basic answers from our government."

For a copy of the memo and listings of local events visit: www.uncoverthetruth.org

Uncovering the Truth about Police and ICE Collaboration

Check out the website at http://uncoverthetruth.org to find information about special actions happening this week aimed at “Uncovering the Truth on Police and ICE Collaboration.”

NSM of Philadelphia -- as well as many other national and local immigrant rights, criminal justice and social justice groups throughout the country -- will be featured in stories and photos.


The “Uncovering the Truth” week of activities is intended to be a coordinated effort to get local groups asking questions about police and ICE collaboration in their communities, and to get lawmakers in Congress focused on holding the Department of Homeland Security accountable.

Deportation programs like the Department of Homeland Security’s misnamed “Secure Communities” program are set to be in every U.S jail by 2013 without the public, elected officials, and sometimes police chiefs themselves knowing. Indeed, the program has been advanced in secrecy despite significant public attention paid to the devastating consequences to communities where police enforcement of immigration law has been piloted.

Read more about the Uncovering the Truth campaign ...