Phillies - AZ Diamondbacks game

Planning when to unveil the banner....

Good work!

Friendly pro-immigrant supporter joins in outside the stadium

Immigration Debate Comes to South Philly

Check out this video footage as New Sanctuary Movement and other immigrant rights advocates gather in opposition to Genos fundraiser for Arizona.http://www.myfoxphilly.com/dpp/news/local_news/immigration-debate-comes-to-s.-philly

New Sanctuary Movement Featured on Fox

New Sanctuary Movement was featured on Fox 29 10 o'clock news on June 30th. Click below to view report and interview with NSM coordinator Peter Pedemonti.


ICE Agreement with the City: Should it End? 

Philadelphia Inquirer - Philadelphia to bar immigration agents from arrest data

Posted on Mon, Jun. 28, 2010

Philadelphia to bar immigration agents from arrest data

By Michael Matza

Inquirer Staff Writer

Philadelphia is expected to end the arrangement that permits federal immigration agents to scrutinize the city's computerized list of arrests, including country of origin and other data, Everett Gillison, the deputy mayor for public safety, said Sunday.

Immigrant advocates say the year-old agreement between the city and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement service, known as ICE, has resulted in deportation proceedings against immigrants arrested on even minor charges. Under the agreement, ICE agents can routinely access the city's Preliminary Arraignment Reporting System (PARS). That agreement is up for renewal on Thursday.

"It is the mayor's view that the PARS agreement should not be extended," Gillison said, speaking at a South Philadelphia church meeting attended by more than 300 immigrants and their supporters.

He said there would be a formal announcement of the city's position in the coming week, probably on Friday.

Mayor Nutter has expressed concern about the human rights of all immigrants, regardless of their legal status.

In a directive he issued a year ago, he barred municipal employees on official business from inquiring about the immigration status of any person, including, but not limited to, victims, witnesses, arrestees, and detainees.

Gillison said Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey and District Attorney Seth Williams "agree with the mayor" that the ICE-PARS arrangement should be terminated.

His announcement, which followed an hour of public testimony from immigrants about their fears and mistrust of the police, drew chants of Si, se puede! - Yes, we can! - from a mostly Latino audience that also included members of the city's Asian communities and a contingent of suburban supporters from the Central Baptist Church of Wayne.

Organized by a coalition of proimmigrant groups, including Juntos and the New Sanctuary Movement, the standing-room-only meeting took place in the basement of Annunciation Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary on South 10th Street. It was conducted mostly in Spanish, with electronic headsets available to permit simultaneous translation into English.

In addition to Gillison, officials in attendance included City Councilwoman Maria Quiñones Sánchez; Police Capt. Michael Weaver, commander of the immigrant-rich Third District in South Philadelphia; and Leslie Davila, assistant director of Victims' Services, who represented the District Attorney's Office but who left before the end of the meeting without addressing the group.

Because Williams did not attend, someone had filled the seat reserved for him with a large cardboard cutout of the district attorney's face.

"This is about human rights. It's about civil rights," Sánchez said. "And I am very, very encouraged by [the administration's] movement around PARS."

Some of the speakers who provided testimony about their encounters with police used their real names. Others used pseudonyms. They spoke from a lectern decorated with a poster that said, "Public Safety Now."

One man, who gave his name as Ignacio Aguirre, described the arrest of his son. He said the boy had been at the beach, where he used a knife to cut a watermelon. He put the knife into a backpack. Several days later, without thinking about it, he took the backpack to school and tripped a metal detector. It was an innocent mistake, the man said, but it resulted in a visit from ICE and house arrest with an ankle bracelet for his child.

He did not elaborate on the status of the case but said, "Now I'm afraid to call the police for anything."

Guadalupe Hernandez said she came to the United States from Mexico in 1996 to escape domestic abuse. She said her 16-year-old son was arrested in Philadelphia in 2007 while trying to stop a drunk friend from slashing car tires on Dickinson Street.

"My son tried to take the knife away," she said, but when police arrived, he found himself arrested "as an accomplice."

Although the boy eventually was exonerated, she said, "ICE wants to deport him."

Mark Medvesky, a spokesman for ICE in Philadelphia, said he could not comment in detail about the city's intentions regarding PARS until it took formal action.

But he did say, "Our priority is convicted criminal aliens, getting dangerous people off the street. That's one of the reasons we wanted access to PARS."

For full article and video clip visit philly.com

WHYY - Philadelphia may stop sending arrest info to ICE

Philadelphia may stop sending arrest info to ICE

Monday, June 28th, 2010

By: Susan Phillips
sphillips@whyy.org

Philadelphia's immigrant community wants the city to end a program that gives federal immigration authorities information about arrested people. City officials will be voting on whether to renew the policy later this week.

Immigrant advocates say the year-long practice of handing over information to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents breeds fear of the police. Currently, the information on a person's immigration status is transferred electronically at booking, regardless of whether the person is later brought to trial or found guilty.

Philadelphia Deputy Mayor Everett Gillison says the practice has intimidated victims and witnesses from immigrant communities, preventing them from reporting crimes.

"The Mayor's very worried about the fact that there seems to be a chilling effect. And the people in the community feel the police are using this and using this particular access to support immigration checks."

Gillison says he'd rather rely on the same information being channelled to immigration authorities through the state after a person has been convicted of a crime.

But the Mayor is only one of four votes. District Attorney Seth Williams says he hasn't made up his mind. The remaining votes come from the Municipal Court and the police department.

For original article, visit WHYY's blog

Philadelphia Weekly - Immigrant Groups Call for End of Police Cooperation with ICE

Immigrant Groups Call For End of Police Cooperation with ICE

June 28, 2010 by Aaron Kase

Mexico played Argentina in the World Cup elimination round yesterday, but many Philadelphia residents native to Mexico had more important things on their mind. More than 300 people, including a large number of Mexican immigrants, attended a public forum on immigrant rights yesterday afternoon, organized by the New Sanctuary Movement and other advocacy groups at the Annunciation B.V.M. Catholic Church in South Philadelphia.

The groups are asking for an end to collaboration between the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The meeting was conducted mostly in Spanish, with translation offered in English and Indonesian. Speakers took the stage to recount stories of friends and family delivered to immigration officials by the police, from immigrants who were stopped while driving, those who were questioned as witnesses to other crimes and a child who was arrested at school.

The conclusion of all speakers was that they no longer trust the PPD and are not comfortable approaching the police under any circumstances, even if witness or victim to a crime.

The PPD and ICE officially collaborate in two ways: The police give ICE access to the Preliminary Arraignment Reporting System (PARS), which lists the nationality of people in police custody. Furthermore, the federal Secure Communities program provides ICE finger-prints of anyone arrested by the police.

There have also been allegations of joint sting operations between ICE and the police, although these were not addressed at the meeting. Last November Mayor Nutter issued executive order 8-09 barring police and other city officials from asking anyone’s immigration status except in cases required by law.

The centerpiece of yesterday’s forum was a giant petition in Spanish and English calling for an end to police and ICE collaboration. In order to foster better relations with the police, the petition requested four changes:

• The city should not renew its agreement with ICE that grants the feds access to the PARS database.
• The city should reject the “Secure Communities” initiative.
• All city employers should sign the mayor’s directive 8-09.
• Directive 8-09 should be increased in scope to bar city employees from contacting ICE.

Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Everett Gillison and other city officials were in attendance, while District Attorney Seth Williams was invited, but did not show up. Instead, there was a blown-up cardboard cutout of the DA’s already considerably sized noggin.

The crowd chanted for Gillison to sign the petition in a space provided for him, but he declined, saying he was not permitted because the city was not in agreement on all points.

However, Gillison did say it was the mayor and other officials’ view that the PARS agreement should not be extended and they expect to make an official announcement shortly.
“The city’s view is that the police do not do federal immigration work. It is not their job to do. Period,” Gillison said.

However, he pointed out that the Secure Communities program is a federal mandate. The police are required by law to supply information to the state, which in turn has to deliver it to federal immigration officials.

“The bottom line is it’s a national issue we have to address,” said Gillison, recommending that the groups agitate President Obama and Congress on the issue.

“It is fear that kills, it is fear that makes us cowards,” Gillison said, telling the communities that they must not be afraid to engage with the police despite their negative interactions in the past. He mentioned that the only way for the city to find and reprimand officers who violate directive 8-09 is if the community reports them.

Seventh District Councilwoman Maria Quiñones-Sánchez attended the forum and promised to continue pressing the city on immigrant rights. “We don’t want anybody to live in fear,” she said.

South Philadelphia’s Third Police District Captain Michael Weaver also spoke briefly, pledging to meet with community leadership to improve public safety.

By the time the meeting let out, Mexico had lost to Argentina 3-1, but disappointed expatriates could take some comfort in what they view as positive movement from the mayor’s office to end the PARS agreement.

For original article, visit Philadelphia Weekly's blog

'Return to El Salvador' Philly/ Festival Premiere

Date: Thursday, June 24, 2010

Time: 8:00pm - 9:30pm

Location: The Ritz East: 125 South 2nd Street Philadelphia, PA 19106

The Philadelphia Independent Film Festival presents the Philadelphia and Festival premiere of 'Return to El Salvador', narrated by Martin Sheen and directed by local film maker Jamie Moffett this Thursday, June 24th 8pm at the Ritz East. Q&A after the film with the director, producers and featured interviewees.
Join us for the after party at The RUBA Club: 414 Green Street

Tickets $10 at the door or online: http://tickets.returntoelsalvador.com/

"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.

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.

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 ...

Bike for Immigrant Justice -- The 2000 Mile Trip Begins on Saturday!

This Saturday, NSM member Sheila Dhand begins her bike trip from Philly to New Orleans (2000 plus miles!) as way to raise awareness about the issues of immigration in the U.S.  As she visits communities along the way, Sheila  hopes to motivate people to action against the injustices that are being committed towards millions of immigrants across the country.  Please join us for the big send off --

Date:	Saturday, May 1, 2010
Time:	9:00am - 12:00pm
Location:	Clark Park, West Philadelphia (43rd and Baltimore Ave)

To stay connected to reports on the big adventure, visit Sheila's blog "Bike for Immigrant Justice" and join the "Sheila's Bike for Immigration Justice" Facebook group!

Al Dia Article about Sheila's Bike Ride

Al Dia sdhand | April 24, 2010 at 4:41 pm | Categories: Uncategorized | URL: http://wp.me/pROv4-1f

http://www.pontealdia.com/philadelphia/pedaleando-2.000-millas-por-justicia-migratoria.html
English Translation:
Despite being an American, Sheila Dhand says that she knows that is going on right now with undocumented people.
"I think it's important that people realize that this problem affects not only immigrants but also for us because with the deportations and anti-immigrant laws that are happening in different states, we are becoming a society without conscience. "
This young woman, just 25 years and daughter of Indian immigrants, will tour in favor of immigration reform out of Philadelphia to conclude in New Orleans where she expected to meet various organizations to urge immigration reform to different representatives.
"I am very aware of what is happening, I became involved in an organization that helps immigrants and decided to travel 2,000 miles on my bike ... this will take me about 7 weeks which start running the first of May. "
Dhand will pedal 15 miles every day and will be making various stops to meet with people to discuss the raids and those faced by immigrants.
"I think we need immigration reform because it is not fair that people are being judged by their immigration status, these immigrants have helped so much in the country's economic development and U.S. is not not paying them in a fair way. "

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Philadelphia Rally for Immigration Reform - Saturday April 10th

	11:30am on Saturday, April 10, 2010
	National Constitution Center
	500 block of Market St.
	Philadelphia, PA

On March 21st, hundreds of thousands marched on Washington to demand Congress act NOW to deliver comprehensive immigration reform. Now it is time to bring this movement home, and to let our Pennsylvania Congressional delegation know that they have no choice but to act.

Join us and stand up for our families, our communities, and our future. NSM and many other Philadelphia groups will take part in this rally organized by Reform Immigration for America.

Councilwoman Maria Quinones Sanchez has confirmed that she will attend. Additional invites have gone out to Sens. Casey & Specter, Reps. Brady & Fattah, Mayor Nutter, and Councilman Kenney.

There are several cultural performances planned, including Aztec Mexican dance groups, Kyo Taiko drummers, a youth breakdancing group, and a Spanish language rapper. Additional invitations are going out
to a group of Samba drummers, Irish dancers, and others.

NY Daily News: Immigration and Customs Enforcement tactics contradict Obama's promise of immigration reform

In a NY Daily News article today, columnist Albor Ruiz writes:

As much as one would like to take President Obama at his word on immigration reform, it has become increasingly difficult.

Particularly when Immigration and Customs Enforcement is still running wild and contradicting Obama's repeated assurances that the agency would focus on dangerous criminals and not on workers and families.

"We are not going to deport our way to a controlled immigration system. The ultimate solution is comprehensive immigration reform that ensures immigrants are legal, hiring is legal, and future immigration is legal," said Frank Sharry, executive director of the advocacy group America's Voice.....

Read the complete article here.

The Meaning of Our Immigrants

RE YOUR Feb. 2 article "Immigration-bill Marchers Win a Nod from Rep. Brady":

I'm writing to clarify the significance of what happened and to address the long-standing misconception of the immigrant community and immigration reform.

Attendees including Indonesian-, Cambodian- and Latino-Americans encouraged support of HR 4321. Testimony came from people who have been living in South Philly for more than 25 years, a pastor, owners of businesses and homes, and people who work more than one job.

Most important, all of these people have been contributing members of their South Philly communities. They all support and love their family, friends and neighbors.
The only difference is that these folks were not born here. Under current immigration legislation. . .

* A woman is facing permanent separation from her son. She has been living and managing a business in South Philly with her family for more than two decades. Her son, who came here as a refugee with his family, may be deported for an offense he served time for more than a decade ago.
* A man who came to the U.S. legally hasn't seen his children or wife for years due to the backlogging of their immigration papers.

* A young and hardworking man who is providing for his family silently accepts great risks. He is vulnerable to violence due to racism and misunderstanding but cannot call the police. He knows that contact with police could lead to deportation, and then instability and poverty for his family.

Immigration reform is about far more than jobs and legalization. It is about family, humanity and giving people the validity they deserve. Jobs provide food and shelter to family and children. Legalization acknowledges the rights and the hard work of our neighbors.

HR 4321 offers family unity, not family separation due to old and outdated laws that need to be changed.

Mia-lia Kiernan, Philadelphia

Looking at the Other Side of 'Illegal'

IN "Immigration's Unspoken Word" (Feb. 2), columnist Stu Bykofsky calls attention to the fact that many immigrants are considered "illegal."

I'd like to emphasize that being in the U.S. without documentation isn't a criminal offense. It's a civil offense like speeding or jaywalking. People jaywalk for a number of reasons: They're late, or need to catch the next bus, or there's something happening on the other side of the street. Similarly, people immigrate to the U.S. "illegally" out of need. In the end it is not often a choice, it's a matter of survival.

The movement of people across the U.S.-Mexico border isn't only a matter of survival of the people migrating north, it's also a matter of survival for our economy. Up to 75 percent of unauthorized immigrants pay federal, state and local taxes. Undocumented workers are estimated to pay about $7 billion a year into Social Security. The average immigrant pays $1,800 more in taxes than she receives in public benefits, according to a study by the National Research Council and National Academy of Sciences. Over their lifetimes, the average immigrant and her immediate descendants contribute $80,000 more in taxes than they receive in benefits.

The average migrant is a 29-year-old Mexican male, earning less than $7,500 a year with a life expectancy of 49 years. As these workers accept low-paying jobs, long hours and no benefits, they keep our daily goods such as fruits, vegetables - and even housing developments - more affordable. Just imagine how expensive all goods and products would be without these low-wage workers who are called "illegal."

Jennifer Rock, Philadelphia

Call to Action -- Visit Congressman Brady on Tuesday!

Join Us To Visit Congressman Robert Brady / US House of Representatives, Pennsylvania District 1

With Members of JUNTOS, the Cambodian Association, And the New Sanctuary Movement


When: February 2nd, 2010, 10:00 AM.
Where: We will meet at 2029 S. 8th St., in the Houston Community Center Auditorium, to march to the Congressman’s office at 1907-09 S. Broad St. for a meeting at 11:30 AM.
To ask Representative Brady to co-sponsor CIR ASAP, The Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America's Security and Prosperty Act of 2009 in support of Comprehensive Immigration Reform to promote:

-A path to legalization
-Justice for Immigrant Workers
-The Dream Act
-Security Measures that don’t target immigrant communities.
-Family Reunification

Along with testimony from community leaders, we will deliver petitions and thousands of post-cards from constituents in the Congressman’s District in favor of immigration reform.

Please RSVP!
For More Info and to Confirm, Please Call: (267)-275-7810

Philadelphia City Council Resolution -- we need you at City Hall on Thursday!

City Council Resolution in Support of Comprehensive Immigration Reform
On Thursday Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez will introduce a resolution in City Council calling on our members of congress to support Comprehensive Immigration Reform. We need to show our strong support, so spread the word and please join us at City Hall! There will also be a press conference following the council session.

Thursday, January 28, 2010 9:15a
Philadelphia City Hall, 15th & Market, Council Chambers, 4th Flr

WE NEED YOU THERE!

Hope to see you Thursday!

In Peace and Solidarity,

Jen and Peter

Reform Immigration for America Rally at St. Thomas Aquinas / Si se puede! = Yes we can!

Written by Anna C. Dugdale, Title I ESOL Teacher at St. Thomas-Aquinas School in South Philadlephia

Despite the ICE (Immigration and Custom) Raids of 30 suspected undocumented immigrants on Monday, January 11, 2010 which terrified many of the women and children whose homes were raided, hundreds of immigrant parents, students and their families from South Philadelphia came out this past Friday, January 10, 2010, on Dr. King’s birthday no less, to support the national campaign rally kick off event held in the St. Thomas Aquinas School cafeteria to advocate for immigration law reform. There is a nationwide call for action by our labor unions, community groups, faith organizations, civil rights groups and immigrant communities to push for comprehensive immigration reform this year in Washington. This rally advocates a legal path to citizenship for all immigrant workers so they may find the freedom, liberty and pursuit of happiness that our country has symbolized for all of us, as a land of immigrants.  

Monsignor Hugh Joseph Shields welcomed us on behalf of the Office of the Vicar for Hispanic Catholics, followed by Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez, who explained some of the current failures of our immigration system that leaves 12 million immigrants undocumented but who continue to work and contribute to our US economy. Thirty-year veteran immigrant attorney Jane Goldblum explained that if you do not come to the US with a 4 year college degree, it is nearly impossible to obtain a working visa. In addition, she said that it takes 5 years for a legal resident to acquire a visa for family members and during that time, many family members are compelled to work in the US illegally under the fear of deportation and the separation of their loved ones. Tswien Law, of the Greater Philadlephia Organization of Chinese Americans addressed some of the myths of immigrants and reminded us of the history of how the N. American railroads were built by Chinese American labor and that 1,000 of the 10,000 workers died on the job. Both Wayne Macmaniman and Antony Dugdale, District leader of SEIU 32BJ and Philadelphia Coordinator of UNITE HERE, Local 274, shared stories of how undocumented workers are underpaid, overworked and intimidated by the threats of deportation if they dare to speak out or stand up for fair wage and working condition civil rights. Jesus Gutierrez, a JUNTOS member, said, “Cuando se divida una familia, se divida todo el pais.” = “When we divide our families, we divide our country.”

This Southeastern Pennsylvania Campain Kick off Rally is just one of many rallies “to create awareness and build a coalition of informed people to call on the new Administration and 111^th Congress to commit to: 

• I. “Uphold family unity as a priority of all immigration policies by
• 1.) expediting the reunion of immigrant families separated due to the length visa backlogs, 
• 2.) changing family preference categories and per country caps to prioritize family unity and 
• 3.) removing bars to reentry and adjustment of status for individuals seeking to reunite with their family members.” 
• And II. “Create a process for undocumented immigrants to earn their legal status and eventual US citizenship that affordable and does not take up to 10 years to process.” (Reform Immigration for America rally hand out)
  Note: You can also read about the top 10 immigrant myths and understand the facts from the National Immigration Forum’s June 2003 sources online.   (Click here for immigrant myths and facts document.) 

On a personal note, it was heartwarming to see so many alumni of the Title I ESOL Program at St. Thomas-Aquinas school there, parents of students who are now excelling academically at local high schools and colleges. It continues to be an honor to teach and learn from these inspirational families from Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, China and Mexico who bring so much to our community!

NSM and the Philadelphia Storytelling Project

The current focus of NSM Philadelphia is a collaboration with the Philadelphia Storytelling Project and co-directors Manuel Portillo and Mark Lyons. Through these efforts, immigrant communities are recording first-person accounts of their experiences which will become a powerful voice in organizing and advocating for justice. 

Listen to stories by Sarbelia and Marta, two women in the Ecuadorian community in Upper Darby who have participated in the storytelling project.  The recordings are available in Spanish and in English.

Read an online account of the vision for this compelling work in this introduction by Manuel and Mark.

Here is an excerpt from that introduction on the Open Borders / Philadelphia Storytelling Project website...
 Participants record their stories, mix them with music, and share them on CDs, the radio, webcasts. The process of creating our stories and sharing them has been profound. Listening to each other’s stories and reflecting on our common experience is an act of honoring our lives and affirming our dreams and sacrifices. Through our stories we develop a collective identity as immigrants. Telling our story allows us to take risks, to talk about missing our families, our isolation, our frustrations as we try to feel at home in our new world. Our stories create openings for conversations with our friends and family, to say things unsaid. And now we are taking our stories to the world—to immigration authorities developing deportation guidelines, legislators who are deciding whether to provide healthcare for undocumented children, communities terrified by the specter of immigration raids. These stories must become part of The Great Immigration Debate.

We invite you to listen to some of these remarkable stories, filled with honesty and risk-taking and possibility and anger. Over the next few months we will share stories of sacrifice, separation and grief, of teens who talk about pregnancy and homelessness and finding a way to connect with their father at a baseball game, of farmworkers who harvest our food, of the terror of immigration raids and deportation, of high school graduates who came to the U.S. ten years ago and whose dreams of going to college are deferred because they have no documents, of learning English while hanging on to their culture, of frontier justice. And more. We will tell the story around the story—how sharing stories changes the way people see themselves, each other, the world. How stories demand an act of listening—the basis of all relationships. You will be able to listen to many of these stories on this website—three to six minutes in length, often produced by the storytellers themselves. All will be in English; some will be in Spanish, as well.


Source:  http://www.wildriverreview.com/intro/open-borders/welcome-to-open-borders/lyonsportillo/oct09