June 28, 2007

Back to the debate! On Tuesday, the Senate voted 64-35 in favor of a motion to resume consideration of the already highly flawed immigration reform bill. In the coming days, Senators will consider a series of approximately two dozen amendments, a mixed bag of punitive and positive measures. During today's debate, Senators rejected several measures that would have made the bill stricter. Among others, Senators voted down amendments that would have significantly restricted the number of undocumented immigrants eligible to apply temporary legal status through the Z visa program and barred Z visa holders from a path to permanent residency.

Although we are deeply disappointed with the overall direction that Senate has taken with the bill thus far, it is very important that advocates TAKE ACTION to let our Senators knows that we value humane and workable immigration reform and make sure that additional punitive measures are not incorporated into the bill, such as the Coleman amendment.

Why should we urge our Senators to vote NO on the Coleman amendment? Communities are harmed when their residents fear that their immigration status will be questioned if they seek aid when they are a witness or victim of a crime. To protect vulnerable community members that might be especially subject to abuse, many states and localities across the country have policies that prevent the police from inquiring after the immigration status of crime victims, witnesses or others who have not committed a crime. Senator Coleman (R-MN) plans to offer an amendment that would make all such policies illegal.

All community members, immigrants included, should be encouraged to contact the police when they are victims or witnesses to a crime. Contact your Senators and urge them to vote NO on the Coleman Amendment!

For more information on other amendments, click here.

To find your senators' phone numbers, click on www.senate.gov (see the "Find your Senators" in the upper right hand corner) or call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202)224-3121 and ask to be transferred to your senators' offices.

Many thanks for your continuing support and activism to promote sensible immigration reform and humane policies at our border! We are counting on you!