Faith Leaders Immigration Reform Sign-On Letter

Sign-On Comprehensive Immigration Reform An Open Letter to President Barack Obama

Dear Friends and Members of NY Faith & Justice, It's not too late to sign on! The deadline has been extended to THIS FRIDAY. Plus, signatures are not limited to clergy. Lay leaders within faith communities are welcome to sign on. So far, about 400 faith leaders have signed on, including people from across the nation who represent every major religion in the U.S. Personally, I've been encouraged by the enthusiastic response from my own faith community. So far Rev. Jim Wallis, Shane Claiborne, Rev. Gabriel Salguero, Rev. Joel Hunter, Dr. David Gushee, Rev. Richard Cizik, Rev. Michael Mata, Rev. Rich Nathan, Dr. Curtiss Paul DeYoung, Rev. Tony Campolo, Noel Castellanos, Brian McLaren, Ben Lowe and many others have signed on. If you haven't signed on, it's not too late. Please join us then forward the list to your friends! **To sign on, please email your name, organizational affiliation, city and state tosignon@nyinterfaithimmigration.org by Wednesday, June 2, close of business. In Faith & Justice, Lisa Sharon Harper Co-founder and Executive Director NY Faith & Justice

An Open Letter to President Barack Obama from America's Faith Community Leaders Dear President Obama: In your objections to Arizona's new immigration law, you rightly called on Congress to act swiftly to pass Comprehensive Immigration Reform. As leaders of our nation's diverse faith communities, we are united by our commitment to an America that is both safe and just. We echo your call to Senate Republicans and Democrats to negotiate and produce a bipartisan immigration reform bill this year. To move the process forward, we ask that you make immigration reform a priority in the months ahead, using all the tools available to your office. We also ask that you convene a bipartisan summit on Comprehensive Immigration Reform. We believe this summit is necessary for lawmakers to discuss common and differing viewpoints on structuring the legislation. It would also fulfill your pledge to all Americans to provide workable solutions that fix our broken immigration system. America needs Comprehensive Immigration Reform that both protects our interests and abides by our values. As Americans and people of faith, we are strongly committed to the safety and security of our nation, policies that ensure economic prosperity, and fair labor practices for all workers. We celebrate our commitments to the rule of law; equal protection under the law; and our rich immigrant heritage. Together these commitments make America what it is today--a global beacon of opportunity and hope. The passage of Arizona's new immigration law highlights a failure of our federal government to enact reform. State-based solutions place an unrealistic burden on police officers and divert substantial resources from their primary responsibility to protect us from crime. Comprehensive Immigration Reform that provides a path to citizenship would decrease racial profiling, keep families together, and increase tax revenue. A 2009 study by the Cato Institute found that legalization of low-skilled workers would boost the incomes of American workers and households by $180 billion over ten years. Many of us minister daily to individuals and communities adversely impacted by our broken system. We are convinced that America cannot afford to delay Comprehensive Immigration Reform; that our safety, our economy, and our most cherished ideals are at stake. The teachings of our nation's diverse religious traditions require action now! The Hebrew Bible tells us: " And if a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. The strangers who sojourn with you shall be to you as the natives among you, and you shall love them as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord, your God. (Leviticus 19:33-34)." In the New Testament, Jesus calls us to welcome the immigrant, saying "for what you do to the least of these who are members of my family, you do unto me (Matthew 25:40)." The Qur'an requires us to "serve God, and be good to ...neighbors who are familiar and near... the companion by your side and the traveler that you meet... (4: 36)." The Hindu scripture Taitiriya Upanishad reminds us, "The guest is a representative of God (1.11.2)." Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth and last human Sikh Guru, guided us to "recognize the human race as one." Our nation is blessed by a broad diversity of religious traditions. We are Baha'is, Buddhists, and Christians, Hindus, Jains, Jews, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs and more. We worship in different ways, but we are united in our affirmation of the Golden Rule: Treat others in the way that you yourself want to be treated. Our current system is a transgression of these shared teachings and of American values. Comprehensive Immigration Reform is a moral imperative for our nation. Mr. President, we urge you to heed our call to conscience. The well-being of America and the lives of immigrants, our families and our children hang in the balance. Signed Name, Affiliation

Let Your Voice Be Heard on Immigration Reform

NY Faith & Justice

2010 Immigration Reform Campaign: Call in Script

General tips:

1. Call the Capital switchboard (202) 224-3121, and ask for Senator Schumer's office.

2. Introduce yourself, say you are a New York State resident and that you are calling to

request action on immigration reform from your senator.

3. Say the message.

4. Draft talking points if you feel confident in amplifying your request.

5. If no one picks up and you need to leave a voice message then leave your name, your state of residence and the message and phone number if you wish to be called back to give additional information.

Hi, my name is _________, I am a voter in New York state and am representing New York Faith and Justice. I am calling, first to thank Senator Schumer for working on a framework for immigration reform along with Sen. Graham. Secondly, I encourage him to push the introduction of a bill this year. We need immigration reform that protects American interests without threatening American values.

This bill is a chance to enact real immigration reform and to end our failed enforcement-only strategies. It also represents an opportunity to fix our nation's economy by turning undocumented immigrants into tax-paying citizens and prosecuting employers who exploit undocumented workers.

As people of faith, we call on Senator Schumer to exercise strong leadership as he introduces reform that protects our borders and creates a path to full citizenship for undocumented immigrants.*

Thank you.

*If you are an Evangelical Christian, you should close with this strong statement.

As an Evangelical Christian, I call on Senator Schumer to exercise strong leadership by introducing reform that protects our borders and creates a path to full citizenship for illegal immigrants.

2010 Immigration Reform Campaign: Call in Script

[Date]

Senator Chuck Schumer

United States Senate

313 Hart Senate Building

Washington, D.C. 20510

RE: Introduce Comprehensive Immigration Reform that Reflects Both our Interests and our Values

Dear Senator Schumer:

I am writing today as a representative of New York Faith & Justice. We thank you for working on a framework for immigration reform along with Senator Graham.

My [write your faith tradition here] faith teaches me that we should live in the light, and not in the shadows. A clear pathway to legalization and citizenship allows 12 million people in this country to come out of the shadows and contribute fully to the rich immigrant tradition of the United States. It is vital also to secure our border in order to keep our Nation secured.

I believe that immigration reform can, must, and will happen this year, but only with your strong leadership. Congress must work this year to enact meaningful reform because virtually every aspect of our immigration system remains in crisis.

We need Comprehensive Immigration Reform that helps our nation's economic recovery by providing a path to earned citizenship for the 12 million or more undocumented people living and working in the U.S. It must turn undocumented immigrants into tax paying citizens who contribute to our rich culture and help build a robust economy. Reform must also relieve the visa backlogs that are slowly and tediously tearing families apart. Finally, Comprehensive Immigration Reform must adjust the way we admit foreign workers to this country and correct the structural injustices within immigration courts and detention.

2010 is the year for immigration reform, but this cannot become a reality without your leadership. With this letter, I urge you to stand with your colleagues and constituents by introducing a tough, practical, and fair Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill that protects American interests without threatening

American values.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

[Address]

Tools for Contacting Speaker Christine Quinn

Write Speaker Christine Quinn 

Email Speaker Christine Quinn through her page on the NYC City Council websiteand ask that she make sure F.R.E.S.H. includes labor standards:  http://council.nyc.gov/d3/html/members/home.shtml

Sample letter:

Dear Speaker Quinn,

New York City is becoming increasingly unaffordable, and many New Yorkers lack access to basic rights like the right to healthy food and the right to a dignified job with a living wage and benefits. Thank you for your leadership and all that you have done to tackle these issues. 

A coalition of labor, community and faith leaders are calling for labor standards to be included F.R.E.S.H. We believe that F.R.E.S.H. is a strong step toward developing better food access. Taxpayer dollars, however, should not subsidize stores that pay poverty-level wages. F.R.E.S.H. must not contribute to poverty and gentrification—especially since the community districts affected by F.R.E.S.H. already suffer from the highest rates of poverty. Subsidies should only go to stores that pay living wages, provide decent benefits, and have clear promotional policies.

F.R.E.S.H. needs standards to guarantee that participating stores will empower communities, provide good food, and incentivize the development of living-wage jobs. We hope that City Council will amend the F.R.E.S.H. program, so that F.R.E.S.H. will alleviate rather than exacerbate poverty. Council support for the zoning incentives should be contingent on the inclusion of standards in the EDC financial subsidies. 

We will support the F.R.E.S.H. zoning changes if community, environmental, and good job standards are attached to the financial subsidies included in the program. Only by guaranteeing good food and good jobs to all New Yorkers can we alleviate poverty and improve health. Thank you for your support.

Yours,

Call Speaker Christine Quinn

Dial: (212) 788-7210

Introduce yourself and ask to speak with her legislative director or leave a message.

Say why you are calling

I am calling to make sure that the Food Retail Expansion to Support Health Initiative, to be voted on by the City Council includes labor standards.

Ask for a specific action: 

Use the following sentence or your own words: 

I am calling to ask that the Speaker continue to make progress in attaching labor standards to the financial subsidies triggered by participation in F.R.E.S.H.

Give reasons why:

- Without good jobs standards, taxpayer money may subsidize unscrupulous stores that exploit workers and take advantage of communities.

Standards:

Good Jobs: The supermarket should be required to commit, in order to be eligible for the program, that all jobs at the store will meet minimum good jobs standards, defined as providing wages and contributions for benefits that are no lower than those prevailing in the New York City supermarket industry (taking into account a differential between full-time and part-time employees).  

Job Creation: Because the public should see maximum return from public investments, priority should be given to supermarkets that will create the most jobs per public dollar spent with a preference for supermarkets with more than 25 employees.

Local Hiring: The supermarket should participate in a "First Source" hiring system that links employers with community residents and low-income New Yorkers.

Good Food: Stores should participate in the Pride of New York Program.

Transparency: The participating supermarket should be required to report publicly on a bi-annual or annual basis with information necessary to evaluate the food quality and employment standards (e.g. job and wage data) at the supermarkets participating in the loan program. All information should be available online.