By  Gideon Aronoff and Jane Ramsey

If Martin Luther King Jr. and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel were alive today,  they would surely be standing arm in arm, condemning Alabama’s new  anti-immigrant law.

Under Alabama’s new law, House Bill 56, local law enforcement officers are  required to obtain proof of legal status from anyone whom they stop and “suspect” is in the country illegally. In other words, an undocumented immigrant  can now be arrested and held without bond if he or she cannot validate  citizenship during a routine traffic stop.

Additionally, Alabama’s new immigration law prohibits entering into contracts  and government business transactions with undocumented immigrants, a provision  that already has led to households being deprived of basic public utilities,  like water supply and sewer service. Immigrant workers — documented and  undocumented — are fleeing the state because they or their family members do not  have proper documentation and they fear they will be jailed.

Anyone suspected of being undocumented could potentially become a target of  investigation and harassment. Entire communities are living in fear.

Not surprisingly, civil rights issues have arisen in the wake of the new law:  Children are being bullied, parents are withdrawing their children from schools  and immigrants — both documented and undocumented — are living in fear of  run-ins with local law officers. In fact, the first person arrested under  Alabama’s immigration law proved to have proper documentation.

Cineo Gonzales — a legal immigrant of 10 years who lives in Birmingham — reports that shortly after HB 56 went into effect, his first-grader daughter was  given a “know-your-rights” document for targets of the new law, outlining  recommendations for encounters with law enforcement. Although Gonzales is a  legal immigrant and his daughter was born in Alabama, school officials singled  out the child because she is of Latino descent, saying that the documents were  given to “all children who aren’t from here.”

The Southern Poverty Law Center, based in Birmingham, reports that more than  3,000 calls have poured in to its hotline from immigrants affected by the law.  Their vulnerability is not something that America’s government takes lightly — and rightfully so. Concerned about civil rights and liberties violations, the  U.S. Department of Justice has put staff on the ground to monitor implementation  of the law, and DOJ has also set up a hotline to collect reports of rights  violations.

Throughout our history, Jews have been considered strangers and outsiders in  their communities, and we know too well the pain of living in fear. We know that  racial profiling incites feelings of helplessness, frustration, anxiety and  anger for innocent victims.

In addition, racial profiling is ineffective and harmful as a law enforcement  tool. If there is a perception that calling the police may lead to deportation,  police may find undocumented people and their family members hesitant to seek  protection, report crimes committed against them or serve as witnesses. The  Arizona Coalition Against Domestic Violence, for example, reported a decrease in  calls for help. This the coalition attributes to Arizona’s immigration law,  Senate Bill 1070, which “served to generate a culture of fear within minority  communities.” Rather than making communities more secure, immigration laws like  those that have passed in Arizona and Alabama do little more than drive a wedge  between local law enforcement authorities and the communities they are entrusted  to protect.

In the words of King.: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice  everywhere.”

We must unite with our friends and neighbors to speak out for justice. We  gain inspiration and courage to do so from ordinary citizens like Steve  Dubrinsky, who did not back down from his support for undocumented immigrants  when he received threats of a boycott of his Jewish deli in Birmingham.

Acts such as his are particularly symbolic, coming in the Deep South 50 years  after Jews and blacks banded together to defeat institutionalized racism. The  civil rights of documented and undocumented immigrants deserve no less attention  from coalitions of the brave than did that earlier historic fight.

As a nation founded by and for immigrants, we must provide a hospitable legal  framework for today’s immigrants to arrive and integrate. As Americans and Jews,  we must once again form strategic alliances to demand that our elected officials  in Washington prioritize the reforming our immigration system.

The iconic photo of Heschel and King marching together in Alabama has been an  enduring symbol for black-Jewish relations. But it is also a powerful reminder  that wherever injustice exists, we must join together and defeat it. Heschel and  King would want us to do nothing less to fight for the victims of the inhumane  Alabama law.

Gideon Aronoff is the president and CEO of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid  Society, the international migration agency of the American Jewish community;  Jane Ramsey is the executive director of the Chicago-based Jewish Council on  Urban Affairs, which combats poverty, racism and anti-Semitism in partnership  with Chicago’s diverse communities.

Janeth Vasquez (DREAM student); Sen. Dick Durbin; Emily Zucker Burns (JCUA); Jane Ramsey (JCUA)

Jews are compelled to treat immigrants with justice, kindness and warmth, according to Rabbi Asher Lopatin, speaking at Shabbat morning services as part of the national DREAM Sabbath event.

In addition to Rabbi Lopatin, a member of the JCUA board of directors, Shabbat worshippers at Anshe Sholom B’Nai Israel Congregation also heard from Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and a high school senior deeply affected by the DREAM Act.

The event (Oct. 15) at Anshe Sholom, a Modern Orthodox congregation in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood, was only one of hundreds of Dream Sabbath events happening around the country. The DREAM Sabbath was a nationally coordinated faith initiative inspired by Durbin and organized by the Interfaith Immigration Coalition.  The goal of the DREAM Sabbath was to raise the issue in diverse faith communities and build support for the passage of the DREAM Act.

Durbin and Lopatin were joined by high school senior, a DREAM student who was brought to the US by her parents at the age of 8. She faces an uncertain future as she prepares to graduate from high school and seek a career.

Lopatin gave a powerful reminder of the Jewish values that command us to welcome those among us into our homes, to share our space and food and goodwill with those who seek it in good faith. Not very many years ago, he said, many Jewish families were themselves seeking legal entry into the country after fleeing persecution abroad.

“The history of the Jewish people and the religious heritage of the Jewish people both compel us to make sure we are treating immigrants with justice, kindness and warmth,” said Lopatin. “Anything less would be showing ingratitude to who we are as Jews and Americans.”

“I have been working to pass the DREAM Act for 10 years, and throughout the last decade there has been one constant: strong support from the faith community,” Durbin has said. “The DREAM Act is based on a fundamental moral principle shared by all of our nation’s faith traditions – that it is wrong to punish children for the actions of their parents. The DREAM Sabbath saw hundreds of congregations across the country turn faith into action by putting a human face on the plight of undocumented students. Their sincere efforts have helped mobilize support to resolve this injustice, and I will continue working in Congress to pass the DREAM Act.”

Learn more about the DREAM Act on Durbin’s website.

Thursday, November 17th, 2011

12:00-1:15pm CST /　1:00-2:30pm EST /10:00-11:15am PST

Are you concerned about the treatment of immigrants in our country?  Do you want to learn how the Jewish community is responding to what some  are calling the “Civil Rights issue of our time?”  Join us for an informative  webinar with Jewish leaders who are at the forefront of the Jewish Campaign for Immigration Reform.

The webinar will include:

• Explanation of the Jewish imperative for immigration reform
• Background on the history of immigration  policy in the U.S.
• Economic arguments for immigration reform
• Legislative updates regarding federal immigration policy and state/local policies, including overviews of state policies like those in Arizona and Alabama
• Programming ideas for how to get your community involved in immigration advocacy

Featured Speakers Include:

• Jane Ramsey, JCUA
• Rabbi David Saperstein, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism,
• Ira Azulay , Chair of JCUA’s Immigrant Action Team
• Melanie Nezer, Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society
• Vic Rosenthal, Jewish Community Action

JCUA, Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, and Jewish Community Action are the co-conveners of　We Were Strangers Too: the Jewish Campaign for Immigration Reform. This campaign

is formally endorsed by over 24 national and Jewish organizations.

You can find out more about the campaign in our recently launched We Were Strangers Too Blog.

To RSVP, please email irene@jcua.org.

CHICAGO — Lowell E. Sachnoff, of Counsel to Reed Smith, is the 2011 recipient of the Arthur Goldberg Social Justice Award, presented by the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs.

DREAM Sabbath is part of a national interfaith effort to draw attention to the DREAM Act. JCUA is helping to publicize two events in the Chicago Jewish community.

Friday, Oct. 14: Congregation Hakafa

• Location: Winnetka Community House
• 620 Lincoln Ave, Winnetka
• Services begin at 8 pm. A DREAM student will speak during the service.

Saturday, Oct. 15: Anshe Sholom B’nai Israel

• 540 W Melrose St, Chicago
• Services begin at 9 am, followed by a convening in the Sukkah behind the shul to say blessings and listen to a DREAM student tell her story.

Join us for a bagel and shmeer, and learn more about JCUA’s unique involvement in issues including immigrant rights and housing justice. This event is for those who are interested in joining in JCUA’s Action Teams or taking action in other ways with JCUA on these critical issues impacting our city.

Register online, or for more information contact Emily Zucker Burns at emily@jcua.org or 312.663.0960 ext. 125.

Sunday, Oct. 30, 2011

10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies

610 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago

2nd Floor

Ten JCUA leaders traveled to Washington, D.C. on July 28 to meet with congressional leaders and members of the White House administration as part of a two-day trip organized by the Jewish Social Justice Roundtable, a group of 21 nonprofit organizations promoting economic and social justice as a core tenet of Jewish life.

Included in the JCUA delegation were:  Rabbi Bruce Elder, Steve and Gerry Keen, Nikki Stein, Ira Azulay, Rabbi Joshua Salter, Leah Shefsky, Rabbi Michael Siegel, Irene Lehrer Sandalow and Jane Ramsey.

JCUA delegation*

That Thursday JCUA, the National Council of Jewish Women, and the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism coordinated meetings with congressional leaders and 40 Roundtable members. The meetings began with Reva Price, advisor to Rep. Nancy Pelosi. Price has a long history working in the Jewish community and provided us with an insider’s perspective on how to advance social justice issues on our agenda.

She shared the importance of the faith community in influencing the immigration debate, overcoming people’s fear of the “stranger,” and combating xenophobia. To win on immigration, Price encouraged us to create alliances with conservatives and the business community. She also explained that traditional advocacy tactics work and that calling and meeting with our congressional leaders makes a difference. “Take it to the public!” said Price, quoting Lincoln.

Rabbi Bruce Elder addressing HUD staff*

We also met with staff from both Sen. Charles Schumer and Sen. Dick Durbin’s office. They were hopeful that immigration is still an issue where we can make a difference.

Joseph Zogby, counsel to Sen. Durbin on the Senate Judiciary Committee, shared with us the launch of Dream Shabbat 2011 where diverse communities of faith around the country will help spread understanding of the DREAM Act and build support for DREAM students.

It was very empowering to hear from Jewish congressional leaders whose social justice values are front and center as to why they are in office. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, Rep. Henry Waxman, and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz expressed their distress regarding the current budget discussion, which they believe challenges our values in a profound way.

Roundtable leaders in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building*

There was a real sense of exhaustion and urgency about the consequences if we fail to protect the most vulnerable in our society through the drastic budget cuts. Rep. Schakowsky started her comments by quoting Psalm 71:9: “Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone.” “People will die,” said Schakowsky, if we let them make deep cuts in Medicare and Medicaid. “They are shifting the healthcare costs from the government on the backs of the poor and elderly,” she said.

Steve Keen (from left), Rabbi Joshua Salter, Rabbi Michael Siegel*

Rep. Waxman emphasized the importance of compromise and finding common ground. Sen. Mark Begich from Alaska encouraged us to flood caucus and town hall meetings of our congressional leaders in August when they are back at home. He urged us to remind them that they have constituents at home who rely on them to protect their interests.

While we did not get an opportunity to hear from leaders who do not share our agenda (though we invited them to meet with us and JCUA leaders Steve Keen and Ira Azulay met with staff from Sen. Kirk’s office), it was important for our friends in Congress to hear that there is a powerful and vocal group of Jewish social justice leaders who share their values and are grateful for their leadership. Moreover, it was very helpful for us as community activists to hear insider perspectives on what tactics and strategies work.

Nikki Stein and Gerry Keen*

Coming out of these meetings, three things are clear to us:

1) Members of Congress need to hear from us more often and more loudly.

2) The upcoming 2012 elections are going to be definitive for the future of much of our social justice agenda.

3) We need to find non-traditional allies to win on our issues.

Progress is possible and we cannot get discouraged by the current discourse. It is especially important now that we redouble and triple our efforts and we not allow ourselves to give up on those who need us the most.

July 29: White House Meetings

We started out Friday bright and early with a meeting. More than 160 Jewish social justice leaders, representing 21 organizations, gathered together at the National Press Club. The excitement in the room was palpable. We felt like we were making history and as Rabbi Bruce Elder said as he introduced JCUA, “It’s about time that we are here together.” Rabbi Dara

Rabbi Dara Frimmer leading Kavanah*

Frimmer led us in a special Kavanah (intention) before we walked to the White House conference rooms. We then sang a song that captured the collective power and cohesion of a group that had traveled from all around the country to bring a Jewish voice to the crucial justice issues of our time.

The group participated in four agency briefings on food security, housing, education and health and human services. In these policy briefings, leaders of different organizations shared two powerful stories from their communities. After a briefing from the administration, the group engaged in a dialogue.

Lunch was loud, hectic, with an abundance of food—the way a Jewish meal should be. Participants were eager to visit with old friends and meet new people. We learned about each other’s campaigns and programs.  Creating opportunities for Jewish social justice leaders to come together and build relationships is essential in furthering our collaboration and growing the movement.

Valerie Jarrett*

In the afternoon we moved to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building (EEOB).  An impressive list of speakers from the White House administration addressed our group, including:

• Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President
• Dr. Rebecca Blank,  Under Secretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs,
• Danielle Borrin, Associate Director, White House Office of Public Engagement and Special Assistant, Office of the Vice President
• Cecilia Munoz, director of Intergovernmental Affairs
• Michael Strautmanis, Deputy Assistant to the President and Counselor for Strategic Engagement to the Senior Advisor
• Jon Carson, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director, White House of Public Engagement
• Tina Tchen, Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the First Lady

Danielle Borrin*

We heard from them regarding the challenges facing our country: the economy, immigration, working with a new Congress and more. But most importantly, they heard from us—our stories, our priorities, and our concerns.

Eve Copeland from Jews United for Justice shared how Jewish leaders organized meetings across Washington, D.C. to talk about tax increases to prevent drastic budget cuts to social services.

Ira Azulay addressing White House officials and Roundtable members in the EEOB*

Ira Azulay from JCUA shared an immigration story and detailed in every step how broken the system is. Aaron Weininger from Keshet shared stories about what issues LGBT people face every day. Carole Levine from NCJW shared her personal story and her friends’ stories of unemployment.

At all of these meetings, we proudly promoted our Jewish values and shared our campaign stories, understanding that these issues are not just about politics, but about individuals and how their lives are compromised because of unjust policies. We came not only to talk about our ideal of justice, but the practical implications and impact upon communities. We asked question after question as to how we can work together with the administration to lift up the oppressed.

That evening many of us gathered with new and old friends and family to celebrate Shabbat. In our blessing over the wine we mentioned our memory of the exodus from Egypt. That day, that act of remembering was an active one. We brought to the forefront our indignation of injustice to those who are in power because we remember the pain and we remember that we, too, were once slaves in the land of Egypt.

*Photos taken by Kristian Whipple, kwhipple.com

The Mathes

On July 26, 2011 Andy Mathe was deported and his brother and parents could be next.

The Mathe family fled South Africa in 2007 and came to the United States with hopes of a bright future. Back in their home country, they had been receiving threatening letters and phone calls and did not feel safe anymore. The Mathe parents did what they had to do to keep their children safe, but now it seems as though it was all for nothing.

People protesting outside of ICE headquarters

The Mathes committed no crimes and acted perfectly during their time here in the U.S., but they still are getting split up by this unjust system. After Andy Mathe was deported, his parents and brother were told they needed to check in with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authorities today (August 2) with the possibility they will be deported as well.

To show ICE our outrage at this broken system we protested outside of ICE headquarters. Undocumented immigrants from across Chicago showed up chanting “undocumented and unafraid”, saying they are sick of hiding and want to be accepted into our society.

Andy Mathe's Mother

One young undocumented woman spoke to the crowd in frustration saying, “Are we so worthless or disposable? Does our humanity count for something or is it nothing?” Andy’s Mother also spoke to the protesters before she went inside to hear her fate. “I pray no one has to go through what Andy went through,” she said.

We will anxiously wait to hear the fate of the rest of the Mathe family.  Please sign this petition and call Rep. John Lewis asking him to stop this possible deportation.

To learn about JCUA’s immigration work, contact Emily Zucker Burns at emily@jcua.org.

In 2008, Adam Savitt, an immigrant from Guatemala, was sitting on the front porch of his home in Highland Park on a Monday morning, when eight federal immigration agents showed up. Within minutes, they had taken him into custody and handed his belt, keys and wallet to his wife of seven years, Julie Savitt. They did not show her a warrant and did not tell anyone why he was being detained.

Adam was taken to an immigration detention facility. It took his wife four days to find where he was. Though Julie gave the immigration agents his diabetes and depression medication, it took several days and the intervention of immigrants rights organizations, lawyers and his rabbi for him to receive them. Eventually, Adam was deported to Guatemala.

The Savitts were going through the proper legal channels for Adam to become a legal permanent resident. They had asked their Congressman for assistance with their case as early as 2005. Senator Kirk’s office never responded before Adam’s detention, and since the arrest, his staff has only responded to say there’s nothing they can do.

The Savitts own and operate a hauling company together. Adam has helped raise Julie’s three children and is also supporting his two other children. Today, however, it doesn’t matter that Adam Savitt is married to a U.S. citizen, a successful businessman, an active member of his synagogue, a resident of Highland Park, a refugee who fled Guatemala during its bloody civil war, or an applicant for a marriage visa that would allow him to live with his family in the United States. What matters is that Adam was one of some 300,000 undocumented individuals unceremoniously plucked from the lives they had built in this country and returned to places where they no longer had ties – or, worse, to the same dangers they had risked their lives to escape.

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June 30, 2011–On Tuesday, along with other JCUA staff members and interns, I attended a protest against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Secure Communities program.  Earlier this year the Obama administration supported the program and ICE director John Morton is intent on enforcing it throughout the country.

People protesting outside of ICE for immigrant rights

Secure Communities was created to deport undocumented immigrants that have been convicted of a serious crime, but statistics show many of the immigrants being deported have no criminal record.  Illinois was the first state to not accept the program, although other states have followed suit.  Morton came to ICE headquarters in Chicago on Tuesday to tell Illinois that Secure Communities is mandatory, even though Gov. Pat Quinn does not support this program.

Here at JCUA we wanted to show support for the families that have been affected by this unsympathetic program.  The results of Secure Communities have been detrimental to families, splitting many up.  Immigrants affected by the program wanted to meet with Morton to tell him their personal stories of how it has negatively affected them, but Morton would not meet with them.

JCUA interns Audrey, Leah and Arielle

Many people were present at the protest and there was entertainment such as singing and dancing.  Little kids walked around in t-shirts saying, “I was born in the USA, please don’t take my mommy and daddy away,”chants were being yelled and people were passionately marching in front of the building.  The protest came to an end after someone who sat in on the meeting came down and delivered bad news, saying Morton is not budging on his position, but that doesn’t mean the fight is over.

Find out more about JCUA’s immigration work.

On a cold, Friday morning, bright and early, nine teenagers gave up sleeping in to pray for those impacted by our broken immigration system.  The teens, who were participating in JCUA’s week-long Or Tzedek program, helped lead a prayer service for immigrants that were about to be deported.

The interfaith service took place outside of the detention center where immigrants are being held.  Services used to be held at the Broadview detention center, but are now being held downtown as the Broadview center is temporarily closed for remodeling.

This vigil tradition was started by Sister Jo Anne Persch and Sister Pat Murphy,  two nuns from the Chicago Sisters of Mercy dedicated to keeping families together.  The Or Tzedek teens read Hebrew prayers along with prayers they wrote themselves.  The Sisters and others present at the vigil said they were excited to see teenagers actively involved in such an important issue.

If you’re interested in attending a vigil they take place every Friday morning from 7:15-7:45 am in front of the detention center located on 101 West Congress.

Gadi Capela

By Gadi Capela
JCUA Rabbinic Fellow

On May 12, 2008, the U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raided AgriProcessors Inc., the kosher slaughterhouse and meat packing plant in Postville, Iowa.  Nearly 400 undocumented immigrant workers, mostly from Mexico and Guatemala, were arrested in what became the largest raid of a workplace in U.S. history until then.

Most of those who were arrested were convicted for document fraud and identity theft. Correspondingly, several AgriProcessors employees and managers were convicted for conspiracy to harbor undocumented immigrants.

But there was more.

AgriProcessors Inc. (photo: The Gazette)

AgriProcessors was  paying substandard wages and offering minimal safety instruction and health care to its 800 employees, and was hurting the animals and the environment. As a result, the Conservative movement reacted with a new initiative called Magen Tzedek.

By invoking the verse from Deuteronomy, “You shall not abuse a needy and destitute laborer, whether a fellow countryman or a stranger,” Rabbi Morris Allen advocated for an ethical certification for kosher food in addition to the current kosher slaughtering certification.

Magen Tzedek was founded on the principle that we are what we eat. It is an ethical seal signifying that kosher food has been prepared with the highest standard of integrity and care, including employee wages and benefits, health and safety, animal welfare, corporate transparency and environmental impact.

Magen Tzedek demonstrates that ritual and ethical commandments have an equal place at our tables.

To learn more about Magen Tzedek, join us for lunch with Gadi Capela on Tuesday, July 5 at noon at the JCUA office, 610 S. Michigan Ave., Suite 500. The event is free, but you need to RSVP on our website.

May 16, 2011– Progressive activists from Israel and the U.S. are speaking tonight at Hebrew Union College on issues of religious pluralism, environmental justice, women’s rights, housing and migrant worker rights. Among the speakers is Irene Lehrer Sandalow, JCUA director of strategy and Jewish affairs, who will be sharing the story of Rigo Padilla and leading a text study with Osnat Cohen-Lifshitz of Hotline for Migrant Workers on the rights of migrant workers. Conversation to follow will be focused on the impact immigrants have on the country.

• Find the event on Facebook
• Learn about JCUA’s immigration work

President Barack Obama delivers remarks on immigration reform at Chamizal National Memorial Park in El Paso, Texas, May 10, 2011. (Credit: Reuters/Jim Young)

Wednesday, May 11–Join the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights and members of JCUA on important conference calls on the reintroduction of the federal DREAM Act and President Obama’s plan to fix our broken immigration system:

ICIRR DREAM Conference Call with U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin

Time: 12:30 pm CST

Call: 712.432.0075
Password: 747369
(We encourage you to join the call at 12:25, since there will be high traffic.)

What will be discussed:

* The re-introduction of the federal DREAM Act
* Next steps for Illinois

More than a hundred people are expected to be on this conference call, so it will be a one-way call.

Got a question?
If there is a question you would like answered on the call, submit your name, phone number and question to Stephen Smith (ssmith@gmail.com) or Artemio Arreola (aarreola@icirr.org), and you will be informed if your question is chosen.

White House Conference Call on Immigration Reform

When: 12:00 pm CST

Call: (800) 398-9367, Code: White House Immigration Call

What will be discussed:

President Obama’s immigration speech and next steps

More info:

A broad group of stakeholders will be on the call including: Melody Barnes, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, Cecilia Munoz, director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and Jon Carson, director of the White House Office of Public Engagement.

Join us for Rights and Roots: an engaging evening for young adults to explore the challenges facing both documented and undocumented immigrants in the U.S. through the framework of Jewish values and ethics.

Hear speakers from diverse immigrant communities share their personal experiences and join in a reflection and discussion on Jewish textual and cultural perspectives on immigration issues of today. Kosher food from various immigrant communities will be provided.

When: Thursday, May 19, 7-10 pm

Where: Russian Moishe House, 474 N. Lake Shore Drive

The event is free, but space is limited so reserve your spot today.

[Download a PDF flyer of the event to share with your friends]

For more information contact Emily Zucker Burns at 312-663-0960 or emily@jcua.org.

This event is organized by young leaders from the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs Associate Division, Birthright Israel NEXT Chicago and Moishe House-RSJ (Russian-Speaking Jewish).

Fliers to download

MayDaygeneral

Friday, March 4–Gov. Quinn’s Chief of Staff Jack Lavin told Chicago community leaders on Thursday that the proposal to cut immigrant services by 74 percent was “an unfortunate miscommunication” and that “it will be corrected.”

“Our meeting with Chief of Staff Jack Lavin and top aides was extremely productive,” said Jane Ramsey, executive director of the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs. “We must, however, maintain vigilance to ensure that these critical services remain fully funded.”

Ramsey, who is also a board member of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, and fellow board members Josh Hoyt, Alie Kabba, Maria Pesqueira, Tuyet Le, Daysi Funes, Selena Roldan were at the Illinois Capitol as part of ICIRR’s “One Nation, One Dream” advocacy day along with more than 700 immigrants from Latino, Asian and Arab communities.

Other than discussing the proposed cuts to immigrant services, activists met with state legislators to advocate for a voting rights act to protect immigrant communities during the redistricting process and the Illinois DREAM Act, which would provide more educational opportunities for undocumented students.

The leaders also met with Illinois Senate President John Cullerton to thank him for sponsoring the Illinois DREAM Act. Cullerton said he would consult with the Democratic Caucus, House Speaker Michael Madigan and Secretary of State Jesse White to build support for the act.

The group also encouraged legislators to take action on the federal Secure Communities program, which has caused significant numbers of non-criminal immigrants to be arrested and deported.

Chief of Staff Lavin told Ramsey and other leaders that the state and the City of Chicago are under extreme pressure to expand Secure Communities, that they are aware that the program isn’t working correctly, and that they will act soon to fix it.

“We are greatly concerned that the Secure Communities program is causing many families to be separated—including children from mothers—mostly triggered following minor traffic violations,” said Ramsey. “We are urging support for the Smart Enforcement Act, introduced by Sen. Antonio Muñoz, which would prevent these devastating and costly actions.”

And, said ICIRR Executive Director Josh Hoyt, though the fight for immigrant rights is far from over, Thursday’s meeting with state legislators was a good step forward.

“It is clear that we must stay very active in the next several months in Springfield,” said Hoyt, “but Thursday was a very good day for immigrants in Springfield.”