The Introduction to Who Is My Neighbor?: A Faith Conversation on Immigration

For a copy of the curriculum or more information, please contact Jennifer Piper at jpiper@afsc.org or 303-623-3464

CFIR Thanks Governor Ritter

CFIR Thanks You

“Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the keys to living your life with integrity.”

Dear Governor Ritter:

We at Coloradans For Immigrant Rights (CFIR) recently heard about your support of the Colorado Interfaith Pledge on Immigration on September 25th, 2008. We were encouraged and pleased to see you take a stand for proactive and respectful dialogue about immigration policy. We appreciate you naming comprehensive, just and human immigration reform as a priority and a necessity for the next president’s administration and for our communities.

Our group, which represents over 800 individuals across the State, works to support the human rights of immigrant communities and to create a vision of a world where dignity and justice are afforded to everyone. Your actions contribute to such a world. Thank you.

We will be following up with a letter outlining our perspective on the currently policy debate around immigration.

If you would like more information about CFIR or if there is anything we can do to be supportive of your continued efforts, please contact me at 303-623-3464.

Sincerely,

Jordan T. Garcia
Immigrant Ally Organizing Director
Coloradans For Immigrant Rights (CFIR) a program of the AFSC


Organizing Citizens to Support Immigrant Rights!
901 W. 14th Ave, Suite # 7, Denver, CO 80204 ● Ph: 303.623.3464 ● Fax: 303.623.3492
jgarcia@afsc.org ● www.afsc.org/central/colorado ● www.coloradansforimmigrantrights.blogspot.com

Aurora Tragedy: Avoiding Misplaced Blame

Last Thursday in Aurora, two women and an infant child were killed in a horrendous and tragic car crash. When something so unimaginable occurs, our entire community is thrust into mourning.

However, in the aftermath of this terrible event, the discussion has turned fully from the tragedy itself into what Tom McGhee of The Denver Post is fairly calling "the car crash blame game." Rather than allowing a family and community to mourn the heartbreaking loss of three people's lives, the public discussion has turned to anti-immigrant hatred and bigotry.

This heartbreaking incident has ignited a painfully myopic and divisive discussion. One individual with a history of grave traffic violations is being used to leverage terror and rage at an entire community. It is fair to be outraged at the driver's recklessness. It is an illogical leap to tie this to his immigration status.

Study after study shows that immigrants in every ethnic group in the United States commit crimes at lower rates than do native born citizens. Yet one person's egregious behavior is being discussed as somehow derivative of the manner in which he entered this country. More offensively, criminality is projected onto the millions of hard-working folks who come to this country seeking a better life for themselves and their children. 

The tragedy in Aurora should not be a platform for discussing our broken immigration system, but we can clearly agree that it is broken.

Had the federal government enacted policy reform to resolve the legal status of the millions of folks who are unable to regulate their immigration status under current law, the immigration status of those arrested for crimes would be a non-issue. In the absence of such reform, the current vitriol against immigrants as a whole unjustly divides us at a moment when we should be united to support the families of the victims.

In this moment of great sorrow, let's not lower ourselves to misguided assumptions. The intolerable and premature loss of three lives is a reason to pull together in mutual caring, not give into the politics of blame.

We Are America Immigrant Rights March Thursday

A Call to Action, Mobilization for Progressive, Humane and Just Immigration Reform!

Thursday, August 28, 2008

March Step-off at 9am

2855 W. Howard Place (Rude Park at 14th and Federal)

Rally to follow at La Alma/ Lincoln Park (W. 12th Ave. and Mariposa St.)

Check out www.weareamericadnc.org!

Immigrant Rights Reception Tonight

WE ARE AMERICA DNC will be hosting a reception, immigration forum and film screening of SWIFT JUSTICE tonight, Wednesday, August 27, from 6:30-9pm at El Centro San Juan Diego, 2830 Lawrence Street. Please visit www.weareamericadnc.org or call 303.292.4115 x102 with questions.