On May 27, the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevadav (PLAN), an Alliance for a Just Society affiliate, hosted U.S. Representative Luis Gutierrez at their “Familias Unidas” summit on immigration issues. Gutierrez delivered the event’s keynote speech, speaking alongside community members who shared their personal stories of how the current immigration system separates families and closes the door on young people who want to pursue higher education. Continue reading
Following the passage of Arizona’s racist, anti-immigrant law SB 1070, there is good news. In the wake of SB 1070, five anti-immigrant bills have been defeated in Arizona. One of the bills defeated included the denial of birth right citizenship to children of undocumented immigrants. But the worst of one of all proposed requiring hospitals to check the immigration status of patients, then notify law enforcement if they suspected someone was undocumented. The battle to defeat these bills was led by Promise Arizona and several other community organizations. Continue reading
Over the past several weeks Bank of America, Ally, and GMAC have announced that they have will be halting foreclosures in the 23 states that require a judge to sign off on foreclosures before eviction. Did this decision come from enlightened bank management who understand what is needed to stabilize the housing market and pull our economy out of the cellar? Of course not. Instead, it was done in response to the damning evidence that recently came to light that banks weren’t reading documents, were forging notarizations, foreclosing on homes that they didn’t own, and outright fabrication of loan documents. As usual the media is missing the real story during this ongoing foreclosure mess. Continue reading
September 23 was an important day for health care–and an important day for small businesses. Exactly six months after the enactment of the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (PPACA), September 23 was the date on which a range of new insurance protections took effect. Across the country, small business owners from The Main Street Alliance, NWFCO’s national alliance of state-based small business coalitions, took the opportunity to speak up about how the law will help them and their employees. Continue reading
On Tuesday, August 17, all eyes were on Seattle’s Pioneer Square as President Obama was in town stumping for Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) in her critical primary race. Obama and Murray held a private meeting at a café with three small business owners to discuss the economy, as well as what could be done to help small business owners drive economic recovery. Of the three business owners in attendance, two of them were active members and leaders of Main Street Alliance, which speaks to the power and importance of grassroots organizing. Continue reading
Today, Wednesday, July 28, 2010 Judge Susan Bolton ruled that Arizona’s controversial law SB1070 does indeed overstep the state’s boundary to enforce federal immigration law. The ruling will put an injunction on the most egregious provisions of the law, while other provisions remain intact. The ruling is a major victory for the immigrant rights movement, and for civil rights in America. Continue reading
On Thursday, after weeks of increased pressure from immigrant rights advocates President Obama addressed a crowd at American University on the need to fix our broken immigration system. The speech outlined his commitment to a comprehensive immigration reform that provides a path to citizenship for the millions of undocumented immigrant families currently in the U.S. Continue reading
While Congress was finishing debate on the historical health care reform bill, hundreds of thousands of immigrants and immigrant allies marched on the nation’s Capitol to demand another piece of critical progressive reform: Comprehensive Immigration Reform. Many of NWFCO’s partners participated in this incredible show of optimism and solidarity, including Nebraska Appleseed. Continue reading
