Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition 2009 Assembly

Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition 2009 Assembly

Maria E. Cuthbert: Latino/Immigrant Outreach Chair
Mesa County Democratic Party Executive Committee

November, 2000

Abstract

Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, CIRC, a non-partisan organization, held its 2009 Assembly in Grand Junction from November 13th to 15th, 2009. There were over 200 people representing member organizations.

The assembly’s objectives were to energize the base and promote CIRC campaigns, engage legislators, train the base, and elect new coalition officials.

In Colorado, several legislations have deviated the attention of law enforcement toward people’s immigration status rather than protection of civilians. Immigration policies are dependent on federal mandates.

Tribute was paid to victims of immigration legislation. Members of the coalition talked about their organizations, campaigns, and their work. Former sheepherders presented the conditions under which they have to work.

The workshops that took place were: Building Power through Nonpartisan Civic Engagement; How to Tell Your Story: Tools to win just and humane immigration reform; Welcoming Colorado – The Interactive Toolkit; Know Your Rights and Strategies to End Unjust Enforcement; Grassroots Fundraising to Sustain Your Organizations and Work.

To the original North, South, West and Metro Denver areas represented in CIRC, was added the Mountain area which will find their new leader.

Recommendations

• Establish goals in Mesa County to pass immigration reform.
• Educate the population likely to support immigration reform
• Listen to recommendations of people likely to support newer immigrants
• Establish grassroots outreach to Hispanic population
• Form data bases
• Sign up voting immigrants
• Support census among Hispanic population
• Support information for immigrants

CIRC 2009 Assembly

Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition held its 2009 Assembly in Grand Junction from November 13th to 15th, 2009 at the Double Tree Hotel. Over 200 people attended the Assembly, with a great representation of Hispanics and newer immigrants.

Organizations introduced themselves and talked about their work and goals. All of them are interested in immigration reform. The discussion for immigration reform will get a more central stage in 2010. One of the most outstanding legislators who favors this reform is Rep. Luis Gutiérrez, D-Illinois. He will need all support available.

The whole assembly dedicated a moment of silence for the victims of legislation, including the more than 400 deaths in the desert per year.

Sheepherders presented their cases:

They are brought through temporary work visas. They have 24/7 contracts for $650 a month. They are given a tiny cabin in a desolate area with no services; no toilet, or shower, or tap water, or electricity. They are brought a bucketful of water once every two weeks or so. The water freezes in the winter and gets hot in the summer, so it is usually not good to drink. They have to melt snow to drink. They are brought meet, but without refrigeration it rots; so it has to be cut and laid outside and gets flies. They are banned from having cell phones and human contact. They have no health care. This is all allowed by law.

Campaigns

CIRC supports several ongoing campaigns.

• Reform Immigration FOR America, in their own words, promotes the following:

• Have a rational and humane approach to the undocumented population

• Protect U.S. and immigrant workers.

• Allocate sufficent visas to close unlawful migration channels

• Enhance our nation’s security and safety

• Establish a strategic border enforcement policy that reflects American values

• Keep American families together

• Promote immigrant integration

• Protect fundamental rights for all

Welcoming Colorado

Welcoming Colorado is an organization that is promoting change in the perception of immigrants to avoid hate talk in the media. It offers organizations and groups ways to develop media outreach focused on stories and connections to enhance the contribution of immigrants.

End Unjust Enforcement

Short-Term Goal

• Ensure that enforcement implementation is within current law, (i.e., State Patrol focuses on human trafficking/smuggling; local police ask immigration status only if arrest).
• Prevent and/or defeat local/state ballot measures such as Vehicle Impound in Lakewood, Aurora.

Mid-Term Goal

• Repeal Senate Bill 90 that requires local law enforcement report all arrestees who are suspected of being unlawfully present in the country to ICE
• Repeal Senate Bill 225 that madates the Colorado State Patrol Immigration enter into a 287 (g).
• End existing, prevent future, 287 (g).
• Prevent expansion of other forms of local/state immigration enforcement, including E-verify and anti-immigrnt legislation.
• Prevent/Secure communities program in Colorado.

Long Term Goal

• End unjust/harmful enforcement of immigration; replace with vision for humane, community-based enforcement protecting families, workers, public safety.

Long Term Goal

• End unjust/harmful enforcement of immigration; replace with vision for humane, replace with vision for humane, community-based enforcement protecting families, workers, public safety.”

“...Perhaps more than any other law, SB 90 has spread the perception in immigrant communities that ICE and local law enforcement are synonymous. The result is an erosion of trust between immigrants and the public sector, creating public safety concerns, as many immigrant victims are fearful of reporting crimes to police...”

Workshops

Building Power through Nonpartisan Civic Engagement Promotes voter registration drives, get-out-the-vote campaigns.

How to Tell Your Story:

Tools to win just and humane immigration:

1. Detecting legislators who do not have a defined position and/or need to be written to or called
2. Steps: Build bases a create alliances a show power
3. Create story lines to be told in 2 mins.: a challenge, a choice; the outcome
4. Contact legislators

Welcoming Colorado

The Interactive Toolkit: A project designed to shape a positive image of immigrants in Colorado.

Know Your Rights and Strategies to End Unjust Enforcement

This workshop is for groups interested in using know-your-rights and abuse documentation to defend against discrimination, detentions and deportations, as well as developing and implementing pro-active strategies to end the linkages between local and state police enforcement and immigration.

Grassroots Fundraising to Sustain Your Organizations and Work

“...a draft organizational fundraising philosophy, a checklist for systems necessary to begin, learn various grassroots fundraising tactics, figure out best roles for folks involved in their organizations, and a fundraising plan template.”

Elections

The new leaders for each area are:

• North: Mateos Alvarez
• South: Eddie Soto
• East: Jorge Santiago
• West: Marketa Zubkova

Ricardo Pérez for Hispanic Affairs Project

Western  Colorado Justice For Immigrants Committee

• Mountain: (To elect leader soon)

• At Large (Denver): María de Cambria

Conclusion

Needs:

• Establish a  leader for the mountain region
• Coalition to protect people from unfair treatment; change of law for sheepherders
• Fund to pay for lawyers for people in need
• Statewide respect of equal rights drivers licences from Mexico are good in some areas, but not in others
• people in hospitals get guidance or training to pay; Hispanics do not
• assimilation classes
• “Know Your Rights” workshops in more areas

• Activities for teenagers, leadership groups

• Campaigns for licences: licences protect all of the community, not just the driver
• Establish more dialogue with law enforcement, like in Aspen. Law enforcement is there to protect the community
• Build alliances with legislators

Actions:

• December 18th, Immigrant day:Candlelight vigils all over Colorado
• Possible march in Gunnison
• January 20th, 2010: Immigration week Obama’s election celebration, all state (organize vigils, parties, petitions)

Some partner organizations:

• Western Colorado Justice for Immigrants – Hipanic Affairs Pastoral Project
• Movimiento Hispano del Condado de Eagle
•  La Plata Unity Project
• Compañeros
• Fuerzas Unidas de Telluride
• Pueblo Inmigrante en Marcha
• San Luis Valley Immigrant Resource Center
• Catholic Charities of Colorado Springs
• Espíritu Maya
• Democracia USA
• Centro Amistad
• Comité de Longmont
• Fuerza Latina
• Service Employees International Union, Local 105
• Metropolitan Organization People
• American Friends Service Committee
• Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights
• Workers United
• Colorado Legal Services
• Mi Familia Vota
• Centro Humanitario
• Rights for All People
• Colorado Progressive Coalition
• Latina Initiative
• Coloradans for Immigrant Rights, a project of AFSC
• Padres y Jóvenes Unidos