Kids of illegal-immigrants rally for law to protect their parents

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April 27, 2008 01:06 PM    View printable version     Link to this comment   
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May 25, 2007

Kids of illegal-immigrants rally for law to protect their parents

Saturday, April 26th 2008, 3:12 PM

American-born children whose illegal-immigrant parents face deportation urged lawmakers Saturday to support legislation that would protect their families.

Youngsters and advocates from Families for Freedom held signs reading "Don't Take Away My Mommy" outside of Sen. Chuck Schumer's Manhattan office, calling on the Democrat to support the "Child Citizen Protection Act."

"It's not easy, knowing your father can be deported at any time," said Elijah Salmon, 11, of Brooklyn, whose father is from Jamaica.

"My father has been here for me and my family from the day I was born," Salmon said.

The legislation would give immigration judges the discretion to allow an immigrant parent of an American-born child to stay in the United States, as long as they are not deportable for security reasons.

The bill has 30 sponsors in the House of Representatives.

April 27, 2008 01:06 PM    View printable version     Link to this comment   
Member Since:
May 25, 2007

Families to Rally At Schumer's Office for Child Citizen Protection Act

Posted by Maria Luisa Tucker at 4:08 PM, April 25, 2008


This photo of Pablito in sanctuary is via freeloosedirt on Flickr

Scores of children will join the ranks of political activists on Saturday, at an immigrant rights’ vigil in midtown. The event, co-sponsored by the New Sanctuary Movement and Families for Freedom will call for the passage of a law that could keep deportable immigrants and their kids together.

The proposed Child Citizen Protection Act would allow immigration judges to take into account the interests of U.S.-citizen children during deportation proceedings against their parents. Currently, judges cannot weigh an immigrant’s family ties to the U.S. when ruling on a deportation order.

Among those planning to speak is Jean Montrevil, a Haitian immigrant facing deportation who was recently profiled by the Voice this month.

Though he entered the U.S. legally, he was issued a deportation order after a 1989 cocaine conviction, but the government did not act on that order until recently. Now, he faces lifelong exile to Haiti, and separation from his four U.S.-citizen children and his U.S.-citizen wife.

The Child Citizen Protection Act has strong support in New York: It was introduced in the house by Bronx congressman José Serrano and the New York City Council passed a resolution in support of the bill last month. Now, local activists are calling for Senator Chuck Schumer to pledge his support, as well, and introduce a companion bill in the Senate.

The vigil will start at 11:30 a.m. in front of Senator Schumer’s office at 757 Third Avenue at 47th Street.

April 27, 2008 01:07 PM    View printable version     Link to this comment   
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May 25, 2007

New York City Council passes resolution to keep families together

 

NEW YORK — Immigrant rights supporters won a huge victory March 26 when the New York City Council passed Resolution 1250 by a nearly unanimous vote, calling on the U.S. Congress to pass the Child Citizen Protection Act (HR 1176). The council’s resolution is a strong statement against current federal regulations that often separate families by deporting parents of citizen children.

In a press release, Families for Freedom, a New York immigrant rights organization, detailed testimony before the council. “The Child Citizen Protection Act has been the best kept secret in the immigration debate,” wrote organizer Betsy Dewitt. “We hope that our City Council’s stand moves our senators to introduce the bill in the Senate.”

In a telephone interview, Dewitt urged people to get in touch with their representatives in Congress, calling on them to co-sponsor the bill if they have not already done so. She said supporters should explain to their representative that “the laws passed in 1996 are breaking up families and we need to correct that.”

The Child Citizen Protection Act (H.R. 1176), introduced by Rep. Jose Serrano (D-NY), has 30 cosponsors. It would allow immigration judges to “exercise discretion to decline to order the alien removed, deported or excluded from the U.S. if the judge determines that such removal, deportation, or exclusion is clearly against the best interests of the child” as long as the person is not being deported for a security reason or has not engaged in sex trafficking.

Juan Carlos Ruiz, coordinator of the faith-based New Sanctuary Movement, said, “All relationships are sacred, especially the relationship between parents and children. We have faith that this resolution will signal the change that is needed to respect the holy bond of our families and communities.”

For a full list of co-sponsors of H.R. 1176 go to http://www.opencongress.org/bill/110-h1176/show
jdelgado@cpusa.org

April 27, 2008 01:09 PM    View printable version     Link to this comment   
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May 25, 2007

Events for April 26 - 28, 2008

9 a.m. Congressional candidate Tracey Brooks attends the Fulton County Democratic Committee Pancake Breakfast, at 109 South Comrie Avenue, in Johnstown.

9:30 a.m. Mike Gravel, who is seeking the Libertarian Party’s nomination for president, speaks at the Libertarian Party of New York convention, at 167-17 Northern Boulevard, in Queens.

10 a.m. Al Sharpton broadcasts his national radio show from the headquarters of the National Action Network, at 106 West 145 Street.

11 a.m. Tim Bishop honors local veterans, at 89 Hubbard Avenue, in Riverhead, Long Island.

11:30 a.m. Local officials in Hempstead host a community forum to combat crime, at  Terrace Avenue and Bedell Street, in Hempstead, Long Island.

11:30 a.m. The New York Annual Sikh Parade kicks off at 41st Street at Broadway.

Noon. John Liu and others protest outside Chuck Schumer’s office to demand he support the Child Citizen Protection Act legislation, at 757 Third Avenue.

Noon. Former Republican congressman Bob Barr, who is exploring a bid for the Libertarian nomination for president, speaks at the Libertarian Party of New York convention, at 167-17 Northern Boulevard, Queens.

12:30 p.m. Critics of Columbia University’s expansion march from 521 West 126th Street to 116th Street.

2 p.m. Members of the Staten Island chapter of the N.A.A.C.P. discuss the Sean Bell verdict, at 10 Richmond Terrace, on Staten Island.

4:15 p.m. Melissa Mark Viverito speaks at the Stonewall Veteran’s Association meeting, at 212 West 13 Street.

SUNDAY
3 p.m. Kevin Powell kicks off his race for New York's 10th congressional district, at 459 Myrtle Avenue, in Brooklyn.

MONDAY
9 p.m. Jimmy Carter speaks with CNN’s Larry King.

10 a.m. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia speaks with NPR’s Nina Totenberg.

1 p.m. Hiram Monserrate hosts a City Council hearing about the burial benefits for military veterans, at 250 Broadway.

1 p.m. Joe Addabbo hosts a City Council hearing about city employees and their use of electronic pay stubs, inside City Hall. 

April 27, 2008 01:10 PM    View printable version     Link to this comment   
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May 25, 2007

Jose Serrano's "Child Citizen Protection Act" ("Anchor Baby Bill")

Last year, dim bulb Rep. Jose Serrano (D-NY) introduced the "Child Citizen Protection Act" (2006 release here; PDF). As People's Weekly World describes here, it would let immigration judges decide whether or not to deport the illegal alien parents of U.S. citizen children, aka "anchor babies".

There are apparently over 3 million such anchor babies (source: Urban Institute, see article below); not all of the parents might be illegal aliens, but giving the judges discretion might result in a large number of otherwise deportable people not being deported. That will lead to the usual suspects complaining about those who were deported, which might lead to an even broader bill. And, of course, the bill will lead to many other illegal aliens - including new illegal aliens - having children here in order to take advantage of Serrano's largesse.

Now, he's introduced a new bill for the new year, H.R.213 (link). The co-sponsors include some of the usual suspects:

Gary Ackerman, [NY-5]
Raul Grijalva [AZ-7]
Barbara Lee, [CA-9]
Jim McDermott, [WA-7]
Jerrold Nadler, [NY-8]
Janice Schakowsky, [IL-9]
Edolphus Towns, [NY-10]

On Monday a federal judge in Florida threw out a lawsuit that would have had the same effect as Serrano's bill, and the bill was the rationale for the dismissal.

If the bill gets any traction, I'd suggest using that to try to make the Democratic Party look even more like the party of collaborateurs, something which may cause more moderate Democrats to put the brakes on their extremist brethren.

April 27, 2008 01:14 PM    View printable version     Link to this comment   
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May 25, 2007
  • H.R.1176 - To provide discretionary authority to an immigration judge to determine that an alien parent of a United States citizen child should not be ordered removed, deported, or excluded from the United States.

    2/16/2007--Introduced.
    Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act, in the case of an alien subject to removal, deportation, or exclusion who is the parent of a U.S. citizen child, to authorize an immigration judge to decline to order such removal if the judge determines that such action is against the child & apos;s  best interests. States that such discretion shall not apply with respect to an alien whom the judge determines: (1) is excludable or deportable on security grounds; or (2) has engaged in sex trafficking or severe forms of trafficking in persons.

  • Sponsor  - Rep. José Serrano [D, NY-16]

  • and 30 Co-Sponsors
  • April 27, 2008 01:26 PM    View printable version     Link to this comment   
    Member Since:
    February 15, 2007

    I don't want to split up families... I want them to remain together in the country of their illegal alien parents.  According to the 14th amendment to the Constitution children born in America of illegal aliens are "not" citizens of this country.  Their parents are not citizens and don't owe allegiance to the United States, therefore their children aren't citizens period!  How many times have you heard Mexico state that "all Mexicans" are still citizens of Mexico and under the laws and control of the Mexican government? 

     

     


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