Charlotte Women’s March – Immigration Action Team
Update – September 5, 2017
As I sat on Labor Day composing an Update for our CWM Immigration Action Team, it felt like the ground was shaking under my feet. Labor Day is a celebration of the hard work that people put forth to keep our world growing and prospering, yet many of those workers, our undocumented immigrant workforce, face a daunting future every day.
In addition as of today, the fate of 800,000 young undocumented “Dreamers” is in the hands of Congress and we know how successful they have been this year in coming together to work for the good of all people. This summer, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) introduced a bipartisan bill called the Dream Act of 2017, a bill that, if passed, would offer a route to permanent legal status for millions of undocumented immigrant youth. Click here for details.
Additionally, our own Senator Tom Tillis has been working to draft an Immigration Bill that he will introduce soon. For more info click here. And, House Speaker Paul Ryan also says this issue has to be fixed. Let’s hope this happens in a way that is fair to our Dreamers as well as our undocumented immigrants.
I NEED YOUR HELP with monitoring what is going on this fall on the immigration/DACA front. We need to make sure our voices are heard as Congress works on a permanent solution for DACA and other immigration issues. Please let me know if you are willing to volunteer and help me monitor what is happening in Congress and in North Carolina. Stephenson.Green@gmail.com
Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service invites you to take part in their Stand for Welcome campaign. Take a stand with refugees and migrants and advocate together for just and fair laws and policies. By joining the campaign, you will gain access to resources and tools that will help you stay informed, educate others, and receive timely calls to action. Sign up today!
The ACLU Immigration Court Observer Project is up and working hard to provide a much-needed second pair of eyes in cases involving unrepresented respondents, particularly minors and non-English speakers. Over 25 of our CWM Team have been trained in the process. If you want to join them and can commit a small amount of your time to watching and taking notes in Immigration Court, click here to sign up to receive information about future training events and times.
In case you missed the Washington Post article that points to how important the Court Observer Project work is….
U.S. IMMIGRATION COURTS APPEAR STACKED AGAINST CENTRAL AMERICAN ASYLUM APPLICANTS — Charlotte, NC Approval Rates Far Below Those Elsewhere In 4th Circuit — Is Precedent Being Misapplied?
The fates of the asylum-seeking families are particularly stark in Charlotte. Three immigration judges, appointed by the U.S. attorney general, labor under a backlog of nearly 8,000 cases. The court, which covers both Carolinas, has an amply earned reputation as one of the toughest in which to win an asylum case. Per the FY 216 Statistics Yearbook, elsewhere in the Fourth Circuit the Baltimore Immigration Court granted 63% of asylum application while the Arlington Immigration Court was nearly identical with 62%. The Charlotte Immigration Court, on the other hand, was 17%. To read the Washington Post article click here.
Legal Services of Southern Piedmont has a new name:
Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy
Legal Services of Southern Piedmont is now Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy. As they turn 50 and begin the next 50 years, their new name more accurately reflects their commitment to provide quality legal services and tireless advocacy for all people in the Charlotte region. Click here for info.
Mark your Calendar – Immigration Events and Information
Awakening to Immigration Injustice
- Wednesday, September 13, 2017
- 6:30-8:00 pm @ Myers Park Baptist Church
- 1900 Queens Rd, Charlotte, North Carolina 28207
The first in a series of free monthly, Wednesday evening sessions focusing on “awakening” to immigration injustice and examining the ways in which foreigners and strangers are received in our country, our city, and our churches. Open to the public. No registration needed.
Charlotte Women’s March General Meeting
- Tuesday, September 19, 2017
- 5:30-8:00 p.m. @ First United Methodist Church
- Jessica Saxe, MD, is the keynote speaker.
- Topic: Everybody In and Nobody Out; Health Care for All.
ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Team Monthly Meeting
- Tuesday, September 19, 2017
- 6:00-7:30 p.m. @ Park Rd Baptist Church
- Various immigrant rights’ group meet to discuss issues, strategies and events.
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