[Pacg] Immigration Bill - Thank our Leaders who Stood Up

[Carolina 1961]

*From the Immigration Coalition Forum:*


*Action Alert
*HF 2686:  identity theft, employer sanctions, bail limits

As you may have read in the Des Moines Register today
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080417/NEWS10/804170378/1001/NEWS,
the Iowa House approved HF 2686, the anti-immigration bill on a vote of
84-16.  The outcome was not unexpected, but terribly disappointing
nonetheless.  It's clear the vote was taken only to give cover to
legislators during the upcoming 2008 elections.  *It's important to thank
those 16 courageous legislators* (15 Ds and 1 R, Walt Tomenga) for standing
up to the politicizing of immigrants and immigration issues as a tool for
political gain.


Ako.Abdul-Samad at legis.state.ia.us

Ro.Foege at legis.state.ia.us

Wayne.Ford at legis.state.ia.us

Lisa.Heddens at legis.state.ia.us

Bruce.Hunter at legis.state.ia.us

David.Jacoby at legis.state.ia.us

Pam.Jochum at legis.state.ia.us

Vicki.Lensing at legis.state.ia.us

Mary.Mascher at legis.state.ia.us

Jo.Oldson at legis.state.ia.us

Tyler.Olson at legis.state.ia.us

Janet.Petersen at legis.state.ia.us

Mark.Smith at legis.state.ia.us

Walt.Tomenga at legis.state.ia.us

Beth.Wessel-Kroeschell at legis.state.ia.us

Cindy.Winckler at legis.state.ia.us


Secondly, *please contact Sen. Gronstal, Majority Leader  *
michael.gronstal at legis.state.ia.us, to urge him *NOT* to bring up HF 2686 in
the Iowa Senate.

*    This bill is not good for Iowa and only reinforces that we are not a
welcoming state.  At a time when Iowa's employment rate has declined to
almost 3% and the state is facing a shortage of workers across the income
scale, Iowa needs immigrant workers to help fuel population growth and fill
needed jobs.
*    The bill duplicates what employers already have to do to verify
employment eligibility, but narrows the documents that can be used to a
drivers license.  This complicates things for those without licenses, such
as the disabled or elderly persons who work even a few hours a week or
month.  It's bad for both workers and businesses.
*    The bill raises a host of constitutional issues such as the right to
due process (HF 2686 limits access to bail for those suspected of being
undocumented) and preemption of the federal role in immigration control.

Iowa is a state of immigrants and throughout our history - and the nation's
history - we have benefited from the ideas, innovation, culture and
contributions of all immigrants, and our state will continue to benefit from
their presence.  HF 2686 is nothing more than pandering to anti-immigrant
rhetoric.

You have successfully communicated your pro-immigrant views thus far in the
session, in spite of yesterday's vote.  At the beginning of the session, we
were told this was a done deal.  But the Legislature was surprised by the
push back as evidenced by your calls and emails.  Here is one last
opportunity to kill this bill which is bad for all Iowans.  If we can kill
the bill in the Senate, then HF 2686 is dead for the session.  The
Legislature is expected to be in session until about next Tuesday, April
22.  Please contact the legislators in this alert and then pat yourself on
the back for a job well done throughout the 2008 legislative session!  If we
can kill HF 2686, this will send a powerful message to all Iowans and to the
nation that our state will not engage in immigrant bashing because we
welcome and respect the contributions of all immigrants.  We have a long way
to go to prevent continued immigrant bashing but this will mark an important
and successful milestone for which you can all be proud!

THANK YOU,

Alicia Claypool
Convenor, on behalf of the Iowa Immigration Education Coalition
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