National Network Letter to Obama

Letter from the National Network for Immigrant & Refugee Rights:

Dear friend,

Please join us in congratulating Barack Obama for his election to the presidency of the United States – and to urge him support the human rights, safety and well-being of immigrants and refugees.

We will be collecting signatures to an “Open Letter” to our new President until January 15. Please add your name to this letter, which will be released prior to the Inauguration on January 20.

The road to immigration reform will undoubtedly be long and complicated, but we are cautiously optimistic that immigration reforms are on the horizon – if we continue to organize and keep the pressure on the Administration and Congress. We must make our voices heard and demand that any reform ensure full protection of human rights, rights of workers and family reunification.

As a starting point for a genuine, rights-based immigration policy, we are urging the new President to end the cycle of punishment and abuse against immigrant communities, by stopping raids and suspending detentions and deportations.

Among the proposals to the new President, we ask him to:

Support a legalization program without burdensome barriers for immigrant workers and their families;
Uphold family reunification as a core principle for U.S. immigration policy;
Restore and preserve due process rights, to ensure equality before the law for all persons, regardless of immigration or citizenship status;
End the criminalization of immigrants, including problematic employment verification requirements; local police collaboration in immigration enforcement; and indefinite and mandatory detention;
Roll back and end the militarization of the U.S.-Mexico border.

All of our voices and efforts are needed to usher in a new era of opportunity and justice! Read the entire letter to President-elect Barack Obama here and join us in making this a banner year for immigrant rights!

NNIRR

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