Democratic Members of Congress, Clergy & CASA Leader Arrested in Protests over Mass Deportations & Immigration

DAN FURMANSKY: Democratic Members of Congress, Clergy Arrested in Civil Disobedience for Immigration Reform; CASA’s Gustavo Torres Taken Into Custody; Maryland Rabbi Leads “Prayer-In” at Eric Cantor’s Office; More than 1,000 still being deported every day.

Approximately 15,000 people converged on the national mall today and marched to the Capitol building to call attention to stalled immigration reform legislation. No surprise that the soulless Republican majority in the House of Representatives has refused to move the bill passed by the Senate, even with its broad bipartisan support. They’re too busy snatching food assistance from hungry Americans and trying to get the Supreme Court to strike down individual aggregate contribution limits so they can ensure that the wealthy have an even greater say over who gets elected in this country.

But I digress.

The inspiring news is that nearly two hundred brave leaders were arrested in acts of civil disobedience as part of Camino Americano, “a massive demonstration of solidarity and support for comprehensive immigration reform.” It was the third major act of civil disobedience by immigration reform advocates in the past few months alone. This includes 12 members of Congress, including Reps. John Lewis (D-Ga.), Raul Grivjalva (D-AZ), Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Luis Gutiérrez (D-IL), Al Green(D-TX), Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), Jan Schakowsky, (D-Ill.), and Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.)

Rep. John Lewis once again proves why he is social justice legend.  According to his office, it is at least the 45th time he has been arrested—40 times during the civil rights movement alone and 5 times as a member of Congress.



According to ABC News, Gutierrez pledged in a speech to “lock arms with my colleagues and go to jail today for the father who was deported and cannot see his children, see them grow up, and see them prosper in the United States, the country of their birth.

To give credit where credit is due, there were apparently some Republicans in the crowd. Reports The Huffington Post (excerpt below):

HUFFINGTON POST: Several Republicans turned out for the rally as well. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.), a long-time supporter of reform and the only GOP member of a bipartisan working group on immigration who didn't quit, appeared on stage, along with Reps. David Valadao (R-Calif.), Jeff Denham (R-Calif.) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.). They did not participate in the protest later in the afternoon.

Apparently they didn’t want to get their hands too dirty.

Our own Gustavo Torres, head of Casa de Maryland, was also taken into custody.

Photo courtesy of Casa de Maryland

So were countless faith leaders, including my old boss, the Rev. Peter Morales, president of the Unitarian Universalist Association, who was also arrested in Phoenix during our protest of SB1070. “Our laws are more than broken, they’re evil,” he said today.

Right on.

Also arrested was Rabbi Jason Kimmelman-Block, of Silver Spring, who addressed the crowd on the Mall and led others in prayer at the office of Representative Eric Cantor, the only Jewish leader in the House Republican caucus. Rabbi Kimmel-Block, a father of four, is the rabbi-in-residence for the great advocacy group Bend the Arc: A Jewish Partnership for Justice. As we Jews say when someone performs a mitzvah, or good deed, Yasher koach, Rabbi.



I don’t mean to be the Debbie Downer in the room, and I would love to be proved wrong, but I simply cannot imagine the dysfunction that is the House Republican Caucus coming together to pass anything resembling the immigration reform bill passed by the Senate which, let’s be honest, would be a great step forward but is no prize. And, lest you think the shutdown is preventing families being ripped apart and deportations from moving forward, think again. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) employees and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents are considered “essential employees” and are still be around to enforce immigration law because the operations are “necessary for safety of life and protection of property.”

But—as I’ve said before and will say again—it doesn’t mean all is lost. Reports The Washington Post (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: One of the rally’s goals was to highlight the record number of deportations by the Obama administration, which have been estimated at more than 1,000 per day. President Obama has called immigration reform his top domestic priority in his second term, but he disappointed activists last month when he said he would not use executive authority to expand a deportation deferment program for young people, who are known as “Dreamers.”

President Obama does have the power to halt deportations until the Republicans take meaningful action for immigration reform. But he won’t do it without real pressure from the Democratic Party. Activists are more than impatient with the President for failing to make a real difference. so far, only one Maryland Congressperson has had the gumption to ask the President to stop separating families - Rep. John Delaney.

As we march towards the last sad breaths of this Congressional term, if inaction continues in the House of Representatives as expected, it will be long overdue for Maryland’s Democratic leaders to step up to the plate and let our president know that we expect him to do everything in his power to make lives better for immigrants and immigrant families.

#StoptheDeportations

MD U.S. House Members Respond to Survey on Deportations // Only 1 Congressman Speaking Out To End It Now - Guess Who!

Below Maryland Juice writer Dan Furmansky presents the results of a fascinating poll he conducted of our state's Democratic members of the U.S. House: Elijah Cummings, John Delaney, Donna Edwards, Steny Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes and Chris Van Hollen. Furmansky previously called on Maryland's U.S. House Democrats to help end the Obama administration's record-setting number of immigrant deportations. Today, he presents a follow-up article with commentary from a range of Maryland's Democratic Congressman, but only one agreed to sign a letter to President Obama calling for a suspension of further deportations of those who would be eligible for deferred action under proposed immigration reform legislation. Guess who the one Maryland Democrat is to speak out clearly on this issue? The answer is within Dan Furmansky's article below. In the meantime, I'll remind you of some of the key facts Furmansky raised in his previous article on mass deportations:

• The United States is now deporting people at a faster rate than at any time in our modern history — an estimated 1,100 people per day. 

• According to data obtained by the news website Colorlines, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security deported nearly 205,000 parents of U.S. citizen children from July 1, 2010 to Sept. 31, 2012.

• A report from the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute released earlier this year found that the United States spent more money on immigration enforcement — nearly $18 billion in the 2012 fiscal year — than on all of its other law enforcement agencies combined.  

• More than 410,000 undocumented workers were deported last year, an all-time high.

• The government spends about 15 times more on immigration enforcement than it did in the mid-1980s, adjusted for inflation, the report found. 

DAN FURMANSKY: A few weeks ago, I urged Maryland’s congressional delegation to call for a change in the terms of the immigration reform debate by asking the President — also known as the “Deporter in Chief” in some circles — to use his power to halt all deportations. There are a host of reasons why this is a good idea, and this is the right time to put such an idea into action. In case you missed it, here is more of the logic and background on the President’s zeal for deportations:

BACKGROUND: Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva and Rep. Yvette Clarke are circulating to their Congressional colleagues a sign-on letter to President Obama, urging him to suspend any further deportations and expand the successful deferred action program to all those who would be potential citizens under immigration reform.

I reached out to our state’s congressional offices about the letter and heard back from most of them. Unfortunately, despite repeated outreach, there was radio silence from Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, aka the man who still can’t decide if he is running for Governor, and a couple others. Also, I confess I got a little lazy and didn’t bother to reach out to Rep. Andy Harris’ office but — really — can you blame me?

Only one member of our Congressional delegation stated that at this point they would sign the letter to President Obama and urge a halt to all deportations now. And who, you ask, possesses the most willingness to publicly stand up against the repressive policies that are tearing apart immigrant families? Congressman John Delaney.

My fellow Juicer, aka Mr. Maryland Juice himself, was recently critical of Rep. Delaney for taking a right turn on some issues. So it’s particularly refreshing to see that Rep. Delaney is willing to step out on this important issue. Congressmen Delaney: Thank You.  Here’s the statement the Congressman’s office released when they notified us of intent to sign the letter calling for a halt to President Obama's mass deportation practices:

JOHN DELANEY: Last year, deportations of undocumented workers reached an all-time high.  I’m proud to join my colleagues in writing President Obama encouraging him to support common-sense use of selective enforcement of deportation to prioritize those who commit crimes and pose a public safety risk.  At the same time, I encourage the House of Representatives to follow the lead of the Senate and come together in a bipartisan manner to implement comprehensive immigration reform that provides a path to citizenship for law-abiding undocumented workers.

Unfortunately, for the time being, at least, our other Democratic members of Congress from Maryland are banking on movement from Republican House leadership, which I fear may be like Waiting for Godot.  Here are some statements from other Maryland Democrats (Note: We did not receive official statements from Rep. Elijah Cummings and Donna Edwards by press time):

Office of Congressman Hoyer: Mr. Hoyer strongly supports President Obama's decision to defer deportation action against DREAMers and remains hopeful that Congress will address our broken immigration system by taking a comprehensive approach that will secure our borders while establishing a pathway to citizenship for DREAMers, their families, and all law-abiding, undocumented individuals. He believes the House should take up comprehensive legislation, such as the bipartisan Senate bill, as soon as possible and is confident the Obama administration will fairly enforce existing law until Congress takes comprehensive action to fix our broken system.

Office of Congressman Sarbanes: Congressman Sarbanes looks forward to connecting with his colleagues on efforts to ensure that the United States implements a rational and humane deportation policy, particularly as we anticipate passage of comprehensive immigration reform. Congressman Sarbanes believes such reform must include a pathway to citizenship that keeps families together and in other key respects is fair and respectful of our nation's values and traditions.

Office of Congressman Van Hollen: The President’s deferred action for DREAMers has been a resounding success and Congressman Van Hollen remains committed to passing immigration reform to provide a pathway to citizenship for those DREAMers, their families, and other undocumented individuals.  His focus is on convincing House Republicans to stop obstructing the will of the people and permanently fix our broken immigration system. The Congressman is confident the Obama Administration will enforce the existing law in a fair and appropriate way.”

Unfortunately, the President is not enforcing existing law in a fair and appropriate way. Every day, families are being ripped apart. Children are being kept from their parents who are kept in detention, sometimes to the benefit of the private prison industry. And there are estimates that 30,000 people were deported in August alone. Here is just one example of a case that highlights the injustice:

MARYLAND CASE STUDY // A FATHER FACING DEPORTATION FOR A YOUTHFUL PRANK MANY YEARS AGO? - A Maryland of father of two — Manny Shoemaker — is being kept from his wife and two children (who are U.S. citizens) in a Worcester County Detention Center. Manny is the primary breadwinner for the family and covers them on his health insurance. This man has been in this country since he was 4-years-old, and has been a legal permanent resident since then. But Manny apparently committed a “crime of moral turpitude” as a youngster. He tried to steal a golf cart from a local golf course with a group of friends. His U.S. citizen friends got off with probation, while he served 6 months in jail. Now, years and years later, he is languishing in detention, which makes zero sense. You can learn more about Manny Shoemaker's case and join me in signing a petition on his behalf here.

Signing these petitions, incidentally, is crucially important when it comes to immigration cases like this. In fact, in many cases, community attention is the only thing that successfully defers deportation in these situations and keeps a parent with his or her children. Sadly, this case is hardly unique. It’s but one, sad example among millions.

In addition to the glaringly cruel deportation policy that taints this country every day — a policy that the President has the power to change — it is entirely unclear that movement is possible in the House on the bill passed by the Senate. According to the AP, voices opposed to immigration have been muted during this August recess, with some Republican Party activists claiming the focal point of energies have been trained on opposing the Affordable Care Act, not immigration reform. Pro-reform advocates claim they have turned some Republican members during this congressional recess. According to the AP, whether this adds up to the House taking up the Senate-passed bill is iffy at best (excerpt below):

ASSOCIATED PRESS: GOP House leaders have rejected that approach, vowing instead to proceed with bills addressing individual immigration issues, beginning with border security. And although by advocates' count more than 20 House Republicans have now declared their support for some kind of citizenship path, the majority of House Republicans remain opposed, creating a potentially unbridgeable divide between the House and the Senate. Congress also faces looming deadlines on the debt ceiling and spending bills to keep the government running. It all adds up to a tough environment for getting an immigration bill to Obama's desk. 

Nonetheless, pro-immigrant advocates are claiming success in their August recess efforts to pressure House Republicans to act on immigration in the fall. An unusual and deep-pocketed alliance of Catholics and evangelicals, labor unions, business groups and others have been targeting dozens of GOP members viewed as open to hearing them out, and say they'll have momentum on their side when Congress reconvenes. 

"The big story I think of the August recess is that we haven't seen what some had predicted, this major anti-immigrant movement where members of Congress would be heckled into inaction," Galen Carey, vice president of government relations at the National Association of Evangelicals, said on a media call this week to announce a $400,000, 14-state radio ad campaign in support of immigration reform. "We've seen very much that that has been a muted voice, but actually the pro-immigrant voice has been rather prominent at many of the town halls that we have observed."

Unfortunately, other signs aren’t sign promising. House Judiciary Chair Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) told a radio host that he opposes a path to citizenship even for young documented people brought to the United States as children. And The Hill reports that even Rep. Luis Guitierrez is feeling despondent (excerpt below):

THE HILL: The veteran Democrat is known as one of the Capitol’s eternal optimists, but as he chats with reporters before a rally in a Republican district, he is struggling to chart a path to final passage for comprehensive immigration reform, the issue he has championed for two decades in the House. “I was hopeful we would be in a better place today,” [Rep. Luis] Gutierrez (D-Ill.) conceded.

I’m not saying we should give up on passing comprehensive immigration reform. Hardly. I am saying that while the Senate bill languishes (a Senate bill that already possesses laboriously long waiting periods for immigrants to obtain citizenship) and the Republicans continue to drag their feet on crafting their own likely-Draconian proposal, the President can take the same bold action he took one year ago via executive order and at the same time dramatically propel the conversation forward....

Pablo Alvarado, Executive Director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, often says it best:

PABLO ALVARADO: Anyone who thinks the President should suspend deportations as a "Plan B" is missing the point.  The President should make a suspension of deportations and an expansion of deferred action part of a "Plan A" precisely to help move a bill forward in Congress.  His decision to grant deferred action to childhood arrivals (DACA) showed that we can make incremental progress and galvanize momentum for an omnibus bill at the same time.  But it also begged the question:  Why isn't the President doing more?

In a quote being spread widely, GOP Senator Marco Rubio said that Obama could issue “an executive order as he did for the DREAM Act kids a year ago, where he basically legalizes 11 million people by the sign of a pen,” and doing so doesn’t require the intolerable compromises we’ve seen in Congress.  Rubio goes on to say, “We won’t get any E-Verify. We won’t get any border security. But he’ll legalize them.”

The precise action being discussed here makes Republicans very nervous. Let’s use that, shall we? And at the same time, we can put into practice the compassion we tout as Democrats committed to making life better for all families.

- Dan  Furmansky

P.S. You can read the full letter from Representatives Grijalva and Clarke to President Obama below:

Letter to Obama from Rep's Raul Grijalva & Yvette Clarke Calling for End to Mass Deportation

Time for Maryland Democrats to Speak Out for End to Mass Deportations // U.S. Ejecting Residents At Fastest Rate Ever

Below Maryland Juice presents a new article from our writer Dan Furmansky regarding the record  setting mass deportations of residents under the Obama administration:

After the heaviest of lifts, the comprehensive immigration reform bill that passed the Senate is now languishing in the House of Representatives. It’s easy to see why, since House Republican leadership is already awful busy giving the middle finger to the Affordable Care Act and proposing a renewed food stamp program that cuts $40 billion from SNAP and effectively leaves millions of Americans hungry at night. With these noble endeavors at the forefront of the House’s agenda, and Iowa Congressman Republican Steve King telling the world that undocumented youth aren’t really hungry for an education, but drug smugglers with “calves the size of cantaloupes,” I think it’s safe to say that the “new and improved” Republican Party rashly promised to us in a series of post-November news headlines is also languishing.

In June the House sent a clear signal to the country with a mostly party-line vote of 224-201 to discard President Barack Obama's rule allowing deferred deportation for some young undocumented immigrants. Only six House Republicans, none in GOP leadership, voted against Steve ‘the Cantaloupe’ King’s amendment. Advocates will not be deterred, and with the August congressional recess upon us, the broad coalition pushing for immigration reform is urging the grassroots to lobby members of the House in their home districts.

Meanwhile, there is work that we here in Maryland can do with our own congressional delegation. We need our members of Congress to urge President Obama to halt deportations now.

As the clock ticks on achieving any meaningful and compassionate changes to our woefully broken immigration system, tens of thousands of families will be ripped apart because President Obama continues to deport more immigrants—aka future citizens—than any other president in our nation's history. Consider this:

• The United States is now deporting people at a faster rate than at any time in our modern history—an estimated 1,100 people per day. 

• More than 410,000 undocumented workers were deported last year, an all-time high.

• A report from the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute released earlier this year found that the United States spends more money on immigration enforcement—nearly $18 billion in the 2012 fiscal year—than on its other law enforcement agencies combined. 

• The government spends about 15 times more on immigration enforcement than it did in the mid-1980s, adjusted for inflation, the report found. 

• According to data obtained by the news website Colorlines, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security deported nearly 205,000 parents of U.S. citizen children from July 1, 2010 to Sept. 31, 2012.

Given these numbers, what does this mean for immigrant communities right now, as House Republicans obstruct any progress and endorse the continued separation of parents and children?

During the August recess alone, an estimated 44,000 people will likely be expelled from the country.

Pres. Obama has the power to stop this. He already chose through his Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) memorandum to allow for deferred deportations for young immigrations, aka DREAMers. But this only happened after tremendous, sustained pressure on the Administration to take action, and the failure of the passage of the DREAM Act in the U.S. Senate due to Republican obstructionism, since the DREAM Act had majority support, but lacked 60 votes to end debate.

Many people believe that halting all deportations could put key pressure on the House of Representatives to move.

Pablo Alvarado, of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, has strong words for President Obama in The Hill (excerpt below):

PABLO ALVARADO (VIA THE HILL): Luckily for the president and for those victimized by the current broken system, such cruelty is optional.  Building upon prosecutorial discretion and the deferred action for childhood arrivals program, the president has it in his executive authority to expand the relief he’s granted dream-eligible youth to their parents, neighbors, and the other potential citizens who are watching the Congressional debate closely.

In fact, if and when the president will stop prolonging the suffering of people in deportation proceedings and use his authority has become a repeated question any time he addresses Spanish language media. As limitations of the Senate bill are being reported and a few obstructionist legislators seek to imperil progress, hundreds of organizations have looked to the administration to take action and help break a possible logjam. His response to whether he will step in: “Probably not. I think that it is very important for us to recognize that the way to solve this problem has to be legislative.  I can do some things and have done some things that make a difference in the lives of people by determining how our enforcement should focus.”

Imagine how different the conversation would be and how much stronger reform's prospects would look if the president told obstructionist Republicans that deportations are suspended until a legalization bill is passed, as some of his own advisors have recommended.

To some people, the idea that the President might simply halt all deportations—not just those of DREAMers—may seem radical. No doubt it is aggressive, but is aggressive really such a bad idea when dealing with obstructionist Republicans? The President has worked ferociously over the years to prove he is “tough” on illegal immigration while wasting untold government resources, and he has absolutely zero to show for it from conservatives who clamor for more deportations and continue to parrot the words “border security” over and over as a talking point for their standing in the way of any pathway to citizenship.

Sadly, the President is unlikely to take bold action and expand the scope of his deferred deportations:
"I think it is important to remind everybody that, as I said I think previously, and I'm not a king," Obama told Univision's Maria Elena Salinas in January. "I am the head of the executive branch of government. I'm required to follow the law."

Yawn.

As with most issues, the President requires a strong push to exercise greater authority in this debate. He needs the same type of robust, concerted pressure that led to his decision to defer deportations for DREAMers.

Across the country, activists are asking lawmakers and local and state Democratic Parties to put pressure on the President to halt deportations until comprehensive reform passes. Resolutions are being drafted. The Maryland Democratic Party and Maryland’s congressional delegation can and should call for a change in the terms of the debate by asking the President to halt all deportations.

Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva and Rep. Yvette Clarke are circulating to their colleagues a sign-on letter to President Obama, urging him to suspend any further deportations and expand the successful deferred action program to all those who would be potential citizens under immigration reform. The letter to the President reads:

“As we have seen with deferred action for childhood arrivals, such relief brings with it the benefit of active participation in the debate by undocumented people themselves. When their stories are known and voices are heard, we have witnessed how the debate shifts. The fear and xenophobia that block progress only shrink in the display of their courage. But left unchecked, the threat of deportations will prevent so many from coming forward and contributing to the national conversation. Instead, the specter of deportation removes the human and grounding element in any political discussion—those individuals who are most directly impacted.”

If you agree that we need a bolder strategy to move immigration reform, then call up your member of Congress and ask them to sign on to Reps. Grijalva and Clarke’s letter to the President.

To call your Member of Congress:
US Capitol Switchboard (202) 224-3121

To locate your Member on-line:
U.S. House of Representatives: www.house.gov

Maryland Juice will be following this story and will keep you posted next month on which members of our Congressional delegation chose to sign on and take a stand for an end to deportations now.

- Dan Furmansky

JuiceBlender: Daily Kos Prefers O'Malley to Cuomo, Cuomo Hesitates on Dream Act, Bartlett Slams Obama on Immigration

Here's a random blend of political tidbits from recent news, starting with commentary from journalists and pundits comparing MD Governor Martin O'Malley with NY Governor Andrew Cuomo:

JUICE #1: DIFFERING RESPONSES FROM O'MALLEY & CUOMO TO OBAMA DREAM ACT ANNOUNCEMENT - Maryland Juice recently reported on President Barack Obama's major announcement that his administration would halt the deportation of young undocumented residents (aka Dreamers). This week, Politico's Maggie Haberman covered the differing responses to the new policy development from Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo -- two rivals in the 2016 Democratic White House race.

Initially, Haberman wrote about O'Malley's support for Obama's actions, compared to Cuomo's silence. But days later, Cuomo is now praising Obama's immigration position. Notably, Gov. O'Malley had backed a Maryland version of the Dream Act which provides for in-state college tuition for all high school graduates, regardless of their immigration status. Gov. Cuomo apparently did not support the New York version of this legislation. See excerpts from the pair of articles below:

Obama Administration to Halt Deportation of Dream Act Youths // Marylanders Respond, Plan White House Rally at 2 pm TODAY

UPDATE: At 1:15 pm today, President Obama will host a press conference to discuss this groundbreaking policy shift. You can watch it online [HERE].

Maryland politicos are abuzz with news that the Obama Administration's Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced new leniency measures for young undocumented residents (Hat tip: MoCo Council Vice President Nancy Navarro). DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano issued a memo today (see text below) indicating that Dream Act eligible students would now be allowed to apply for lawful residency and would not be priorities for deportation. The move comes days after the President's visit to Baltimore, Maryland, where dozens of residents called on the President to endorse the Maryland Dream Act. While in Baltimore, Obama stated:

BARACK OBAMA: “It’s time to stop denying citizenship to responsible young people just because they are children of” undocumented immigrants, Obama said. “This country is at its best when it harnesses the God-given talents of every individual.”

CRITERIA FOR ELIGIBILITY: Three days after his visit to Baltimore, Obama has doubled down on his words with real action. See the DHS memo below, along with response from Maryland politicos. The halt to deportations applies to individuals who meet the following criteria:

VIDEO TRIBUTE: One Month of #JSA Student Organizing // Plus, Anthony Muse No-Show at Town Hall with Sen. Ben Cardin

BACKGROUND: Maryland Juice has produced a special video chronicling what one short month of organizing by the #JSA activists looks like. What started as a campaign to stop the deportation of Jorge Steven Acuna, an area student, has morphed into a vigorous youth-driven campaign to defend the Dream Act and draw attention to the problem of Secure Communities deportations. But more importantly, we are witnessing the political coming-of-age of the children of immigrants around the region. Many thanks to the Tea Party and the Maryland GOP for the assist -- they get a large chunk of the credit here!

BEN CARDIN & ANTHONY MUSE TOWN HALL: The video below takes you through a 2-minute summary of #JSA's recent efforts, including rallies, civic association meetings, candlelight vigils, marches, town hall meetings, voter registration drives, and more. The piece also includes shots from #JSA's town hall meet & greet with U.S. Senator Ben Cardin this weekend. #JSA organizers tell Maryland Juice that State Senator Anthony Muse had confirmed attendance at the event but stood them up without explanation. I guess he didn't want to explain to them why he voted against the Dream Act:

#JSA Gets Political: Letter from Jorge Steven Acuna Re: Today's Meeting With U.S. Senator Ben Cardin & MD Sen. Anthony Muse

UPDATE: Apparently, State Senator Anthony Muse stood up the #JSA students and was a no-show at their meet-and-greet today. Organizers indicate that Muse had confirmed attendance at the event. One student commented: "Didn't even have the courtesy to let anyone know he wasn't coming. I feel like it might be a good representation of what will happen if he is elected to the US Senate: he'll promise things and never show up to the immigrant community." OUCH!

BACKGROUND:Maryland Juice has been covering the inspiring story of the student activists involved in the #JSA movement. As apolitical MoCo youths, they "got political" after Homeland Security tried to deport one of their friends, Jorge Steven Acuna (aka JSA). JSA and his family were jailed and being readied for deportation after their application for asylum from Colombia was denied. The student activists called on Rep. Chris Van Hollen to intervene -- and in just a few days -- they amassed a 12,500 member Twitter following and several thousand petition signatures. Their efforts got the attention of Rep. Chris Van Hollen, and the Acuna family was promptly released and granted a one-year-stay on their deportation.

NEXT STEPS FOR #JSA: Yesterday we reported that today the #JSA students were hosting town hall style meet and greets between their members and U.S. Senator Ben Cardin and State Senator Anthony Muse. Both men are vying for the Democratic nomination to the U.S. Senate. When I asked for more information on their plans, organizers stated that students around the nation wanted to join their effort. #JSA now announces that high school and college chapters are in progress around the nation -- in places ranging from Virginia to Florida (ie: key swing states). They are now rebranding their efforts as Justice for Students in America and are an explicitly multiracial progressive movement.

After their foray into the U.S. Senate race, organizers tell Maryland Juice they are launching a voter registration drive and will move into the 6th Congressional District race next. They call CD6 the epicenter of their membership, due to the Jorge Steven Acuna case. In fact, the Acuna family appears to be among those households moved from CD8 to CD6. On a side note, we also hear the #JSA students have been in touch with MoCo's anti-curfew organizers to build synergy. Rock on!

Below we print a letter from the newly freed Jorge Steven Acuna. He discusses his detention and highlights how the #JSA activists are getting political:

"Some say tragedies are hard to get over, but sometimes that tragedy means it's over."

To a certain extent that is how it feels. You see, it all happened growing up, through my teenage years, I felt it coming, i felt the fear that one day the tragedy would arrive. The morning my father woke me up telling me it was over, i realized that my fear had finally come to an end. It's rather ironic to think that you grow up with a certain fear for years and years, and then one day, your biggest fear happens. So what happens? What did i truly feel? Nothing. Everyone that visited me came out of the jail inspired by my optimism, when those who visited saw me most would go into tears, and what would i try to manage? A smile. It's a sick thing what happened to me, i had to see some of the closest people in my life cry in front of my eyes, even harder thing was that i had to make sure I was strong. It turned out to be a huge injustice, and I say this not as someone who is an immigrant but rather as a human being.

But then, it happened, perhaps our lives are limited to few or none miracles, for me this was it. My miracle, and when it happened i was free. My story is not to target any feelings in your heart but rather to let everyone now that I do not plan on letting this miracle only be mine. It's crazy how my life has changed in the past two weeks, mostly because now i feel like i have a voice, and i don't feel that fear i grew for all those years.

Today JSA gives you the opportunity to meet our Maryland Senator, and a State Senator running against him. I urge you to come out and see it for yourself, because together we all have a voice, and together we can make a difference.


U.S. Senator Ben Cardin & State Senator Anthony Muse
Saturday March 24, 2012 at 12:30 p. m. on the
Montgomery College Rockville Campusm TC room 136
Let's make our voice be heard so that no one ever lives through what i lived through. Furthermore, let's do this for those who suffer countless of other injustices, because we are all human, and we all have the right to be treated as some.

Sincerely,

Jorge Steven Acuña

Maryland Juice will report back on the results of the U.S. Senate Primary candidate meetings, as well as on future plans for JSA soon!

SATURDAY: Students Behind #JSA Campaign Host Townhall Meetings w/ Senate Candidates Ben Cardin & Anthony Muse

UPDATE: The JSA organizers are clarifying that the event is a town hall style meet and greet with their members and two Democratic U.S. Senate candidates. However, Senator Cardin and State Senator Anthony Muse will not be sharing a stage to debate.  See the updated press release with scheduling details below. 

In short: Maryland Senator Anthony Muse will attend from 1:15-1:45pm and U.S. Senator Ben Cardin will attend from 1:45-2:15 pm. The event will be on Saturday, March 24 at 12:30 pm on the Montgomery College Rockville Campus, TC building, room 136.

Maryland Juice just received the press release below from the student activists behind the campaign to free Jorge Steven Acuna (aka #JSA). We recently wrote about their efforts to aid their friend and classmate after he and his family were arrested by Homeland Security and ready to be deported when their application for asylum was denied.

The students petitioned Rep. Chris Van Hollen to help the Acuna family, given that they are currently 8th Congressional District residents. They succeeded in getting the family released, with a one-year stay on their deportation. But their efforts have not stopped there. They are now pressing forward with efforts to make sure their issues are not ignored in the future. Amazingly, they are now hosting a town hall meeting with two U.S. Senate Democratic candidates, Ben Cardin and Anthony Muse. Their press release is below:

PRESS RELEASE

JSA Movement to Host Town Hall Meetings with
U.S. Senator Ben Cardin and State Senator Anthony Muse

Saturday March 24, 2012 at 12:30 p. m. on the
Montgomery College Rockville Campus

Youth will have the opportunity to ask questions directly to the Senators

Rockville MD, March 23, 2012 – The Justice for Students in America (JSA) movement will host a town hall–style meeting with Maryland Senator Anthony Muse from 1:15-1:45pm and U.S. Senator Ben Cardin from 1:45-2:15 pm, on Saturday, March 24 at 12:30 pm on the Montgomery College Rockville Campus, TC building, room 136. Press conference will be held at 12:00 pm. JSA members and other youth will have the opportunity to ask questions directly to the Senators on issues that most affect them from the DREAM ACT, jobs, the economy, to comprehensive immigration reform and other topics.

All Montgomery College students and other youth and their families are welcome to attend. There will be an opportunity to register to vote for all of those who are eligible.

The JSA movement is a student- and youth-led, grassroots, empowering group with the mission to give all students and youth in America a voice. JSA promotes and encourages its youth members to become a positive force of civically-active members of society, and seek a high quality of live and equal opportunities for themselves, their families and all Americans through education.

Visit the JSA Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/300409916692389

Follow us on Twitter @TheJSAMovement

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VIDEO: #JSA SPEAKS // Jorge Steven Acuna Details Detention by Homeland Security at Rockville Rally: "Forever Thankful"

For those of you following the #JSA movement triggered by the detention and planned deportation of Jorge Steven Acuna and his family, we have a video link to his rally speech. Below you can listen to JSA speaking at a gathering in Rockville Town Center yesterday:

www.LetHimStay.net

BREAKING: Rep. Chris Van Hollen Reports Jorge Steven Acuna & Family Have Been Released // One Year Stay for Deportation

UPDATE: Casa de Maryland is still planning on hosting the rally in Rockville today at 3:30. The event will be in Rockville Town Square, and is designed to highlight the problem of deportations more generally. They hope to draw attention to the situation of others in a similar position to Jorge Steven Acuna.

Maryland Juice just received the following breaking news from Rep. Chris Van Hollen's office. Jorge Steven Acuna (aka #JSA) and his family have been released!

"I'm pleased that ICE reviewed the facts of the case and decided to release Jorge and the Acuna family and stayed their removal for a year. In light of the circumstances in this situation, it was the fair and humane decision." -- Congressman Chris Van Hollen

Thanks to the politicians who are stepping up in this fight. Let's keep the momentum going!

DC Rejects Anti-Latino "Secure Communities" Deportation Program // Plus, Restaurant Eve Top Chef Weighs In?

Yesterday, the District of Columbia announced that it was refusing to participate in the Department of Justice's controversial "Secure Communities" deportation program. According to the Washington Post, Mayor Vince Gray signed an Executive Order "that prohibits public safety agencies from asking about a person’s immigrant status or contacting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement."  The announcement came on the same day that researchers released a new report calling into question the record number of deportations occurring under the Obama administration. According to PBS, Secure Communities really does break up families (lots of them) and racially profiles Latinos:

...a new report, released today, raises major questions about a program that has lead to many of those deportations. 

Secure Communities, a high-tech way of tracking immigration violators via fingerprint data, has led to the disproportionate arrest of Latinos, the wrongful detention of U.S. citizens and families being split apart when a spouse or parent is deported, according to a new study, [PDF] released today by the Warren Institute at the University of California, Berkeley Law School, in conjunction with the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. 

The study is the first to analyze government data on the program. Among its findings:

TONIGHT: Homeland Security Hosts DC Area Hearings on Deportation Program - Will MD Officials Speak Out?

UPDATE: Washington Post coverage of the DHS hearings:  "Maria Bolanos told [ICE]... that she was arrested after calling police in Maryland during a fight with her partner.... Now she’s facing deportation because her fingerprints were shared with immigration authorities and she was identified as an illegal immigrant as part of the Secure Communities program....  200 people walked out of the meeting, chanting “end it, don’t amend it.” 

Earlier this week, my friends at the Bill of Rights Defense Committee alerted me to tonight's DC-area Department of Homeland Security public hearing. DHS is gathering input on their controversial "Secure Communities" deportation program (see email alert below). We discuss what the fuss is all about in greater depth below, but first a little bit of political background on the issue.

At issue is DHS's program asking local law enforcement officers to check the immigration status of people they detain. People flagged as present without documentation could be instantly whisked away by immigration officials (note: currently deportation occurs whether or not they are guilty of the crime in question -- they may even be the crime victim!)

Democratic Governors in Illinois, New York, and Massachusetts have ensured their states refused to participate in "Secure Communities." Will Maryland officials follow?