Tag: immigrants

Deferred action on Deferred Action kids spurs protest

January 22, 2013 at 10:55 amCategory:Uncategorized

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DACA DOT protestersAbout 50 young people gathered on a frigid morning outside the offices of the state Department of Transportation in downtown Raleigh today to protest the Department’s obstruction and foot-dragging in the issuance of driver’s licenses to young people who have obtained the right to be lawfully present in the United States under the federal government’s Deferred Action program (DACA).

With chants of “out on the streets and into our cars,” the young people demanded immediate action by the Department to heed a recent opinion from the state’s Attorney General that the issuance of licenses to such applicants is both legal and required. Read More…

Feds: Alamance Sheriff ordered deputies to “bring me Mexicans”

December 21, 2012 at 10:03 amCategory:Uncategorized

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By Mike Meno, Communications Director of the ACLU of North Carolina

The U.S. Department of Justice filed a civil rights lawsuit against Alamance County Sheriff Terry Johnson yesterday, charging that under his direction, the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) has systematically and unlawfully targeted Latino residents for investigation, traffic stops, arrests, seizures, and other enforcement actions since at least 2007. The lawsuit asks a federal court to order Sheriff Johnson to refrain from discriminatory policing and for the ACSO to adopt and implement policies that would constitutionally protect and serve all county residents.

The ACLU and other groups have been receiving complaints about Johnson, his deputies, and their treatment of Latinos for years. But some of the alleged examples of Sheriff Johnson’s own prejudice and policing style outlined in yesterday’s lawsuit – which resulted from a two-year investigation and interviews with more than 100 witnesses – are truly shocking.

Among them:

-“In a staff meeting … in January 2007, Defendant Johnson yelled “bring me some Mexicans!” while banging his fists on the table.” Read More…

More evidence that immigration reform can’t wait

December 12, 2012 at 2:01 pmCategory:Uncategorized

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If Sarah Ovaska’s story about the absurdity of Time Warner Cable going all Barney Fife on an undocumented woman in Burlington isn’t enough to convince you of the need for real immigration reform in 2013, then check out this new report from the good folks at the Immigration Policy Center.

It’s entitled “Falling through the cracks” and it documents the impact of our nation’s broken immigration system and enhanced deportation policies on millions of innocent kids who find themselves separated (or at risk of becoming separated) from their parents. To quote the report: Read More…

Immigrant advocate group responds to today’s legislative immigration committee meeting

December 6, 2012 at 5:00 pmCategory:Uncategorized

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Immigration committee right to back off from harsh recommendations

STATEMENT FROM THE WE ARE NC COALITION

RALEIGH (Dec. 6, 2012) – America needs a just, fair and humane immigration policy that keeps families together. We Are NC is pleased to hear that the House Select Committee on the State’s Role in Immigration Policy has backed off its plans to pursue harsh immigration laws in North Carolina.

The report’s release comes the same week as former President George W. Bush reiterated his support for reforming our broken immigration system; as a bipartisan Illinois state Senate voted in favor of undocumented immigrants’ access to driver licenses; and as House Speaker Thom Tillis stated that he has no interest in a sweeping anti-immigrant bill in North Carolina. While Rep. Harry Warren originally wanted to use this committee to explore harsh and vindictive legislation, like shutting off heat and utilities for undocumented immigrants, today’s report shows that public pressure has convinced the committee to pursue a new path.  Read More…

Right-wing lawmakers: Anti-immigrant? Who? Us?

December 6, 2012 at 1:35 pmCategory:Uncategorized

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You knew some kind of order had come down from the right-wing powers that be when people like Sean Hannity all of a sudden turned all warm and fuzzy on immigrants.

Now, it appears that the new conservative 180 degree switcheroo has trickled down to the state level.  Read More…