Welcome to Out4Immigration's LGBT immigration news and updates on the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA), comprehensive immigration reform (CIR) and other information for same-sex binational couples and our supporters.
LATEST ACTIONS AND UPDATES
Family Immigration Rights Call with Immigration Equality - July 28, 8pm EST
--All grassroots groups are encouraged to be on the
Family Immigration Rights call organized by Immigration Equality, tomorrow, July 28 at 8pm EST. Phone in at 1-800-896-0105, passcode 6946500# to hear Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA), author of the
Reuniting Families Act, Bishop Minerva Carcaño of the United Methodist Church and
Joriene and Jashley Mercado, US citizen children
whose gay mom Shirley Tan faces deportation
. Find out what you can do to gain more support for Comprehensive Immigration Reform in your community. RSVP at this
link now to ensure you will be able to get on the call - volume is expected to be high.
Immigrants' Rights Action at Speaker Pelosi's San Francisco Office - July 28, 4pm PST--Out4Immigration member Erik Schnabel
urges all local O4I members and supporters to take part in this immigrants' rights action tomorrow, July 28 from 4-6pm in front of Speaker Pelosi's San Francisco office
at the new Federal Building at 90 7th Street, on the corner of Mission and 7th Streets. Wear your O4I t-shirts and bring signs demanding Comprehensive Immigration Reform and passage of standalone bills UAFA and the Dream Act. For more information, contact Erik at erikschnabel@hotmail.com.
25 Cities and Municipalities Support the Uniting American Families Act
--Out4Immigration volunteers and allies have gotten resolutions passed in three more cities in the last two weeks. Lakewood, OH, Cathedral City, CA and State College, PA now join a total of 25 other cities, municipalities
and the state of California whose elected officials have passed resolutions calling on their state's
Congressional representatives and Senators to become co-sponsors of the
Uniting American Families Act (UAFA). These are true grassroots efforts, garnering support for this much needed change to federal law from the ground up. Can your city, county or state get behind a resolution? Click
here to read more about how to pass a resolution or contact Tom Tierney at
tom@out4immigration.org.
Grassroots Groundswell Kit - August is Visit Your Representative Month
--Out4Immigration urges all members to download our Grassroots Groundswell Kit and get active during August, when your state's Senators and Representatives are in their home offices. Last year we saw many new volunteers step forward and make these visits -- many of whom have since joined our ranks and been responsible for the local resolutions you just read about above. It doesn't matter if you visited your Representatives last year, if they are already co-sponsors of UAFA or even if they are adamantly opposed to this legislation. As a constituent you have the right to make your concerns about immigration discrimination and your struggles as part of same-sex binational couple known. Remember, change starts with each of us. Everything you need to get started is in the kit -- including O4I contact info for support from our members.
Letter Writing Campaign Now in Week 73
--Out4Immigration's
Letter Writing to Congress Campaign on Change.org is now in its 73rd week. Every week we post this simple-to-do action on our Yahoo Groups list, Facebook and Twitter (as well as
Change.org). It takes less than a minute to add your name to the letter that asks members of Congress to co-sponsor UAFA and support its inclusion in Comprehensive Immigration Reform. These letters have resulted in more than 20 additional co-sponsors for UAFA and led to it being the immigration bill in the House of Representatives with the most support. Please continue to support this campaign and circulate the link each week to your family, friends and colleagues.
IN THE NEWS
New America Media Airs Our Stories and Op-Ed
--Out4Immigration members Amos Lim, Judy Rickard and Joe Smith were recently interviewed by
New America Media and shared their stories about being in same-sex binational relationships. Click
here to listen to their compelling stories. In tandem with these interviews, Amos was asked to submit an op-ed,
"Don't Leave Our Families Out of Immigration Reform." Click
here to read the op-ed, just published today.
CNN Profiles Gay Couple's Struggle with Immigration--National news network CNN recently aired
a thoughtful and well-produced segment on one gay couple's struggle to stay together in the US. The segment was picked up by local affiliates as well. Click
here to view the segment and circulate.
UPCOMING EVENTS AND CALLS TO ACTION
--
Weekly Letter Writing Campaign and Call Congress. Every week we write to members of Congress and ask them to support UAFA and its inclusion in CIR. We have been sending our letters for
over a year now, and this has led to more than 20 additional co-sponsors in the House and 5 in the Senate! Great work by everyone, but we have more to do. Visit
Change.org each Monday for the new letter to send and check out our
blog each Wednesday for a list of phone calls to make. Remember, our letters and calls really
do make a difference.
GET INCLUDED IN OUR NEXT ACTION AND MEDIA UPDATE
Do you
have an event or news item we should include in our next LGBT immigration news update mailing? Send it to Kathy at
kathy@out4immigration.org.
THANKS TO ALL OUR VOLUNTEERS!Out4Immigration is an all-volunteer, grassroots group. Everything we do comes from people volunteering their personal time - to build coalitions with their communities, to get resolutions and letters in support of UAFA, to speak at conferences and rallies, to staff booths at events, to organize events and march in parades. Thank you all for stepping up. It is your commitment to this cause that will ultimately end discrimination in US immigration law.
JOIN US!
Join
Out4Immigration on the web through our Yahoo! Groups list (visit our
website homepage and scroll to the bottom of the page, click on the Yahoo! icon and follow the instructions) and keep up with our daily conversation on equal immigration rights. You can also join us on
Facebook or follow us on
Twitter.
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