Out4Immigration is hopeful that Rep. Jerrold Nadler and Sen. Patrick Leahy, the champions behind equal immigration rights for same-sex binational couples, will swiftly reintroduce the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA) in the 112th Congress. We have heard that the bill may reintroduced as early as Valentine's Day, February 14.
With the reintroduction of the bill, Out4Immigration will promptly start our weekly letter writing campaign again in an effort to get as many of our 161 cosponsors from the previous Congress back on board. Although we lost a few supporters in the mid-term elections (more from retirement than defeat), we will work hard to shore up the deficit with new supporters and work with other groups and individuals to surpass the previous record and finally get this legislation passed!
Help us kick off our campaign in the 112th Congress by signing your name to our petition on Change.org today. Our goal is to secure 1,000 signatures. We know you're out there. And, we know your family, friends and colleagues will most likely get behind our efforts if you let them know how much we need their help.
So please, sign and circulate! And follow any breaking LGBT immigration news on our Facebook page.
Showing posts with label letter writing campaign. Show all posts
Showing posts with label letter writing campaign. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Friday, September 24, 2010
The Momentum Continues: 3 More UAFA Co-Sponsors - 1 in the Senate, 2 in the House
The momentum continues and our hard work is paying off. We have picked up 1 more Senate co-sponsor for the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA) and two more in the House. This brings our total supporters now to 25 in the Senate and 133 in the House. Record numbers!
Please call our new co-sponsors and say thanks!
Senator Mark Udall (D-CO)
(202) 224-5941
Rep. Rob Andrews (D-NJ-1)
(202) 225-6501
Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA-10)
(202) 225-1880
Please be sure to take part in the Out4Immigration letter writing campaign. We will be posting our Week 77 targets early next week.
Please call our new co-sponsors and say thanks!
Senator Mark Udall (D-CO)
(202) 224-5941
Rep. Rob Andrews (D-NJ-1)
(202) 225-6501
Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA-10)
(202) 225-1880
Please be sure to take part in the Out4Immigration letter writing campaign. We will be posting our Week 77 targets early next week.
Monday, July 12, 2010
CONTACT Congress - Week 71 - Letter Writing Campaign
Out4Immigration is an all grassroots organization and our letter writing campaign is now in its 71st week.
We must continue to keep this issue out front and make sure UAFA's language is included in any bill that moves forward.
Our efforts have gained us a LOT of co-sponsors in both the House (24) and Senate (5), and it's important to remember the impact that continued, consistent grass roots efforts have.
WE ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE!
This week, we are focusing on five more members of the House - Let's finally hit our goal of 500 signatures!
Click the link to send an e-mail to all of these members of Congress, and please also forward this on to as many family and friends, and share on Facebook, Twitter, etc... We need as many people to sign this each week as possible, and the change.org link makes doing this quick and easy!
While you are there, signing our weekly petition, please also be sure to sign all of our previous weekly petitions!
We are also working on getting UAFA-supportive resolutions passed by city councils all around the country, and getting State, County and City elected officials to send letters to members of Congress urging them to support UAFA. Please contact Tom if you can help (it's very easy!!).
We must continue to keep this issue out front and make sure UAFA's language is included in any bill that moves forward.
Our efforts have gained us a LOT of co-sponsors in both the House (24) and Senate (5), and it's important to remember the impact that continued, consistent grass roots efforts have.
WE ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE!
This week, we are focusing on five more members of the House - Let's finally hit our goal of 500 signatures!
Click the link to send an e-mail to all of these members of Congress, and please also forward this on to as many family and friends, and share on Facebook, Twitter, etc... We need as many people to sign this each week as possible, and the change.org link makes doing this quick and easy!
While you are there, signing our weekly petition, please also be sure to sign all of our previous weekly petitions!
We are also working on getting UAFA-supportive resolutions passed by city councils all around the country, and getting State, County and City elected officials to send letters to members of Congress urging them to support UAFA. Please contact Tom if you can help (it's very easy!!).
Monday, May 24, 2010
CONTACT Congress - Week 64 - Letter Writing Campaign
Out4Immigration is an all grassroots organization and our letter writing campaign is now in its 64th week.
Recently, we saw Congressman John Sarbanes co-sponsor UAFA and a few weeks ago, the Democrats in the Senate leadership unveiled a framework for comprehensive immigration reform, and UAFA's language was included.
We must continue to keep this issue out front and make sure UAFA's language is included in any bill that moves forward.
Our efforts have gained us a LOT of co-sponsors in both the House (23) and Senate (5), and
it's important to remember the impact that continued, consistent grass roots efforts have.
WE ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE!
This week, we are focusing on five more members of the House - Let's finally hit our goal of 500 signatures!
Click the link below to send an e-mail to Congressman John Boccieri (D-OH-16), Congressman Bruce Braley (D-IA-1), Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-9), Congresswoman Betsy Markey (D-CO-4) & Congressman Glenn Nye (D-VA-2), and please also forward this on to as many family and friends, and share on Facebook, Twitter, etc... We need as many people to sign this each week as possible, and the change.org link makes doing this quick and easy!
We are also working on getting UAFA-supportive resolutions passed by city councils all around the country, and getting State, County and City elected officials to send letters to members of Congress urging them to support UAFA.
Please contact Tom Tierney if you can help (it's very easy!!).
Monday, May 17, 2010
CONTACT Congress - Week 63 - Letter Writing Campaign
Out4Immigration is an all grassroots organization and our letter writing campaign is now in its 63rd week.
Recently, we saw Congressman John Sarbanes co-sponsor UAFA and a few weeks ago, the Democrats in the Senate leadership unveiled a framework for comprehensive immigration reform, and UAFA's language was included.
We must continue to keep this issue out front and make sure UAFA's language is included in any bill that moves forward.
Our efforts have gained us a LOT of co-sponsors in both the House (23) and Senate (5), and it's important to remember the impact that continued, consistent grass roots efforts have.
WE ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE!
This week, we are focusing on five more members of the House -
Click this link to send an e-mail to all of these members of Congress, and please also forward this on to as many family and friends, and share on Facebook, Twitter, etc... We need as many people to sign this each week as possible, and the change.org link makes doing this quick and easy!
If you have not participated in our previous week's letter writing campaign, you can still sign those letters, just click through to the link, here.
We are also working on getting UAFA-supportive resolutions passed by city councils all around the country, and getting State, County and City elected officials to send letters to members of Congress urging them to support UAFA.
Please contact Tom Tierney - tom@out4immigration.org - if you can help (it's very easy!!).
Recently, we saw Congressman John Sarbanes co-sponsor UAFA and a few weeks ago, the Democrats in the Senate leadership unveiled a framework for comprehensive immigration reform, and UAFA's language was included.
We must continue to keep this issue out front and make sure UAFA's language is included in any bill that moves forward.
Our efforts have gained us a LOT of co-sponsors in both the House (23) and Senate (5), and it's important to remember the impact that continued, consistent grass roots efforts have.
WE ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE!
This week, we are focusing on five more members of the House -
Congressman Marion Berry (D-AR-1),- Let's finally hit our goal of 500 signatures!
Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper (D-PA-3),
Congressman Gene Green (D-TX-29),
Congressman Paul Hodes (D-NH-2)
and Congressman Steny Hoyer (D-MD-5)
Click this link to send an e-mail to all of these members of Congress, and please also forward this on to as many family and friends, and share on Facebook, Twitter, etc... We need as many people to sign this each week as possible, and the change.org link makes doing this quick and easy!
If you have not participated in our previous week's letter writing campaign, you can still sign those letters, just click through to the link, here.
We are also working on getting UAFA-supportive resolutions passed by city councils all around the country, and getting State, County and City elected officials to send letters to members of Congress urging them to support UAFA.
Please contact Tom Tierney - tom@out4immigration.org - if you can help (it's very easy!!).
Monday, March 22, 2010
Reach Out Locally - It Works!
Below is an email from Tom Tierney, who has been working tirelessly on the letter writing campaign and getting other organizations on board in support of Equal Immigration Rights for Same-Sex Binational Couples. Do you think you can do something to get your city to support a resolution for the passage of Uniting American Families Act (UAFA)? Can you call your elected officials to see if they would be willing to write a "Dear Colleague" letter to your state's House members or Senators to urge them to sponsor UAFA and to push for its passage? Can you help? If you think you can, please contact Tom directly at tptierney914 [at] yahoo.com for more info.
I wanted to share with everyone some of the results I've had after reaching out to LGBT elected officials in various States.
Many others need to be contacted - Progressive Democrats in all States, and many more City Councils and local officials.
PLEASE everyone - now is the time to turn up the pressure. Go get a City Council resolution! Get your State Assemblymember and State Senator to send a letter to your US House member and US Senate members about this!
I have copy you can use for resolutions and a template letter that can be used for the elected officials to send a letter to your members of Congress.
Even if they're already UAFA co-sponsors - we need to remind them about how important it is.
TAKE ACTION NOW and let your local elected officials know about this!
Many prefer if someone local approaches them about this. If you're reading this we need YOU to take action!
Contact me at tptierney914 [at] yahoo.com for more info.
Recent results:
ArizonaState Representative sent letters to Sen. McCain, Sen. Kyl and Rep. Giffords State Senator sent letters to Sen. McCain and Sen. Kyl
ArkansasState Representative sending letters to Sen. Lincoln and Sen. Pryor (waiting for copies)
CaliforniaO4I members working on getting more resolutions from various cities - but we need more help! We need more letters to Senator Feinstein from elected LGBT officials and Democrats.
ColoradoState Senator sent letters to Sen. Udall and Sen. Bennet Two State Representatives working on sending letters to Sen. Udall and Sen. Bennet (waiting for copies) O4I member working on getting a supportive resolution from Denver City Council
ConnecticutO4I member working on getting letters from State Reps. and Senators to Sen. Lieberman and Rep. Murphy
FloridaOrlando City Commissioner sent letters to Sen. Bill Nelson and Rep. Corrine Brown Mayor of Broward County sent letter to Sen. Bill Nelson Miami City Council member sent letters to Sen. Bill Nelson and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (didn't send copies yet) Requested resolution from Miami City Council - still working on this North Miami City Council member sent letter to Sen. Bill Nelson (waiting for copy - he's also running for US House) North Miami Mayor sent letter to Sen. Bill Nelson (waiting for copy - he's also running for US Senate) St. Petersburg City Council member will speak with Rep. Kathy Castor this weekend about why she's not co-sponsoring UAFA again; interested in resolution
LouisianaO4I member working on getting a supportive resolution from New Orleans City Council Members of PFLAG sending letters/e-mails to members of Congress
MaineState Senator interested in sending letters to Sen. Collins and Sen. Snowe - waiting to hear back
MarylandMayor of Salisbury sending letters to Sen. Mikulski and Rep. Kratovil (waiting for copies) Mayor of Takoma Park sending letters to Sen. Mikulski and Rep. Van Hollen (waiting for copies)
MichiganContacted Detroit City Council President about UAFA resolution but have not heard back Ingham Co. Commissioner interested in doing supportive resolution
MinnesotaDuluth City Council President writing to Senator Klobuchar and will speak about UAFA with her in person in DC at end of March Minneapolis is considering a resolution
MissouriSt. Louis passed supportive resolution State Representative sending letters to Sen. McCaskill & Sen. Bond
New MexicoSanta Fe City Councilmember interested in introducing a resolution
New YorkMonroe County Commissioner sending letter to Sen. Schumer and Sen. Gillibrand Troy City Council considering resolution Binghamton City Council considering resolution Rochester City Council considering resolution Ithaca City Council decided against a resolution as the local members of the LGBT Community they asked about this 'weren't familiar with UAFA'
OhioWood County Commissioner considering resolution O4I member working on getting resolution from Cleveland City Council
OregonPortland City Council considering resolution Mayor of Silverton contacting Rep. Schrader about supporting UAFA
Rhode IslandState Rep. sent letter to Senator Reed Contacted Mayor of Providence's office about resolution - haven't heard back yet (Mayor is running for Rep. Kennedy's seat)
VirginiaChair of Arlington County Board will weigh in with Sen. Webb and Sen. Warner when he feels timing is appropriate
WashingtonSeattle passed resolution in support of immigration which included support for LGBT families
WisconsinI have someone working on trying to get Madison City Council to do a supportive resolution Three members of the Dane County Board of Supervisors are sending letter to Sen. Kohl this week
Monday, March 01, 2010
Press Release: Out4Immigration's Weekly Letter Writing Campaign for LGBT Immigration Rights Marks 1-Year Milestone
Grassroots Group’s Messages to Congress Call for Passage of Uniting American Families Act, Equal Immigration Rights for Same-Sex Binational Couples
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SAN FRANCISCO, CA — March 1, 2010 — One year ago, Gina Caprio, an American citizen living in Sacramento, CA was determined to do something to change the way unjust US immigration law was affecting her life. Caprio had fallen in love with someone in the UK a few years earlier. The relationship had taken the usual twists and turns associated with a long-distance romance, but when Caprio and her partner decided they wanted to live together in the US, a door slammed shut. Caprio’s UK partner is a woman – and together they are a same-sex binational couple – one of more than 36,000 according to a Human Rights Watch Report.
Because the US does not recognize same-sex relationships in any form at the federal level, the US half of the couple cannot sponsor their foreign partner for legal residency here. While opposite-sex binational couples have long taken advantage of marriage as a means to stay together in the US – same-sex couples, whether married or not, remain harshly discriminated against.
“When I heard the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA) had just been re-introduced in Congress, I knew I had to do something that would make sure this legislation would pass,” said Caprio.
She joined Out4Immigration, an all-volunteer group made up of same-sex binational couples, their families and other supportive individuals and learned from them that UAFA needed more co-sponsors in both the House and the Senate.
While this, the fifth re-introduction of the bill by Rep. Jerrold Nadler [D-NY-8] and Sen. Patrick Leahy [D-VT] came with 80 co-sponsors in the House and 14 in the Senate, it was nowhere near the number needed to gain a judiciary hearing, much less a floor vote.
“We drafted a form letter that allowed space for people to tell how hard it was to be in a same-sex binational relationship in America and started contacting previous co-sponsors of the bill by email, fax and snail mail,” Caprio said. Out4Immigration has about 400 active members around the world. Using the Change.org website, Facebook and Twitter, these members spread the word about the campaign and each week’s targets.
“We saw results of the weekly letter writing campaign almost immediately,” said Mickey Lim, Vice President of Out4Immigration. “Rep. Ed Pastor [D-AZ-4] and Sen. Kirsten Gillebrand [D-NY] were quick to read our stories and sign on. But the real indication that we were making an impact – that our voices were being heard – was when Congressional staffers called us and said ‘You’re jamming our fax lines and crashing our email systems!’ You have to send a lot of messages to do that.”
The combination of the letter writing campaign, strategic efforts by other LGBT groups and advocates, and the 11th-hour private bill by Sen. Dianne Feinstein [D-CA] that stopped the deportation of a Filipino woman named Shirley Tan, who was nearly forcibly separated from her same-sex American partner and their two children led to a Senate Judiciary hearing on UAFA last June. While the bill has since picked up more Senate co-sponsors, Feinstein, ironically, has not signed on.
Tom Tierney, another Out4Immigration volunteer joined the letter writing campaign and added a weekly “Call Congress” action after the June hearing. A revised letter now asks five members of Congress each week to co-sponsor UAFA as well as support same-sex binational couples in comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). A bill introduced by Rep. Mike Honda [D-CA- 15] last September called the Reuniting Families Act (RFA), is inclusive. A Senate version of that bill, however, is not.
When a bill by Rep. Luis Gutierrez [D-IL-4] called “CIR ASAP” omitted same-sex binational couples late last year, “our members and their families jammed his phone lines,” Lim says. And, when rumors circulated that Sen. Charles Schumer [D-NY] might be considering leaving same-sex binationals out of his Senate counterpart bill, “our members were quick to act and call his office, too.”
“The people we target each week are selected based upon their past voting records on LGBT and immigration issues, as well as the committees on which they sit in their respective chambers of Congress,” explains Tierney, who continues to try to net some Republican support to go with the so-far all-Democrat numbers.
Last week, UAFA picked up a key co-sponsor, Rep. Maxine Waters [D-CA-35], bringing the total number of House supporters to 120 – more co-sponsors than any other immigration bill. “In total, we’ve seen 5 Senators and over 20 members of the House sign on as UAFA co-sponsors after we’ve written to them. They’re getting the message,” says Tierney.
Meanwhile, Gina Caprio and her partner have temporarily overcome their separation through a student visa. “But the emphasis here is on the word ‘temporary,’” says Caprio. Until same-sex binational couples are recognized at the federal level, either through passage of UAFA or its inclusion in larger CIR, the Out4Immigration letter writing campaign will continue.
“No one should have to choose between their country and their family,” says Lim. “Our letters and phone calls address the very real issue that LGBT Americans with foreign partners have very few legal options to live together in this country.”
Media Contacts:
Amos Lim, Out4Immigration, 347-OUT-4IMM, Amos@out4immigration.org
Kathy Drasky, Out4Immigration, 415-606-2085, Kathy@out4immigration.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SAN FRANCISCO, CA — March 1, 2010 — One year ago, Gina Caprio, an American citizen living in Sacramento, CA was determined to do something to change the way unjust US immigration law was affecting her life. Caprio had fallen in love with someone in the UK a few years earlier. The relationship had taken the usual twists and turns associated with a long-distance romance, but when Caprio and her partner decided they wanted to live together in the US, a door slammed shut. Caprio’s UK partner is a woman – and together they are a same-sex binational couple – one of more than 36,000 according to a Human Rights Watch Report.
Because the US does not recognize same-sex relationships in any form at the federal level, the US half of the couple cannot sponsor their foreign partner for legal residency here. While opposite-sex binational couples have long taken advantage of marriage as a means to stay together in the US – same-sex couples, whether married or not, remain harshly discriminated against.
“When I heard the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA) had just been re-introduced in Congress, I knew I had to do something that would make sure this legislation would pass,” said Caprio.
She joined Out4Immigration, an all-volunteer group made up of same-sex binational couples, their families and other supportive individuals and learned from them that UAFA needed more co-sponsors in both the House and the Senate.
While this, the fifth re-introduction of the bill by Rep. Jerrold Nadler [D-NY-8] and Sen. Patrick Leahy [D-VT] came with 80 co-sponsors in the House and 14 in the Senate, it was nowhere near the number needed to gain a judiciary hearing, much less a floor vote.
“We drafted a form letter that allowed space for people to tell how hard it was to be in a same-sex binational relationship in America and started contacting previous co-sponsors of the bill by email, fax and snail mail,” Caprio said. Out4Immigration has about 400 active members around the world. Using the Change.org website, Facebook and Twitter, these members spread the word about the campaign and each week’s targets.
“We saw results of the weekly letter writing campaign almost immediately,” said Mickey Lim, Vice President of Out4Immigration. “Rep. Ed Pastor [D-AZ-4] and Sen. Kirsten Gillebrand [D-NY] were quick to read our stories and sign on. But the real indication that we were making an impact – that our voices were being heard – was when Congressional staffers called us and said ‘You’re jamming our fax lines and crashing our email systems!’ You have to send a lot of messages to do that.”
The combination of the letter writing campaign, strategic efforts by other LGBT groups and advocates, and the 11th-hour private bill by Sen. Dianne Feinstein [D-CA] that stopped the deportation of a Filipino woman named Shirley Tan, who was nearly forcibly separated from her same-sex American partner and their two children led to a Senate Judiciary hearing on UAFA last June. While the bill has since picked up more Senate co-sponsors, Feinstein, ironically, has not signed on.
Tom Tierney, another Out4Immigration volunteer joined the letter writing campaign and added a weekly “Call Congress” action after the June hearing. A revised letter now asks five members of Congress each week to co-sponsor UAFA as well as support same-sex binational couples in comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). A bill introduced by Rep. Mike Honda [D-CA- 15] last September called the Reuniting Families Act (RFA), is inclusive. A Senate version of that bill, however, is not.
When a bill by Rep. Luis Gutierrez [D-IL-4] called “CIR ASAP” omitted same-sex binational couples late last year, “our members and their families jammed his phone lines,” Lim says. And, when rumors circulated that Sen. Charles Schumer [D-NY] might be considering leaving same-sex binationals out of his Senate counterpart bill, “our members were quick to act and call his office, too.”
“The people we target each week are selected based upon their past voting records on LGBT and immigration issues, as well as the committees on which they sit in their respective chambers of Congress,” explains Tierney, who continues to try to net some Republican support to go with the so-far all-Democrat numbers.
Last week, UAFA picked up a key co-sponsor, Rep. Maxine Waters [D-CA-35], bringing the total number of House supporters to 120 – more co-sponsors than any other immigration bill. “In total, we’ve seen 5 Senators and over 20 members of the House sign on as UAFA co-sponsors after we’ve written to them. They’re getting the message,” says Tierney.
Meanwhile, Gina Caprio and her partner have temporarily overcome their separation through a student visa. “But the emphasis here is on the word ‘temporary,’” says Caprio. Until same-sex binational couples are recognized at the federal level, either through passage of UAFA or its inclusion in larger CIR, the Out4Immigration letter writing campaign will continue.
“No one should have to choose between their country and their family,” says Lim. “Our letters and phone calls address the very real issue that LGBT Americans with foreign partners have very few legal options to live together in this country.”
Media Contacts:
Amos Lim, Out4Immigration, 347-OUT-4IMM, Amos@out4immigration.org
Kathy Drasky, Out4Immigration, 415-606-2085, Kathy@out4immigration.org
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