Immigration News Roundup

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Immigration reform made headlines all week long with President Obama meeting with the GOP, the sound defeat of border-only related amendments, and the national action in Arizona this weekend.

Here's a roundup of the past week's news.

AZ National Day of Action

New York Times and Associated Press report that thousands on both sides of immigration reform gathered in Phoenix this weekend. http://nyti.ms/beQrj6; http://n.pr/aYpjgv; Photos: http://bit.ly/a8VUL2.

 The day before the AZ action hundreds gathered outside the location where Sen. McCain was to host a town hall, which was cancelled. His campaign cited a plane’s mechanical difficulties. WIRC was there! http://bit.ly/aLOOkX; Photos: http://bit.ly/bMv5Wd

 Protests around the Country

 On May 29^th 40 rallies were reported across the country (in addition to AZ) against SB 1070, including Salem, OR. http://bit.ly/a9lksH

 Protests targeting Major League Baseball continue: 150 Protest of Diamondbacks game in LA. http://bit.ly/dkDvdG

 ICIRR held a Memorial Day vigil Outside Obama’s Chicago Home for immigration reform and asked that President Obama consider students and members of the military. http://bit.ly/9E4N1r

 Civil Disobedience and Escalation in Major Cities

 32 arrested at ICE offices in Chicago—They carried bags of fake money and cried “Don’t Deport Our Economy” and “Legalization Not Deportation." http://bit.ly/bgMGN1

 37 arrested in NYC: The civil disobedience involved local clergy, labor, elected, and community leaders linking arms to form a chain that temporarily blocked traffic in front of the federal building. http://bit.ly/cq4cYI

 Obama Meets with the GOP on CIR and Announces Plan to Send 1200 additional National Guard to Southern Border

President Obama met with the Senate GOP on immigration reform this week. Sen. McCain and Obama differed with McCain arguing that we need to secure our borders first. Meeting attendees report that President Obama said that he is still including immigration reform on his agenda for this year. The meeting was another effort to build bipartisan support. http://bit.ly/csB00

The announcement that President Obama is sending 1200 additional guard to the AZ border came a few hours after the meeting. Atlantic Wire provides a round up of criticism from the left and right. http://bit.ly/aGbN0E

 Border-Enforcement Only Amendments Defeated in Senate:

The three Border enforcement amendments were defeated in the Senate with Senators Cantwell and Murray voting nay on all three. http://bit.ly/bqfyFv

Rep. Gutierrez expressed frustration with President Obama’s National Guard decision and with the President’s lack of leadership on moving CIR forward. http://nyti.ms/9fIV6j

Consideration of anti-immigrant state laws pick up, while resolutions Against SB 1070 continue to be passed widely.

Massachusetts’s Senate approved a measure (tied to the budget) that  would bar the state from doing business with any company found to break federal laws barring the hiring of undocumented immigrants; toughen penalties for driving without a license;  deny in-state college tuition rates for undocumented immigrants; and require the state’s public health insurance program to verify residency through the Department of Homeland Security and would prevent undocumented immigrants from getting subsidized housing over legal residents. http://bit.ly/9sza87

Recent Resolutions:

City of Seattle resolution text (May 17^th): http://bit.ly/asb3h0

Tacoma City Council Passed 5-4: http://bit.ly/cjH1P0

Columbus, OH: http://bit.ly/dqOpDd.

Selma, AL City Council: http://bit.ly/cQnDBw.

Michigan State Legislature (introduced): http://bit.ly/c6wOxo.