Florida Immigrant Coalition

E-News!

  April 1, 2005                    Volume 4, Number 41    

“People working together for fair treatment of Florida’s Immigrants”

 

E-News! is an electronic bulletin for Coalition members and others concerned with issues affecting Florida’s immigrants.  The Coalition is a program of Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center (FIAC).  Feel free to redistribute.

           

*E-NEWS! CONTENTS*:

News

Coalition Update

Future Events

New Resources/Recent Publications

About the Coalition

 

*NEWS*

 

IMMIGRANTS AND FARMWORKERS MARCH ON TALLAHASSEE

On March 30, about 400 immigrants and farmworkers held a march and rally in Tallahassee to support pending state and federal immigrant rights legislation.  The march was held in honor of Cesar Chavez, whose birthday is March 31.  Florida Immigrant Coalition, Farmworkers Association of Florida, United Farm Workers of America, Unite for Dignity, WeCount!, Florida Catholic Conference, Florida AFL-CIO, Farmworkers Self-Help and others, coordinated the event.  Issues supported included the federal Agjobs and DREAM Act legislation and Florida bills that would increase farmworker transportation safety and allow in-state tuition for undocumented immigrant high school graduates.  For more information see the following articles:

www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Politics/Leg/03PoliticsLEG04033105.htm

http://news.tbo.com/news/MGBK1V6HY6E.html

 

PENDING STATE LEGISLATION IMPACTS IMMIGRANTS AND FARMWORKERS

House Bill 119 by Representative Juan Zapata and Senate Bill 226 by Senator Frederica Wilson would allow undocumented immigrant students who graduate from Florida high schools to attend state colleges and universities at the in-state tuition rate.  Currently these students are required to pay out-of-state tuition even if they have spent the majority of their lives in Florida.  HB 119 and SB 226 bills have passed the Senate and House Education Committees.

 

House Bill 1059 and Senate Bill 1878 would increase farm worker safety by requiring agriculture transportation vans to have functioning seatbelts and signs instructing passengers to use them.  For related article see:

www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/florida/sfl-fmigrant24mar24,0,3132278.story?coll=sfla-news-florida

www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/11304085.htm

 

House Bill 1047 by Representative David Rivera (R-Miami) and Senate Bill 2040 by Senator Rudy Garcia (R-Hialeah) would allow certain Cuban immigrants to obtain a driver’s licenses and allow foreign travelers to be issued two-year licenses, instead of licenses whose expiration coincides with their permission to stay in the United States.  The legislation would allow Cuban immigrants who have been issued an order of removal to obtain a license.  In 2004, Garcia sponsored similar legislation that included undocumented immigrant access to licenses.

 

House Bill 809 by Representative Yolly Roberson (D-North Miami) and Senate Bill 498 by Senator Gwen Margolis (D-Miami Beach) would require the Department of Children and Families to petition for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status and apply for Lawful Permanent Resident status on behalf of immigrant children who are placed in long term foster care. 

 

Senate Bill 1278, sponsored by Senator Tony Hill (D-Jacksonville), recognizes March 31, annually, as Cesar Chavez day in Florida.  SB 1278 passed the Senate unanimously on March 30.

 

House Bill 21 by Representative Dick Kravitz (R-Jacksonville) and Senate Bill 866 by Senator Mike Haridopolos (R-Melbourne) and would disallow students with F-1 or M-1 student visas from obtaining state scholarships or grants to attend public college and universities.  For a related article see: www.alligator.org/pt2/050310tally.php

 

ASYLUM AND DRIVER’S LICENSES RESTRICTIONS PASS U.S. HOUSE

On March 15 the US House of Representatives, amended the REAL ID Act on to the Iraqi and Afghanistan $81.3 billion spending bills.  The US Senate will soon approve a similar spending bill.  The Senate may or may not include the REAL ID Act in its version of the bill.  If the Senate does not include the bill, a committee of House and Senate members will meet to negotiate differences between the bills.  If passed, the REAL ID Act would disallow states from offering regular driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants, make asylum harder to obtain and allow the Department of Homeland Security to build a wall on the US/Mexico border near San Diego.  For more information and article see:

www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/editorial/11272307.htm

www.irishecho.com/newspaper/story.cfm?id=16247

www.indianastatesman.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/03/07/422bbb6f9da57

 

FARMWORKER PESTICIDE EXPOSURE RESULTED IN SEVERE BIRTH DEFECTS

A recent series of articles by the Palm Beach Post has found that a least three babies born over the last few months in Immokalee had serious defects after the mothers were exposed to pesticides.  All three mothers worked on farms owned by Ag-Mart, an agriculture company based in Plant City.  The three mothers lived within 200 feet of each other in Immokalee.  The first baby was born without arms or legs, the second has Pierre Robin syndrome, that results in an underdeveloped jaw that can result in choking and the third was born without a nose, ear and sexual organs.  After the article came out, AgMart President Don Long, met with the parents and told them he would help them try to obtain an immigration status.  For more information see:

www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/news/special_reports/carlitos/

www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050326/APN/503260571

www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2005/03/13/s1a_carlitos_0313.html

www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/content/opinion/epaper/2005/03/20/a2e_farmworkeredit_0320.html

www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/11129046.htm

 

ERNESTO JOSEPH ALLOWED TO APPLY TO RESIDENCY

In March, the Administrative Appeals Office of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services ruled that Haitian teenager Ernesto Joseph will be able to apply for Lawful Permanent Residency.  Joseph was one of more than 200 passengers on the boat that landed at Key Biscayne on October 29, 2002.  Since his arrival, Joseph has been in an out of both adult and youth immigration detention center’s.  The Department of Homeland (DHS) Security had maintained that Joseph’s was over 18, despite testimony from relatives and a birth certificate showing he was 16.  DHS had used dental and bone x-rays to determine his age even though studies have shown these techniques cannot pinpoint an exact age.  In support of Joseph, the South Florida Haitian community has held various rallies over the last 3 years calling for his release.  Representative Kendrick Meek has been one of Joseph’s strongest advocates and worked closely with DHS to secure Joseph’s release from immigration detention.  For more information see:    

www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-pcmeek29mar29,0,4461373.story?coll=sfla-news-palm

www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/11234245.htm

www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/opinion/11254132.htm

 

*COALITION UPDATE*

 

FLIC Member Highlight: 

Haitian American Youth of Tomorrow (HAYOT) has been an active member of the Florida Immigrant Coalition since its inception. They have mobilized youth to Tallahassee on several occasions to bring the voice of undocumented students to the marbled halls of the Capitol.  This past week, HAYOT’s leaders and their compelling testimonies at the rally and in the legislators’ offices were instrumental in getting several new co-sponsors for the in-state tuition bill.  Kudos to these young persons who are working to make their dreams come true!  For more information on HAYOT contact Carline Paul or Youth Coordinator Jean Jacques at (305) 949-8239.

 

If your organization would like to become a member of the Florida Immigrant Coalition please contact us for a membership form.

 

*FUTURE EVENTS*

 

APRIL 8^TH, FRIDAY, NOON, IN-STATE TUITION CAMPAIGN NEXT STEPS CONFERENCE CALL 

To participate call Maria at (305) 573-1106 x 1160.

 

APRIL 9^TH, SATURDAY, NOON-2, JWJ IMMIGRANT RIGHTS COMMITTEE MEETING IN MIAMI

The luncheon meeting will be held at the Human Services Coalition, 260 NE 17^th Terrace.  A report back on the trip to Tallahassee and plans for next steps are on the agenda.

 

MAY 1^ST 1-7, SUNDAY, WE COUNT! IS HOSTING A KERMESSE IN HOMESTEAD

Fun games, good food and multi-cultural dancing at 1350 SW 4^th ST. (Redland Rd corner). Donations, volunteers and other help are requested. To participate call Jonathan Fried at 305-247-9693.

 

JUNE 16-18, NATIONAL LOW-INCOME IMMIGRANT RIGHTS CONFERENCE, WASHINGTON DC

The 5th National Low-Income Immigrant Rights Conference will bring together community leaders, organizers, experts, attorneys, and advocates from around the country to share information and experiences and to develop strategies around some of the core issues affecting low-income immigrants.  Conference conveners include National Immigration Law Center, National Immigration Forum, AFL-CIO, Catholic Charities USA and National Council of La Raza.  Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center is a sponsor of the conference.  For more information visit www.nilc.org

 

  *NEW RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS/NEWS BRIEFS*

 

MIAMI HERALD OPPOSES REAL ID ACT, SUPPORTS COMPREHENSIVE REFORM

See the Herald’s March 31^st editorial:

www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/opinion/11272307.htm

 

ORANGE COUNTY SCHOOLS WAS INCORRECTLY REGISTERING IMMIGRANT STUDENTS

The Florida Department of Education recently found that Orange County Schools (Orlando area) was incorrectly asking immigration students for immigration documents:

www.orlandosentinel.com/news/orl-locvaudit19031905mar19,1,5971759.story

 

LOCAL COALITION FORMS TO BUILD DAY LABOR CENTER IN JUPITER

See a Sun-Sentinel article about a new local coalition in Jupiter:

www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-presource26mar26,0,7789924.story?coll=sfla-news-palm

 

SOME CUBAN IMMIGRANTS DENIED SSI BASED ON HOW THEY ENTERED THE US

See a Miami Herald article and editorial about a Social Security Administration policy denying benefits to some elderly and disabled Cuban immigrants because they entered by plane, rather than by boat or border crossing:

www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/11189135.htm

www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/opinion/11205645.htm

 

25 YEARS AFTER MARIEL

The Miami Herald and Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel published special reports on the 25-year anniversary and its impact on South Florida:

www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/11288478.htm

www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-dmariel03apr03,0,3024205.story?coll=sfla-news-front

 

SARASOTA IMMIGRATION DETENTION CENTER IS NEARLY EMPTY

Sarasota County’s new 288 bed, $20 million dollar immigration detention facility is going largely unused.  See a report from the Sarasota Herald Tribune: www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050312/NEWS/503120490/1060

 

UPDATE ON DAY LABORER SHOT BY THE BROWARD SHERIFF’S OFFICE IN NOVEMBER

See Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel and Miami Herald articles updating the situation of the day laborer shot who was shot by the Broward Sheriff Department in November:

www.sun-sentinel.com/news/columnists/sfl-mayocol20mar20,0,3416221.column

www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-cgomez26mar26,0,4397013.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines

www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/11224102.htm

 

ORLANDO SENTINEL FAVORS BUSH IMMIGRATION PLAN

See an Orlando Sentinel editorial in favor of President Bush’s temporary guest worker plan:

www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/orl-edped233032305mar23,1,6313293.story?coll=orl-opinion-headlines

 

KNIGHT FOUNDATION’S HODDING CARTER III ON IMMIGRATION POLICY

See an excerpt of Hodding Carter’s speech at the recent Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center annual dinner: www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/opinion/11116429.htm

 

3 UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS DETAINED AT CRYSTAL RIVER POWER PLANT

The Florida Gulf Coast Building and Construction Trades Council, a Tampa area coalition of trade unions, asked Progress Energy, the owner of the Crystal River (Citrus County) nuclear power plant to investigate three Mexican immigrant employees.  The Council’s request resulted in the arrest of the three men by the Department of Homeland Security.  Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite used the incident to call for more restrictive laws against immigrants.  For more information see: www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050312/NEWS/503120371/1004

www.sptimes.com/2005/03/12/Citrus/3_workers_at_power_pl.shtml

 

2005 ECONOMIC REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT DESCRIBES BUSH IMMIGRATION PERSPECTIVE

See chapter 4 of the February 2005, Economic Report of the President: www.whitehouse.gov/cea/erpcover2005.pdf

 

JUPITER COURIER EDITORIAL ENCOURACES IMMIGRANT ROUNDUPS

See the Courier’s editorial encouraging arrests of day laborers: www1.tcpalm.com/tcp/jc_editorials/article/0,2545,TCP_1118_3651414,00.html

 

PEW HISPANIC CENTER SURVEY’S MEXICAN IMMIGRANTS

See a new Pew Hispanic Center report about a recent survey of Mexican immigrants in the United States: http://pewhispanic.org/reports/report.php?ReportID=41

 

FLORIDA TIMES-UNION ADVOCATES ASSISTANCE TO MEXICO TO FIX IMMIGRATION

See the Times-Union’s editorial:

www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/030805/opi_18153608.shtml

 

REPUBLICAN DIVIDE ON IMMIGRATION POLICY

A recent Washington Post report looks at the divide within the Republican Party on immigration policy: www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64179-2005Mar24.html

 

ECONOMIST EXAMINES WHAT IS BLOCKING IMMIGRATION REFORM

See the March 10 Economist article examining immigration reform:

www.economist.com/world/na/displayStory.cfm?story_id=3738772

 

REFUGEE NUMBERS LIKELY TO DECREASE

Federal funding decreases will likely lead to a decrease in the number of refugee’s allowed to enter the U.S.: www.tallahassee.com/mld/tallahassee/news/breaking_news/11079424.htm

 

MANY IMMIGRANTS ARE SELF-EMPLOYED

See a report from the Migration Policy Institute about self-employed immigrants in the US: www.migrationinformation.org/Feature/display.cfm?id=301

 

ANGELINA JOLIE HELPS LAUNCH NEW PROJECT FOR IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE CHILDREN

Actress Angelina Jolie helped launch the new National Center for Immigrant and Refugee Children in March:

www.sptimes.com/2005/03/09/Tampabay/Immigrant__refugee_ch.shtml

US DETENTION OF ASYLUM SEEKERS AND HUMAN RIGHTS

See an article written by Amnesty International’s Bill Frelick about the US asylum system:

www.migrationinformation.org/USfocus/display.cfm?ID=296

 

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH LEGALIZATION STUDY GUIDE

See the Presbyterian Church USA Comprehensive Legalization Program for Immigrant Living in the United States Study Guide:

www.pcusa.org/oga/publications/immigrant-legal.pdf

 

ABOUT THE COALITION

The Florida Immigrant Coalition is a network of groups and individuals working together for fair treatment of Florida’s immigrants.  The Coalition meets its mission through advocacy, community empowerment, public education, technical assistance and referral.  The Coalition includes members of urban, rural, religious, legal, and community-based organizations.  The Coalition is a program of Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center.

 

ABOUT FIAC

Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center (FIAC) is a non-profit organization advocating for the human rights of all immigrants in Florida.  FIAC offers direct legal representation in immigration and public benefits law, community education and impact advocacy.  For information about intake procedure, contact the FIAC operator at 305-573-1106.

 

E-NEWS! CAN HELP YOU

If you have information you would like included in E-News! or would like to be added or removed from the mailing list, please contact Maria Rodriguez of the Florida Immigrant Coalition at the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center at mrodriguez@fiacfla.org or 305-573-1106 x1160.