Apr 9 - Comprehensive Immigration Reform Rally!
Tuesday 4/9/13 12:00-1:00pm Solid community leaders as speakers as well as average folks with stories to tell. Where 221 W. Broadway The open plaza between the red Schwartz US Courthouse building and the new white US Courthouse Annex
Parking Horton Plaza ($10) with validation There are also parking lots at: Front Street between Broadway & C St Union Street between A & B St State Street at C St This is one of 80 events being staged around the country by grassroots OFA teams. We look forward to our combined success and will share any news coverage with the national OFA team for broader distribution.
Agenda (times are approximate) 12:00 Carol Kim (5 mins) Welcome/Opening Remarks/Introduce Francine Busby 12:05 Francine Busby (7 mins) Bipartisan efforts in Congress on CIR; positive impact of CIR on our economy and our country’s future 12:12 Carol Kim (2 mins) Introduces Richard Barrera 12:14 Richard Barrera (7 mins) Impact of CIR on youth and labor 12:21 Carol Kim (2 mins) Sets context of actors telling real stories and introduces 12:23 Storytellers (5 mins) Evelyn Lamden & Edgar Gonzalez 12:28 Carol Kim (2 mins) Introduces Denise Moreno-Ducheny 12:30 Denise Moreno-Ducheny (7 mins) Streamlining legal immigration system, positive economic impact of 12:37 Carol Kim (2 mins) Introduces Enrique Morones 12:39 Enrique Morones (7 mins) Realities of undocumented workers; willingness to “play by rules” 12:46 Carol Kim (1 min) Re-introduces storytellers 12:47 Storytellers (4 mins) Evelyn, Edgar, and Ameena Temmis 12:51 Carol Kim (2 mins) Closing Remarks/Thank Yous
We the People Are a Nation of Immigrants and of Laws
America’s immigration system is broken. Leaders from business, labor, faith communities, law enforcement, and government are coming together to say: We Can Fix This!
Americans Are More Likely to Have Positive Views about Immigrants • 54% believe that immigrants strengthen American society • 59% believe that immigrants today see themselves as part of America, much like immigrants of previous eras • 63% of Americans agree that our immigration system should allow undocumented immigrants, currently living here, a pathway to citizenship, provided they meet certain requirements. • Majority of religious groups agree: 74% Hispanic Catholics (62% White Catholics) 67% Jewish Americans 63% Mormons 56% White Evangelical Protestants • 58% of Latino registered voters now cite immigration reform as the top priority for Congress and the President
Reforming our Legal Immigration System Strengthens Our Economy and Competitive Edge • From 2006 – 2012, 25% of engineering and tech companies had at least one foreign-born founder. In Silicon Valley, it was nearly half of start-ups. • Immigrant-owned firms generate an estimated $775 billion in annual revenue. • 40% of Fortune 500 companies were started by immigrants or children of immigrants. Granting undocumented immigrants immediate citizenship would add $1.4 trillion to economic growth • Immigrants are twice as likely as native-born Americans to start businesses. And statistics show that most job growth comes from small businesses.
Now is the Time to Reform Immigration and Require Responsibility from Everyone The President’s four-part plan: • Continue to strengthen borders • Streamline the legal immigration system for families, workers and employers • Crack down on companies that hire undocumented workers • Hold undocumented immigrants accountable before they can earn citizenship (pay their taxes and a penalty, move to the back of the line, learn English, pass background checks