National Immigrant Rights National Immigrant Rights Research & Advocacy Research & Advocacy

OrganizationsOrganizations

Presented By, Steven BaeAlison DangBarbara EscobarKevin Jay

Advocacy Organizations in Advocacy Organizations in the Making the Making

Bracero Program (1943)◦ Response to U.S. labor needs◦ Opened doors for massive immigration ◦ Used in favor for agricultural employer’s advantage◦ Agricultural employers became dependent on

immigration labor (documented and undocumented)◦ Thus, it is a violation of worker rights

Immigration Reform and Control Act (1986)◦ Employer sanctions ◦ Granted permanent residency to immigrants if they

resided in the U.S. for 5 years◦ Special Agricultural Workers◦ In the end it failed because it lacked resources, it

failed to enforce it and employers took advantage of cheap labor

Advocacy Organizations and their Advocacy Organizations and their GoalsGoals

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)◦ Wants to undermine national ID system

Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA)◦ Pushes for legalization reform

National Council of La Raza (NCLR)◦ Pushes for modification of employment

opportunities Asian American Legal Defense and Education

Fund (AALDEF)◦ Pushes for permanent residency, social services

National Immigration Law Center (NILC)◦ Wants to pass the Dream Act◦ Against homeland security and Bureau of

Immigration & Customs Enforcement

Relationships Between Relationships Between Advocacy Organizations and Advocacy Organizations and

Coalition BuildupCoalition Buildup• Advocacy groups focus on broad

issues• Naturalization, legalization and entitlement to

rights

• Draws strengths from local and state communities

• Federal government turned the immigration issue over to state government

• Garnered Support for federal bills, but was mainly unsuccessful

• DREAM Act

Guest Workers Guest Workers Programs/National ID’s Programs/National ID’s

Guest Worker Program◦ Introduced by the Bush administration◦ Acknowledged the necessity of the migrant

workforce◦ Requires strong employer efforts◦ Advocacy interventionAdvocacy interventionNational Worker ID Cards

Photograph and fingerprint requirement- harder to falsify

Prospective speculations Split opinions among advocacy organizationsCurrently Congress has not passed a true

guest worker program nor National Worker ID Card

Dream Act of 2007 and Advocacy Dream Act of 2007 and Advocacy ResponseResponseDevelopment Relief and Education for Alien

Minors Act Eligibility

◦ Minimum of 3 years in U.S. high school◦ Good moral character◦ Under the age of 30◦ Have resided in U.S. for 5 years prior to

enactment of bill◦ Meeting this requirements will entitle them to

temporary residency for max. of 6 years• Advocacy Response• CHIRLA & NILC supports it• Strong support because it is a milestone for a path to

legalization• Expands Plyler v. Doe