News Archives » Global
Dream Act in Congress Today: Call Now! December 8th, 2010
The House is set to consider the DREAM Act (HR 6497) today. In the afternoon, the Senate is expected to vote on a cloture motion (to end debate and an anticipated filibuster on the bill) in order to bring it to the floor for a vote.
We urge you to call your congressional representatives NOW to ask for their support of an improved DREAM. Click to get the contact info for your Representative and Senators. They need to hear from you.
As you may know, this legislation – the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act — could provide access to legalization to tens of thousands of undocumented immigrant students.
Click here to read more »
New Protections for Migrant Domestic Workers Adopted at the UN December 6th, 2010
A high-level UN body has approved formal jurisprudence that elaborates the rights and practical recommendations for the protection of migrant domestic workers worldwide. In a vote on December 2, the UN Committee on Migrant Workers adopted the guidance in the form of a “General Comment” that interprets the 1990 International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families, one of the nine core international human rights treaties.
According to the International Catholic Migrant Commission (ICMC), “Domestic work accounts for as much as 10% of total employment in some countries, yet almost every country of the world excludes domestic work from its national labour laws and protections. Working in private homes, the workers are almost entirely unseen and unprotected. Estimates suggest that well over half of all domestic workers in many countries are migrant. As noted in the General Comment, “migrant domestic workers are at heightened risk of certain forms of exploitation and abuse.” Women, who are the vast majority of domestic workers worldwide, and child domestic workers are exceptionally vulnerable.”
Ask Your Representative to Support the DREAM Act December 3rd, 2010
The vote on the DREAM Act in the House of Representatives originally scheduled for 11 am this morning has been postponed until next Wednesday. The new Congressional Budget Office score of the bill (estimated costs) did not come out until late last night. The Rules Committee requires the CBO estimate before they can pass a rule governing debate on the bill.
There are now several more days to contact target Representatives. Between now and next Wednesday, please continue to call and send messages to your Representatives and ask him/her to vote for the DREAM Act.
Please use Justice for Immigrants DREAM Act action alert to send a message quickly to your federal lawmakers. The action alert is on the JFI homepage at www.justiceforimmigrants.org
Indigenous Peoples in Latin America call for an end to destructive mining December 3rd, 2010
Thanks to Earthworks for this information:
Lima, Peru — On Tuesday, Nov 23, Indigenous Peoples from across Latin America released The Lima Declaration, a unified position calling for an end to large-scale surface mining by transnational companies on Indigenous Peoples’ lands. Indigenous representatives from the Andes, the Amazon, and Central America drafted the Declaration after a three-day Indigenous Peoples’ Forum on Mining, Climate Change, and Well-being. EARTHWORKS, a US-based organization that works to protect communities and the environment from destructive mining impacts, attended the meeting at the invitation of an Indigenous Peoples’ coordinating group in Latin America.
Click here to read more »
Help Illinois Abolish the Death Penalty December 2nd, 2010
On November 30, an important victory was achieved in the Illinois State House Judiciary Committee when the committee voted to recommend passage of SB 3539 – the Death Penalty repeal bill. The bill – SB3539 creates a new fund supporting law enforcement training and services for families of murder victims. The bill is now headed to the State’s House floor for a vote.
Click here to read more »
