[Miami, FL - May 11, 2007] OCA-South Florida Chapter is joining local immigrant groups to urge Senator Mel Martinez for his support on comprehensive immigration reform bill with a “Mother’s Day Card” campaign to plea “family separate no more”.
On May 7, about 20 local civil, faith based and immigrant organizations met at Miami Interethnic Dialogue event hosted by Church World Service - Miami. This is one of a national series of interethnic dialogues scheduled nationwide through mid-July. The dialogue is intended to give a broad cross section of participants from immigrant and U.S.-born communities and the business, labor, social services, government and faith communities a forum in which to speak out, listen to each other, and generate unified community action on this critical topic.
Attended organizations are Catholic Charities, Church World Service, Council on American-Islamic Relations, Esperanza USA, Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center, Florida Immigrant Coalition, Human Services Coalition of Dade County, Interfaith Worker Justice-South Florida, International Organization for Migration, Killian Pines United Methodist Church, Miami Baptist Association, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, National Farm Worker Ministry, Organization of Chinese Americans-South Florida Chapter, People Acting for Community Together, United Methodist Church-Southeast District, We Count!, and Youth Co-Op.
Through the May 7 Dialogue, the community groups seek common ground to unite all immigrants for a better immigration policy.
During the dialogue, each local community has its own significant issues and concerns.
The Haitian community seeks for a better TPS (Temporary Protection Status) policy so their fellowmen would not risk their lives.
The Islamic community is experiencing unreasonable long waiting period to be sworn-in. They are filing a class-action lawsuit against this unfair treatment.
The immigrant youth group is concerned about funding cuts to KidCare with a negative impact on American-born children of undocumented parents or low-income families.
The agricultural and farm workers is worry about insurance and long waiting time for worker permits.
The Asian community supports policy that helps eliminate backlog of immediate family-based immigrants and will increase the number of visas available to immediate family members of residents.
In summarized of the May 7 Dialogue, all come together support the Congress and Senate should pass a comprehensive immigration reform policy without any delay for this session such as The Security Through Regularized Immigration and a Vibrant Economy or “STRIVE Act” of 2007, is a bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill (HR 1645) that was introduced by U.S. House Representatives Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ).
Despite each community’s issues, we heard many stories that undocumented parent got picked up and family got broke up across the country.
From this weekend, Mother’s Day, through Father’s Day, we urge you to participate at this “Mother’s Day Card – an Immigrant’s plea to keep family together” campaign to support a comprehensive immigration reform policy.
“OCA is a national organization dedicated in advancing the social, economic and political well-being of Asian Pacific Americans. We have working very closed with locally and national groups on this comprehensive immigration reform policy so we will help form policies and not be dictated by passed policies,” said Winnie Tang, OCA-South Florida Chapter President.
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US Senator Mel Martinez’s (Florida) offices
Washington:
United States Senate
356 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Main: (202) 224-3041
Fax: (202) 228-5171
Orlando:
315 East Robinson Street
Landmark Center 1, Suite 475
Orlando, FL 32801
Main: (407) 254-2573
Fax: (407) 423-0941
Tollfree: (866) 630-7106
TTY: (407) 254-5548
Jacksonville:
1650 Prudential Drive, Suite 220
Jacksonville, FL 32207
Main: (904) 398-8586
Fax: (904) 398-8591
Miami:
800 Douglas Road
Suite 148
Coral Gables, FL 33134
Main: (305) 444-8332
Fax: (305) 444-8449
Naples:
3301 East Tamiami Trail
Building F, Suite 223
Naples, FL 34112
Main: (239) 774-3367
Fax: (239) 774-2906
Pensacola:
1 N. Palafox St.
Suite 159
Pensacola, FL 32502
Main: (850) 433-2603
Fax: (850) 433-2554
Tampa:
5100 W. Kennedy Blvd., Suite 190
Tampa, FL 33609
Main: (813) 207-0509
Fax: (813) 287-9453
