Immigrants For Sale - Brave New Foundation - YouTube

Find out more: http://immigrantsforsale.org
Discuss: http://facebook.com/cuentame
En Español: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pIy06BN4hk


Immigrants are for sale in this country. Sold to private prison corporations who are locking them up for obscene profits!


Here are the top 3 things YOU need to know about the Private Prison money scheme:


The victims: Private prisons don't care about who they lock up. At a rate of $200 per immigrant a night at their prisons, this is a money making scheme that destroys families and lives.


The players: CCA (Corrections Corporation of America), The Geo Group and Management and Training corporations—combined these private prisons currently profit more than $5 billion a year.


The money: These private prisons have spent over $20 million lobbying state legislators to make sure they get state anti-immigrant laws approved and ensure access to more immigrant inmates.


Be a part of the movement to follow the players, the money and the victims of this money making scheme @ immigrantsforsale.org

NYS Assembly Subcommittee on Workplace Safety and NYS Department of Labor Announce Immigrant Workers' Rights Awareness Weekend

Statewide Outreach Events Happening This Weekend

Today Assembly Members and the NYS Department of Labor teamed up with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, New York City Comptroller John C. Liu and federal safety representatives to kick-off the first annual New York State Immigrant Workers' Rights Awareness Weekend, happening this Saturday and Sunday (May 14-15) across New York state.

This weekend, participating elected officials, city, state and federal agencies, community based organizations and activists will join together across the state to spread awareness in multiple languages about workers' rights on-the-job regardless of immigration status. These organizations will also inform immigrant workers about the services (both government and non-profit) that are available to them.

According to the Department of Labor Bureau of Immigrant Workers Rights (DoL) immigrant workers are less likely to approach government agencies for many reasons, including language barriers, not knowing what agencies can do for them, fear of government, and trouble getting to government agencies during office hours.

"This weekend is about letting immigrant workers know that they have the same rights to a safe workplace as every other worker," said Assemblyman Rory Lancman, Chair of the Subcommittee on Workplace Safety and co-sponsor of New York State Immigrant Workers' Rights Awareness Weekend.

“It is critical that our immigrant workers, who are the backbone of so many industries here in New York, are fully informed of their rights and have the resources they need to fight workplace violations," said U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. "I applaud the state’s enormous efforts to bring city, state, and federal resources to communities throughout New York.”

Click here to view these pictures larger

“The best way to protect workers on the job is to empower them with information. By educating and informing New York’s immigrant workers, these forums will lead to safer workplaces,” said Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-New York).

"Many times innocent employees report to work and perform their duties as expected but are not fully compensated. It is important for immigrant workers to know their rights and not be afraid to speak out. My office will continue to fight for those who have been shortchanged on the jobsite," said New York City Comptroller John C. Liu.

“New York has been greatly enriched by the many contributions made by immigrant workers to the economic and social fabric of our state. The Division of Human Rights joins the Department of Labor, elected officials and community-based organizations in this effort to educate them about their rights under our law so they can continue to lead healthy and productive lives while gainfully employed," said Commissioner Galen D. Kirkland, New York State Division of Human Rights.

"The Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor appreciates the opportunity to participate at the State-wide events this weekend to increase awareness of workers' rights with regard to the laws that we enforce. We are committed to ensuring that all workers are paid at least the proper minimum wage and overtime," said Maria L. Rosado, District Director, U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division.

"Every worker, without exception, has the right to a safe and healthful workplace," said Robert Kulick, Occupational Safety Health Administration's regional administrator in New York. "Through outreach and education, we strive to inform workers of this right and their right to a voice in the workplace when it comes to their safety and health. We want all workers to return home healthy and whole at the end of each work day."

"Federal, state, and local labor laws are meant to protect all workers regardless of whether they are recent immigrants or whether their ancestors came over on the Mayflower," said Assemblyman Joseph Lentol (D-Brooklyn). "This weekend's events will help to remind us of that fact."

"America is built on hopes, dreams, and honest labor of immigrants. It is important that we continue to recognize our heritage and guarantee justice in all phases," said Assembly Member Jack McEneny (D-Albany).

“Our economy and our country have enjoyed the contributions of immigrants through their hard work, perseverance, dignity and the dream that living with these values will lead to a better life for them and their children,” said Assembly Member Carl Heastie (D/WFP, Bronx). “We should do all we can to ensure that they know their rights and that they are protected.”

"There is a large population of immigrant workers in Western New York," said Assemblymember Sam Hoyt (D-Buffalo, Grand Island). "Many of them may be fearful of the authorities or confused by the process of getting their paperwork in order. I want to communicate to them that they have rights, too, and to help them work legally and safely in New York State."

"As Chairman of the Task Force on New American's it is a real privilege to be asked to participate in this important statewide event. As an immigrant myself, I know first hand how hard it is experience the obstacles many of these people are facing on a daily basis, it can be extremely frustrating and discouraging. Every worker needs to know we are there to protect their rights," said Assembly Member Alec Brook-Krasny (D-Brooklyn).

“Immigrants are an essential part of our communities, our workforce, and our economy, contributing over $200 billion in economic activity in New York City alone,” said Assemblymember Brian Kavanagh who serves on the Assembly Labor Committee. “It is our duty to make sure that workplaces are safe and that immigrants have the information and legal protections they need. I am proud to be joining Assemblymember Rory Lancman in sponsoring an Immigrant Workers’ Rights Awareness event in my district and I applaud him for his tremendous work on this and the many other initiatives he has undertaken to promote worker safety.”

"I am proud to be co-sponsoring the Staten Island event for this statewide initiative with Councilmember Debi Rose. We should never forget that we are a country of immigrants and that workplace safety is a right for all of our residents, regardless of their immigration status. This event gives us the opportunity to educate Staten Islanders about their rights and the services available to them,” said Assembly Member Matthew Titone (D-Staten Island).

Assemembly Member Michael DenDekker (D/WFP- Jackson Heights) "urges the community to come and hear about Labor Law protections, Workers' Compensation, your health and safety at work plus various other kinds of information on different community services. I feel this is a great opportunity for everyone to know and benefit from all the rights, services and protections allowed by law."

"As a daughter of immigrants and the only Asian-American in the New York State Legislature, I believe this weekend will serve well to ensure that our community fully understands their rights as employees and are rightfully protected. My office which assists a vast majority of new immigrants from all of New York State will also be on site that day to help coordinate the services offered by all the different agencies," said Assembly Member Grace Meng (D-Queens).

"Through the experiences of parents who came to Corona, Queens from Ecuador, I have seen first hand the obstacles that immigrants face: whether it's from hiring discrimination, intimidation, or even the simple struggle to have documents in your native language. It is a top priority of mine to protect immigrants, the people who have made New York and Queens their home just like my parents did many years ago, from abusive and dangerous environments--and that's why I'm thrilled to be a part of this statewide effort to bring resources and activists together to help raise awareness for immigrant workers’ rights," said Assembly Member Francisco Moya (D-Queens).

"We can no longer accept immigrant workers filling jobs critical to our economy without receiving fair wages and benefits. This weekend's event is a step towards making sure that they are aware of all the rights they are entitled to as employees. We will continue to work with the immigrants rights community as well as the different federal and state agencies to assure this goal is accomplished," said Assembly Member Sam Roberts (D-Syracuse).

"I'm elated to be involved in the inaugural New York State Immigrant Workers' Rights Awareness weekend. We must ensure fairness of workers' rights regardless of origin or status throughout the state all while promoting the need to treat one another with dignity and respect. This weekend's event will provide us the platform to both raise awareness and stand united with our immigrant brothers and sisters," said Council Member Debi Rose (D/WFP-Staten Island).

Howard Beach Fights Census-Related Cuts by Tommy Fernandez - Crain's New York Business

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Queens Locals Dispute 7% Drop in Population Tally; Fear Loss of Services, Funds

Irate Howard Beach activists and politicians are marshaling their forces to challenge 2010 Census Bureau figures that they say significantly undercount the population of the crowded Queens neighborhood and as a result will cost residents vital government resources and clout.

The latest census data, released in March, show that Howard Beach had a population of 26,148 in 2010—a drop of nearly 2,000, or 7%, from 2000 levels. Longtime residents say that statistic flies in the face of what they've seen in the area over the past decade. The neighborhood has experienced explosive growth, as more Latin-Americans and Asians have moved in and as a development boom led to the replacement of many single-family houses with multiunit buildings.

“These census figures are significantly skewed,” said activist David Quintana, a member of Community Board 10, which serves Howard Beach and nearby neighborhoods including Ozone Park and Richmond Hill. “There are many more people who live in this area than the numbers show.”

Much is at stake. Census figures help dictate everything from the allocation of federal aid for social services to city officials' plans for new schools and bus routes.

Community services are already suffering in Howard Beach. Recently, the cash-strapped Police Athletic League had to close down a basketball league there. Locals fear that this loss is only the beginning.

“The census undercount will have a major impact on the community,” said state Assemblyman Michael Miller, D-Woodhaven.

To be sure, census takers faced a number of challenges, particularly among immigrant populations. Tenants living in housing illegally were discouraged by their landlords from talking to outsiders. Undocumented immigrants were terrified that any information they passed on to surveyors would lead to visits from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.

“A lot of people just didn't want to be counted,” said Mr. Quintana. “They didn't appreciate the significance of this count.”

GOOD NUMBERS

An official from the Census Bureau's New York Regional Office, however, insisted in a statement issued to Crain's that it “actually had a very good count for Howard Beach.”

He noted that the agency received good mail response in the area and that every attempt was made to find and tally those individuals who did not return a form but were willing to be counted.

“We made a strong effort to get a count from households that did not and would not respond to our census enumerators,” said the official. He also noted that the campaign included speaking to knowledgeable neighbors in the area as well as working with building management companies.

“Unfortunately,” wrote the official, “we cannot make up information for people who refuse to be counted or cooperate.”

A version of this article appeared in the May 9, 2011 print issue of Crain's New York Business.

Presentation on Resident Voting Rights at the Jewish Center on May 12th

Thursday, May 12th - New Vision Club Meeting on the Resident Voting Rights Campaign 

Open to All, please mobilize your community at the Jewish Center in Jackson Heights 37-06 77th Street at 8 PM

The NYC Voting Rights Restoration Act of 2010 also known as Intro 410) was introduced into the NYC Council on November 18, 2010. The main sponsor is Daniel Dromm (D-25), who is the Chair of the NYC Council Immigration Committee. At least twenty other co-sponsors have already signed on, including Gale Brewer who heads the NYC Council Government Operations Committee, which has authority over election related legislation.

Text of the legislation can be found here

Chair of the City Council Immigration Committee, Daniel Dromm (D-25) says: 

“It is time for our evolving democracy to embrace voting rights in local elections for all residents. We are all stakeholders in our community and should have a say in important local issues. In the words of the Revolutionary patriots who put their lives on the line for the freedoms we enjoy today, ‘No taxation without representation.’ ”

The Coalition to Expand Voting Rights continues to work with legislators and community partners to win passage of this legislation in 2011. For more information go to www.ivotenyc.org

May Day Call For Working Class Unity In NYC: Unions-Immigrants To Combatby PeoplesVideo - YouTube

April 26, 2011 joint press conference on the steps of NYC City Hall joined the May 1st Coalition for Worker and Immigrant Rights with the Labor & Immigrant Rights & Jobs for All Coalition. The two coalitions announced plans to conduct a joint rally in Foley Square after the May 1st Coalition led march to the downtown site from Union Square. They announced intentions to combine forces in a post May Day battle against the forces of austerity and repression that have declared war on the whole working class.

Immigrants: A Shot in the Arm for Our Ailing Democracy by David Andersson - Room Eight

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I think this is a wonderful idea and urge Speaker Quinn to bring it up for a vote in the City Council ASAP... 

We are about to witness a new and a rather unconventional contribution of the immigrant community in New York. This time, it will not be with work and cheap labor, or with cultural art and entertainment, or even with food. It will be by resuscitating our old and paralyzed democracy.

The state of affairs of our democracy is in general pathetic, and even worse at the local level. Only about 15% of the registered voters participate in local elections. The elections are already decided days before the voting booths open; the parties and lobbies place their candidates, make deals and control the outcome on Election Day. People are not stupid - they don't want to waste their precious time doing something useless! Everyone knows that voting in local New York elections is meaningless.

For the well being of the majority of the New York's residents, the situation has to change. We need to increase the representation and participation of everyone; we need to destabilize the political status quo and to form a dynamic multicultural voting community. The rights to affordable housing, to a decent minimum wage, to quality public education, and to adequate social services are possible, but only if our democracy changes, and represents everyone.

We are not just in an economic crisis. Everywhere we look, we can see that violence is gaining ground, the tensions between groups and communities is increasing, and the situation is getting crazier by the day.

This is a difficult but opportune moment to come forward with real and sincere proposals - proposals that will unite and reconcile - proposals that will have as their central tenet nonviolence, both as a personal attitude and as a social form of action. We need to come up with proposals that are coherent, and open to the future.

This past November, a bill was introduced to the New York City Council that is designed to do just that. The bill, Intro 410, proposes the right to immigrants, who are lawfully present in New York City, to vote in municipal elections. This legislation would grant voting right to over 1.3 million New Yorkers (for more details, see www.ivotenyc.org).

The legislation, proposed by the Chair of the City Council Immigration Committee, Daniel Dromm (D-25), has already received endorsement from 21 Council Members. According to Mr. Dromm, “…It is time for our evolving democracy to embrace voting rights in local elections for all residents. We are all stakeholders in our community and should have a say in important local issues. In the words of the Revolutionary patriots who put their lives on the line for the freedoms we enjoy today, 'No taxation without representation.' ”

Of course, this is not the magic bullet that will resolve all our problems. However, it is a step in the right direction. This legislation is something that could change the political map of the City, and give representation to a larger percentage of the New York's population.

If we have to remember just one thing from our history, it is that we have no democracy without participation. Our rights depend on our democracy. And our democracy depends on our participation. Without you, I lose my power and my ability to choose the conditions under which I live. Are we willing to give that power away?

David Andersson
Director of NYC Chapter of the Humanist Party and the coordinator of the New York Coalition to Expand Voting Rights (iVote NYC).

Bloomberg Pressing For Fingerprints On Social Security Cards by: Erin Billups - NY1.com

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h/t to Javier Castano at QueensLatino.com for alerting me to this situation by King Mike...

Mayor Michael Bloomberg says putting fingerprints on social security cards would help control the nation's borders, and give employers a way to check whether potential hires are legal citizens.

"The companies could just run it through a computer," Bloomberg said Friday morning on his weekly radio show. “And if you're an undocumented illegal, they just don't give you the job. And you're not going to come here if you cant get a job."

The mayor's remarks come on the heels of his trip to Washington on Tuesday, where he took part in a discussion on immigration policy with President Obama and other politicians.

Photo from QueensLatino.com

Advocates for immigrants rights say they're surprised Bloomberg is making this proposal.

"This is a plan that's ill advised and should not be pursued and is incompatible with some of the values that the mayor claims to be important to him," said Donna Lieberman of the New York Civil Liberties Union.

Things like preventing the marginalization of the immigrant community.

"When we add a layer of documentation in order for people to do basic activities there are people that are vulnerable ... for whom this just means they are pushed to the outskirts," Lieberman said.

One company of Bloomberg makes a device for checking fingerprints. If your proposal is approved, will increase his fortune, at the expense of undocumented migrants. Go Bloomberg ... Yes, we can!

Critics of Bloomberg's proposal say putting fingerprints on social security cards would not only be a burden for immigrants, but an imposition on all Americans.

"Once you open the door to such government intrusion what you're doing is you're allowing the Government to collect all sorts of information and we have questions about what this will mean for the future," said Jacki Eposito of the New York Immigration Coalition.

The idea of putting fingerprints on social security cards has been floated by other elected officials, including Sen. Charles Schumer.

New York Coalition to Expand Voting Rights - Meeting & Event at the New School

NYC 2011: WHAT DOES OUR DEMOCRACY LOOK LIKE?

Come learn about the history of immigrant voting rights, start a dialogue about the state of our democracy in New York City, and help spread the word about the most recent legislation (Intro. 410) to bring the newest New Yorkers into the local democratic process.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23RD 6:30 PM – 8 PM
Wollman Hall at Eugene Lang College The New School for Liberal Arts
Enter at 66 W. 12th Street, walk across courtyard and take elevator to 5th Floor of 65 W. 11th Street.

Guest Speakers

Daniel Dromm (D-25), Chair of the City Council Immigration Committee, he introduced the legislation that will allow residents lawfully present in New York City to vote in municipal elections.

Ron Hayduk, Political Science Professor at the Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC), Co-founder of the New York Coalition to Expand Voting Rights and author of Democracy for All: Restoring Immigrant Voting Rights in the U.S.

Followed by a Panel Discussion and Q & A

Free Citizenship Application Assistance in Richmond Hill on March 12th Sponsored by Senator Addabbo

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Senator Joe Addabbo is sponsoring a Free Citizenship Application Assistance event on Saturday, March 12th 2011 from 10 AM to 3 PM. The event will be held at at Holy Child Jesus located at 111-02 86th Avenue in Richmond Hill.


What: Free Citizenship Application Assistance
When: Saturday March 12th
Time: 10am - 3pm
Where: Holy Child Jesus - 111-02 86th Avenue, Richmond Hill, NY
Sponsored by: Senator Joe Addabbo

Immigrant Entrepreneurship and the City by Arturo Ignacio Sanchez

English translation - Originally published in QueensLatino

New York is a city of immigrants and small family-based businesses. The connection between immigration and small-scale entrepreneurship is a long-standing trend that can be traced back to the late 19^th century. In effect, every U.S. Census since 1880 has shown that immigrants have a higher incidence of self employment than the native-born population. This tendency for immigrants to establish small businesses is facilitated, in part, by their tendency to cluster residentially in specific neighborhoods. Geographically, this resulted in a protected market niche for co-ethnic goods and services; employment opportunities for recently arrived co-nationals; and the emergence of a highly defined sense of community that revolved around engagement in dense ethnic networks.

As we enter the second decade of the twentieth century, New York City is struggling with the socio-economic dislocations associated with the global economic crisis that erupted in 2007. In this regard, as of December 2010, the city’s unemployment rate was 8.9 percent. This dark economic situation was compounded by a deflated commercial real estate market, a dramatic upswing in residential mortgage default rates, a significant drop in municipal tax receipts, impending cutbacks in public sector employment, and retrenchment in the delivery of municipal services. And if the past is a window into the future, the quality-of-life in low-income and immigrant neighborhoods will be affected disproportionately.

In a city overwhelmingly populated by immigrants and their native-born children, any viable attempt at addressing the current economic crisis must include a well designed set of public policies that supports the small business sector and the socio-economic sustainability of local neighborhoods. It is a well documented and irrefutable fact that small-scale firms –in particular immigrant enterprises – are important generators of job growth. In addition, a wide-range of empirical studies have indicated that dense ethnic social networks - connecting immigrant firms and markets - function as important conduits for the efficient circulation of capital, goods, services, information, and labor. This so-called virtuous circle supports an economic environment amenable to small business start-ups and the expansion of local labor markets. As such, from a macro-citywide and micro-neighborhood perspective, a strong case can be made for designing an economic revitalization policy that explicitly includes a small business perspective.

Crafting public policy is not an exact science. It is a process of approximation that includes a degree of uncertainty. And in the best of circumstances it is an attempt at minimizing unintended consequences. This is especially the case when designing policy initiatives revolving around such crucial issues as immigrant incorporation, migrant entrepreneurship, and ethnic-based strategies supporting upward socio-economic mobility. 

Unfortunately, much of the discourse on immigrant issues is clouded by muddled assumptions and stereotypical perceptions that debilitate and – in some cases – undermine the viability of public policy. These poorly formulated policies increase the probability that unintended consequences will dominate the supposed outcomes. In short, what are required are public policy initiatives that are deeply informed by empirically-based research on immigrant issues.

Fortunately, there is hope for optimism. During the past two decades a vibrant body of empirical scholarship on immigrant entrepreneurship has emerged. This intellectual spadework has marshaled a host of inter-related concerns that connect in useful ways with research findings in such diverse academic disciplines as economic sociology, geography, and anthropology – to only mention a few. Examples of such research topics include : GROUP-BASED DYNAMICS & ENTREPRENEURSHIP - why certain immigrants groups have higher levels of entrepreneurship than other groups; BUSINESS NICHES - why certain ethnic groups are able to capture and dominate particular business markets; ETHNIC ENCLAVES - how certain immigrant groups are able to utilize their ethnic networks and social capital in structuring markets that are geographically defined and in which access to ownership and labor recruitment patterns are ethnically determined; BLOCKED MOBILITY & ENTREPRENEURSHIP - why certain immigrant groups engage in entrepreneurship for only one generation, while other ethnic groups encourage their children to continue in the family business; ALTERNATIVE PATHS TO ENTREPRENURSHIP - how and why different immigrant groups establish divergent entrepreneurial pathways that revolve around either formal (regulated) or informal (unregulated) business ventures.

In the final analysis, a key challenge facing elected officials, analysts, and community activists is how to successfully integrate these emerging research findings on immigrant entrepreneurship with a range of pragmatic policy initiatives that revolve around issues related to local neighborhood economic development. In an ethnically diverse city, the drafting of novel approaches in local economic development and entrepreneurship is a messy and contentious democratic process that ultimately requires collaborative engagements that bring to the proverbial table a wide-range of voices. Is New York City up to the challenge? I am cautiously optimistic. To quote the philosopher Plato: “The city is what it is because our citizens are what they are.”

Arturo Ignacio Sanchez teaches at Cornell University in Department of City and Regional Planning, and is a long-standing member of Community Board 3, Queens.