National Call-In Day: March 27th and 28th – LULAC

“WHAT:

Following Congressmen Luis Gutierrez D-IL and Congressman Jeff Flake’s R-AZ bipartisan introduction of a comprehensive immigration reform bill in the House, advocates will jam the phone lines in Congress as part of a national call-in day on March 28 and 29. The Fair Immigration Reform Movement along with the Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform are inviting families, workers, students, faith leaders, business leaders, immigrant rights groups and communities across the country to become a part of the movement for immigrant rights.

LULAC is working in coordination with the Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform CCIR, a national campaign to get legislation enacted this year. The unprecedented campaign brings together faith-based and labor organizations, state, local, and national advocates, and immigrant families and workers themselves to remind our elected representatives in Washington that passing comprehensive immigration reform this year is a priority, no matter what state or congressional district they represent.

If you have not done so already, we also welcome you sign the One Million Voices United Petition. Or you can visit the website directly at: www.onemillionvoicesunited.org/

The time is NOW for comprehensive immigration reform in this country. This call-in day is part of a national coordinated campaign of actions to push for fair and humane comprehensive reform
WHEN:

Wednesday, March 28, 2007 and Thursday, March 29, 2007
HOW:

Connect to the office of your Congress member. Once connected, tell your Representative that the country needs workable immigration reform now.
WHO: Fair Immigration Reform Movement FIRM and the Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform CCIR”

• LULAC has redesigned their website – (look much better imho – on a tech note there are a few RSS problems)
• LULAC is asking a judge to prevent Ohio state officials from canceling the registrations of more than 40,000 vehicles apparently driven by undocumented immigrants. – filed the lawsuit against state officials in Franklin County Common Pleas Court this morning.
• About 350 Latino underclassmen from 11 northwest suburban high schools explored the campus of Harper College, getting a sample of what their lives could be like if they pursue higher education. 8th annual Latino Summit
• At-risk Hispanic students get a hand up in after-school program at Bonnabel – Louisiana
• Yeri Lopez: Student loan rules hamper best and brightest
• Immigration Reform: The Phone Call Heard Around the Country – On the call were Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill.; Nydia Velázquez, D-N.Y.; and Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz. Immigrant rights advocates from various parts of the country also spoke.
• In Virtual Town Hall with Immigration Reform Activists, Gutierrez Promises Bill By December
• More Than 60,000 Americans in 45 States Organize for Immigration Reform
• The University of Panama indefinitely suspended classes on Wednesday after confrontations between students and police during a protest against alleged U.S. involvement in plans to build new military installations.
• Over the last 3 years, high schools that received the lowest marks from the city have been the ones with the highest percentages of poor, black and Hispanic students, despite an evaluation system that was meant to equalize differences among student bodies, according to an analysis by The New York Times of school grades released this week.
• Hispanics are 9% of the Virginia’s schoolchildren, but 5% of gifted students.
• Deporting undocumented students affects the chances for legal return if Congress doesn’t address it in immigration reform bill
• The Department of Veterans Affairs Joins LULAC in Supporting the 4th Annual Hispanic Veterans Summit
• Hispanic Graduate Students Benefit from Online Education Grant – University of St. Thomas in Houston strives to improve retention and graduation rates for Hispanic graduate students. UST received a $2.8 million education grant to offer two options
• Speaking Out: Students Support Latino Studies Program – Cornell University
• A Chicago City Council committee wants federal officials to halt deportation proceedings against immigrant students. – The Human Relations Committed on Friday approved a resolution urging the Department of Homeland Security to allow immigrant students to stay in the U.S. – Rigo Padilla
• Oregon universities try to recruit more Latino students – In 2007, Latinos made up nearly 12% of the 12th-grade class and less than 6% of freshmen in the university system. About 20% of first-graders that year were Latino.
• Contentnea-Savannah K-8 School officials have worked to make sure their school’s English as a Second Language (ESL) students’ needs are met. The school received 12 mini-laptops last month to help those students with their online ESL courses.- Kinston, North Carolina
• Officials at U.T. Permian Basin are hoping to making this weekend’s Hispanic Youth Summit a regular event. – More than 200 high school students from around the Basin and Big Bend have been in Odessa for the Summit.
• Ill. Board of Education Chair Ruiz, State Senator Lightford & State Representative