Testimony by Prof. Armando Vazquez-Ramos
in support of AJR49 Presented to:
The California State Assembly Judiciary Committee
Assemblyman Bob Wieckowski, Chair
August 12, 2014 ~ Sacramento, California
Good morning Chairman Wieckowski and esteemed members, my name is Armando Vazquez-Ramos, Chicano & Latino Studies professor at CSULB and one of the co-founders and coordinators of the Protect Our Families and Save the Children Campaign.
Thank you Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez for giving me the opportunity to testify before the Assembly Judiciary Committee, and for your leadership as the author of Assembly Joint Resolution 49 (AJR49).
As President of the California-Mexico Studies Center, I am honored to testify before you to express the utmost support for AJR49, which calls upon President Barack Obama to expand temporary protected status to all legalization-eligible immigrants through executive action.
I also testify today on behalf of Hermandad Mexicana, the Mexican American Political Association, the Mexican Cultural Institute of L.A., and the Kern Coalition for Citizenship, all community-based organizations that committed their support for AJR49 as constituents of the Protect Our Families and Save the Children Campaign.
Assembly Joint Resolution 49 calls upon President Obama to exercise his executive authority to protect immigrant families from the unprecedented family separations that have ravaged communities throughout the U.S., due to the massive deportations conducted over the past five and a half years under the Obama administration.
As in the case of temporary protection of military personnel families, and the DACA executive order for the ‘dreamers’, the president can end all unnecessary deportations and immediately initiate a similar deferred action program by executive order, granting temporary protection for the hard-working undocumented immigrants currently in the U.S., other than those with a criminal record.
Numerous other political jurisdictions have already taken bold action to approve similar resolutions, including SR-40 by Senator Lou Correa, the Los Angeles City Council introduced by Senator Emeritus Gil Cedillo last December, the City of Chicago, San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors, the Cities of Carson, Berkeley, West Hollywood, Bell, Santa Ana, Cudahy, and the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education, the second largest school district in the U.S.
AJR49 addresses the principles embraced in the resolutions approved by the entities mentioned above: extend protected legal status to all legalization-eligible undocumented immigrants (other than serious criminals), initiate a legalization process through deferred action as the DACA program for ‘dreamers’, and thereby end all unnecessary deportations.
Nothing could be more urgent to our immigrant communities, considering the ongoing cruelty tearing apart of our families, with over one thousand deportations per day by most estimates; over two million deportations and climbing under President Obama’s tenure, and close to 500,000 U.S.-born American children that have been forced into exile with their parents in a new and equally unconstitutional version of the infamous “repatriation era” of the 1930’s.
In the face of this humanitarian crisis of even larger proportions, and while the immigration reform process in Congress remains hopelessly stalled and held hostage by xenophobia and partisan political calculations, President Obama must act.
We are confident that you are in agreement that now is the time to act to protect immigrant families and U.S.-born citizen children, by the executive action and administrative relief that AJR49 calls upon President Obama to exercise.
I thank you for the opportunity to testify before you and urge you to approve AJR40, and lead the nation as the 1st state legislature to call upon the president to grant temporary protected status to law-abiding immigrants that will contribute to build a stronger economy.
Respectfully,
Prof. Armando Vazquez-Ramos, Co-Coordinator
Campaign to Protect Our Families and Save the Children, and
President, California-Mexico Studies Center
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California Assembly Committee asks Obama for executive action to protect undocumented immigrants
Iván Mejía, EFE-USA ~ Los Angeles, California ~ August 12, 2014
The Judiciary Committee of the California Assembly today passed a resolution urging President Barack Obama to protect undocumented immigrants by executive action, similar to that previously approved by the state Senate.
“I am very pleased that the Judiciary Committee approved Assembly Joint Resolution 49 (AJR49) sending the message to President Barack Obama to take executive action to protect all undocumented immigrants, other than those with a criminal record,” said Armando Vazquez-Ramos, a professor of Chicano and Latino studies at California State University in Long Beach (CSULB).
With a vote of 7-2, the Assembly Judiciary Committee approved AJR 49, which was filed on July 2, 2014 by Democratic Assemblywoman Lorena González, who represents District 80 in the San Diego area.
The final vote in the full Assembly will be the next week, Vazquez-Ramos indicated.
When “children are separated from their parents for their immigration status the result is severe consequences for children who are left without parental guidance and unstable financial situation,” Gonzalez argued.
She said the term “urge” the president “to take executive action to suspend deportations of persons eligible for legalization and have no criminal record” is critically important.
Vazquez-Ramos, one of the sponsors of the resolution, said that “given the denial of federal Congress to pass a fair, comprehensive immigration reform, the president has no choice but to take executive action to protect the majority of 11 million undocumented immigrants”.
“Since Obama came to the presidency in 2009, there are approximately 2 million undocumented immigrants who have been deported,” he said.
Senator Lou Correa, a Democrat that represents Orange County’s 34th District, led the way when on May 6th, he had Senate Resolution 40 (SR40) approved, which “calls on President Obama to suspend all unnecessary deportations of undocumented immigrants”.
“We have faith that AJR 49 will be adopted by the whole assembly and adjacent to SR 40, lawmakers have expressed that California is the most populous state in the United States, more number of electoral votes and the largest representation in the federal congress, will urge the president to protect the undocumented” he said.
Nativo Lopez, representing the organization Hermandad Mexicana Nacional, told EFE that he and Vazquez-Ramos lobbied to pass resolutions urging the president to protect undocumented immigrants with leaders of various municipalities.
In at least 11 cities, similar resolutions were approved by city councils in Chicago (Illinois), and in California cities like Berkeley, San Francisco, Santa Ana, Carson, Bell, Cudahy, West Hollywood and Los Angeles, among others.
“Since Barack Obama entered in office, there are about 400,000 people each year who are deported and families are disintegrating,” criticized Lopez.
The president “cannot grant permanent residence, but he could pass for all undocumented workers deferred action similar to that adopted in 2012 for students who arrived as minors” Lopez said, as an example of executive actions.
“It could also approve a Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or refugee status, which would grant documents for employment, a social security number and driver’s licenses,” he added.
Lopez also noted that the board of the School District of Los Angeles, where there are about 750,000 students, many of them undocumented, approved two months ago a similar resolution in support for these immigrants.
“with or without documents, immigrants contribute to our country with their work, the economy and pay consumption taxes, because when a person spends what they earn that generates more work and those jobs are not only for migrant labor, but for the entire country ” López said.
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Comité de asamblea pide a Obama acción ejecutiva a favor de indocumentados
Iván Mejía, EFE-USA ~ Los Angeles, California ~ Agosto 12, 2014
El Comité Judicial de la Asamblea de California aprobó hoy una resolución que urge al presidente Barack Obama a aprobar una acción ejecutiva para proteger a los indocumentados, similar a la aprobada por el Senado estatal.
“Me siento muy contento que el Comité Judicial aprobó enviarle el mensaje al presidente Barack Obama que tome Acción Ejecutiva para proteger a todos los inmigrantes indocumentados”, dijo a Efe Armando Vázquez-Ramos, profesor de estudios chicanos de la Universidad Estatal de California en Long Beach (CSULB).
Con una votación de 7 a 2, el Comité Judicial aprobó en Sacramento la Resolución Conjunta de la Asamblea de California (AJR 49) que fue presentada el pasado 2 de julio por Lorena González, asambleísta demócrata del distrito 80 de San Diego.
La votación final en el pleno de la Asamblea será la próxima semana, informó Vázquez-Ramos.
Cuando los “niños son separados de sus padres por su estatus migratorio el resultado son severas consecuencias para los menores que son dejados sin guía paternal y en situación financiera inestable”, argumentó González.
Aseguró que la legislatura “urge” al presidente “que tome Acción Ejecutiva para suspender más deportaciones de personas elegibles para la legalización y que no tienen antecedentes criminales”.
Vázquez-Ramos, uno de los promotores de la resolución, dijo que “ante la negación del Congreso federal de aprobar una reforma migratoria justa e integral el presidente no tiene otra opción que tomar Acción Ejecutiva para proteger a la mayoría de 11 millones de indocumentados”.
“Desde que entró Obama a la Presidencia en 2009 son aproximadamente 2 millones de indocumentados los que han sido deportados”, explicó.
El pasado 8 de mayo, por iniciativa de Lou Correa, senador demócrata del distrito 34 de California, se aprobó la resolución SR 40, que “hace un llamado al presidente Obama a suspender deportaciones de inmigrantes indocumentados”.
“Tenemos fe que se aprobará la AJR 49 por toda la asamblea y junto a la SR 40 del Senado los legisladores expresarán que California, que es el estado con mayor población en Estados Unidos, más cantidad de votos electorales y la representación más grande en el congreso federal, urgen al presidente proteger a los indocumentados”, explicó.
Fatima Garcia, Prof. Armando Vazquez-Ramos y Ricardo Benitez, con la asambleísta Lorena Gonzalez (A.D. 80- San Diego), autora de la resolución AJR-49.
Nativo López, representante de la organización Hermandad Mexicana Nacional, dijo a Efe que él junto a Vásquez-Ramos cabildearon resoluciones de protección a indocumentados con líderes de diversas municipalidades.
En 11 ciudades ya fueron aprobados pronunciamientos similares en concejos, como en Chicago (Illinois), y en urbes californianas como Berkeley, San Francisco, Santa Ana, Carson, Bell, Cudahy, el Oeste de Hollywood y Los Ángeles, entre otras.
“Desde que entró Barack Obama son como 40.000 personas cada año que son deportadas y las familias quedan desintegradas”, criticó López.
El presidente “no puede otorgar residencia permanente, pero podría aprobar para todos los obreros indocumentados una Acción Diferida similar a la que aprobó en 2012 para los estudiantes que llegaron en la Infancia (DACA)”, indicó López como ejemplo de acciones ejecutivas.
“Podría también aprobar un Estatus de Protección Temporal (TPS) o un estatus de refugiado que incluya documentos de empleo, seguro social y licencias de conducir”, agregó.
López además destacó que la junta del Distrito Escolar de Los Ángeles, donde hay alrededor de 750.000 estudiantes, muchos de ellos indocumentados, aprobó hace dos meses una resolución de apoyo a estos inmigrantes.
“Sin documentos o con documentos, los inmigrantes aportan a nuestro país con su trabajo, sus impuestos y su consumo, porque cuando una persona gasta lo que gana eso genera más trabajo y esos empleos no son sólo para la fuerza inmigrante, sino para todo el país”, concluyó López.
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california legislature—2013–14 regular session
Assembly Joint Resolution No. 49
Introduced by Assembly Member Gonzalez
July 2, 2014
Assembly Joint Resolution No. 49—Relative to immigration.
Legislative Counsel’s Digest
AJR 49, as introduced, Gonzalez. Immigration: deportation.
This measure would urge President Obama to take executive action to suspend any further deportations of unauthorized individuals with no serious criminal history.
Fiscal Committee: no.
WHEREAS, According to the Pew Hispanic Center, in 2011, there were 11.1 million unauthorized immigrants living in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Deportations have reached record levels under President Obama, rising to an annual average of nearly 400,000 since 2009; and
WHEREAS, According to Members of Congress Raul M. Grijalva and Yvette Clarke, although the Obama Administration reportedly prioritized deporting only criminals, many individuals with no serious criminal history consistently have been deported; and
WHEREAS, Increased deportations and a continuously broken immigration system exacerbate the living conditions of United States citizen children whose parents have been deported; and
WHEREAS, Separation of children from their parents, irrespective of immigration status, always results in severe consequences for young children who are left with no parental guidance or care and a highly unstable financial situation; and
WHEREAS, As immigration continues to be at the center of a national debate, President Obama and Congress must implement a more humanitarian immigration policy that keeps families together; and
WHEREAS, California is home to approximately 10.3 million immigrants of which approximately 2.6 million are not authorized to live in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Many Members of Congress recently signed a letter requesting President Obama to suspend any further deportations; and
WHEREAS, Since California is home to a large number of unauthorized immigrants from all parts of the world, this state should make it a priority to keep families together and continue to press President Obama and Congress for a solution to our broken federal immigration system; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of California, jointly, That the Legislature urges President Obama to take executive action to suspend any further deportations of unauthorized individuals with no serious criminal history; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States, to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, to the Majority Leader of the United States Senate, and to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States, and to the author for appropriate distribution.
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Senate Resolution No. 40
Introduced by Senators Correa, Beall, Block, Cannella, Corbett, De León, DeSaulnier, Evans, Hancock, Hernandez, Hill, Hueso, Jackson, Lara, Leno, Lieu, Liu, Mitchell, Monning, Padilla, Pavley, Roth, Steinberg, Torres, and Wolk
April 10, 2014
Senate Resolution No. 40—Relative to immigration.
WHEREAS, According to the Pew Hispanic Center, in 2011, there were 11.1 million unauthorized immigrants living in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Deportations have reached record levels under President Obama, rising to an annual average of nearly 400,000 since 2009; and
WHEREAS, According to Congress members Raul M. Grijalva and Yvette Clarke, although the Obama Administration reportedly prioritized deporting only criminals, many individuals with no serious criminal history consistently have been deported; and
WHEREAS, Increased deportations and a continuously broken immigration system exacerbate the living conditions of United States citizen children whose parents have been deported; and
WHEREAS, Separation of children from their parents, irrespective of immigration status, always results in severe consequences for young children who are left with no parental guidance or care and a highly unstable financial situation; and
WHEREAS, As immigration continues to be at the center of a national debate, President Obama and Congress must implement a more humanitarian immigration policy that keeps families together; and
WHEREAS, California is home to approximately 10.3 million immigrants of which approximately 2.6 million are unauthorized to live in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Many members of Congress recently signed a letter requesting President Obama to suspend any further deportations; and
WHEREAS, Since California is home to a large number of unauthorized immigrants from all parts of the world, this state should make it a priority to keep families together and continue to press President Obama and Congress for a solution to our broken federal immigration system; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, That the Senate urges President Obama to take executive action to suspend any further deportations of unauthorized individuals with no serious criminal history; and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the Majority Leader of the Senate, and to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States, and to the author for appropriate distribution.
