Tell Gov. McCrory to veto HB 318, which would limit acceptance of foreign IDs and make police jobs harder. The question of immigrants having acceptable identification documents is both a practical and safety concern, and an economic issue for police. The manpower used to arrest and process people who do not have identification takes away from other policing priorities. It has been estimated that a wider acceptance of foreign and community-issued IDs in Greensboro has saved the equivalent of two full-time police officers’ salaries in terms of avoiding unnecessary arrests solely for lack of ID. If enacted, HB 318 will make it more difficult for local police and sheriffs to establish the identity of people in our communities, particularly immigrant residents, which will make their jobs harder and more dangerous. Officers who are able to establish the identity of someone they encounter are better able to enforce the law, efficiently employ their limited resources, and keep themselves and others safe. People who have acceptable IDs are more willing to interact with the police as witnesses or victims of crime, which enhances public safety not only for immigrant residents, but for all of us.

(Mira este video para escuchar la historia de Rafael y firma la petición http://youtu.be/gR0lS_JS5d8) Rafael Gaytan, a loving father and a caring husband, is seeking to reunite with his family in the United States after leaving to Mexico in order to take care of his ailing sister and parents. His sister first left the convent to care for her parents and later was diagnosed with cancer, she unfortunately died once Rafael was there. Due to Rafael's undocumented status, he is now unable to return to his community, his U.S. citizen children, or his wife here in the United States. If DAPA wasn't stopped, Rafael could have traveled with a permit due to the emergency and come back to his family. As a family man, Rafael is the sole provider for his family in Florida. That is why we are asking that Rafael Gaytan is allowed to reunite with his wife and children and granted parole. We need your support in order to keep the Gaytan family together. Please sign this petition supporting Rafael, and asking that the Department of Homeland and Security allows him to reunite with his family.

Take action today: Write and call your state Representatives and ask them to REJECT House Bill 318. The question of immigrants having acceptable identification documents is both a practical and safety concern, and an economic issue for police. The manpower used to arrest and process people who do not have identification takes away from other policing priorities. It has been estimated that a wider acceptance of foreign and community-issued IDs in Greensboro has saved the equivalent of two full-time police officers’ salaries in terms of avoiding unnecessary arrests solely for lack of ID. If enacted, HB 318 will make it more difficult for local police and sheriffs to establish the identity of people in our communities, particularly immigrant residents, which will make their jobs harder and more dangerous. Officers who are able to establish the identity of someone they encounter are better able to enforce the law, efficiently employ their limited resources, and keep themselves and others safe. People who have acceptable IDs are more willing to interact with the police as witnesses or victims of crime, which enhances public safety not only for immigrant residents, but for all of us.

A prime reason for the wave of refugees washing into Europe is the deterioration of the conditions Syrians face in Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey, a worsening largely caused by sharp falls in international funding, the New York Times reports. [1] The UN Syria Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan had by the end of August received just 37% of the $4.5 billion appeal for needed funds this year. It would cost less than a billion dollars to close the U.S. share of this shortfall, and increased U.S. contributions would encourage other countries to step up. A billion dollars might seem like a lot of money, but compared to U.S. military spending and tax breaks for the super-rich, it’s small change. The Treasury Department says closing the “carried interest loophole” that allows super-rich hedge fund managers to pay a lower tax rate would alone save $18 billion over 10 years [2]; one expert says the number is far higher [3]. In June, the Washington Post reported that the CIA was spending $1 billion this year in military aid to Syrian rebels that both Democrats and Republicans said wasn’t working [4]. That’s different from the Pentagon’s program to aid Syrian rebels, which Democrats and Republicans said this week is also not working. Congress appropriated half a billion for the Pentagon program in 2015 and the Pentagon is asking for even more money next year. [5] Urge the Administration and Congress to fully fund UN efforts to aid Syrian refugees in the Middle East by signing our petition. References: 1. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/20/world/un-funding-shortfalls-and-cuts-in-refugee-aid-fuel-exodus-to-europe.html 2. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/18/business/with-trump-as-foe-carried-interest-tax-loophole-is-vulnerable.html 3. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/06/business/dealbook/how-a-carried-interest-tax-could-raise-180-billion.html 4. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/lawmakers-move-to-curb-1-billion-cia-program-to-train-syrian-rebels/2015/06/12/b0f45a9e-1114-11e5-adec-e82f8395c032_story.html 5. http://thehill.com/policy/defense/253816-general-only-four-of-five-us-trained-rebels-in-syria

Like most of us in the U.S., I am a descendant of immigrants. My ancestors fled the famine in Ireland and oppression in Germany. I feel that I have a responsibility to help others desperate to live in our country and make it better.

Nashville, like many others across the nation, is a welcoming city with many programs already in place to assist immigrants and refugees who contribute to our vibrant community. In the largest refugee crisis in decades, Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan officially host more than 3.75 million Syrian refugees. Germany has pledged to accept 800,000. The United States can and must take more than 10,000. Pledge to accept at least 65,000. This is how we win the war on ISIS; by showing compassion to thousands, changing hearts and minds about Americans, and living up to the words on the Statue of Liberty: "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free".

The news in recent weeks has been awash with tragic images of drowned children and desperate parents fleeing violence and the chaos of war. The one heartening thing in this global crisis is the phenomenon of people lining the road with food and water or filling train platforms to warmly greet arriving refugees. Germany has set an example by opening its program and refusing limits, in sharp contrast to the terrifying scenes we've seen of Hungarian police chasing families through fields. The United States, too, should be be a leader to say #refugeeswelcome and raise the limit on refugees it accepts each year. President Obama has said the Administration is reconsidering the current cap on the refugee program. Sign to tell the White House to raise it immediately.

The refugee crisis, fueled by the political turmoil in Syria, has resulted in the displacement of millions of families. The images of 3-year-old Aylan Kurdi, the Syrian child who drowned while attempting to flee the violence in his home country, should inspire a call to action that the United States cannot ignore.   As we have written at The Nation, the United States and many other wealthy nations have failed gravely in their response to the growing numbers risking their lives to flee war or poverty. We recently reported on the plight of refugees arriving in Greece and the perils they face because of this inaction. Refugees from Syria and other countries encounter sometimes deadly conditions on land and by sea and must face extreme violence and danger on their journey to safety.   The United States bears a special responsibility to respond, as our invasion of Iraq, decision to funnel weapons into the region and failure, along with other countries, to find a diplomatic solution have helped to fuel the violence. Since the Syrian conflict’s beginnings in 2011, the United States has taken in only about 1,500 Syrian refugees and has proposed to add only between 5,000 to 8,000 more. This is not enough. Germany has responded to the crisis by agreeing to take in 800,000 refugees from Syria and other countries in turmoil. The United States must do more to help these families. To begin, we call on the United States government to heed the call of aid organizations and concerned politicians and take in at least 65,000 Syrian refugees before the end of 2016. Read more at "The Nation:" http://www.thenation.com/article/europes-refugee-crisis-was-made-in-america/

Having spent time in Syria, I have experienced the beauty and graciousness of the Syrian people. Their situation now is heartbreaking. Please help them start a new life.

We are appalled at the US failure to help

The drowning of a little boy put a human face on the massive crisis in Syria this week. He was one of 4 million Syrians who have fled their homes since the war began four years ago. And he became one of the more than 220,000 people killed in the conflict so far. The world has failed to respond to the massive influx of refugees, leading to the deaths of thousands at sea. Immediate action is needed to save lives. The United States can and should be doing more. President Obama should call on European leaders to end their intransigence and immediately accept desperate refugees, launch rescue operations and provide emergency shelter. Our own country should commit to resettle more refugees and provide greater financial assistance. The father of the boy who drown this week said, "We want the world’s attention on us, so that they can prevent the same from happening to others." He's right. Our attention is desperately needed. After four years of inaction, this crisis won't stop until the U.S. and the world commit the political and economic resources needed to bring an end to the war.

In view of the Syrian refugee crisis and the reluctance of many countries to accept or help the refugees, the United States should step in and provide more assistance. First of all, the US should accept more refugees into our country under emergency basis. Secondly, the US should provide more funding, medical assistance, food, and other essentials. Finally, the US government should investigate better immigration policies and procedures, in harmony with other countries, to handle these types of crises!