Until last year, nearly a million children of undocumented immigrants were restricted from doing many basic things like driving, going to college, or applying for jobs. Their immigration status forced them to live in the shadows and prevented them from pursuing their American Dream. But last year these young people -- often called DREAMers -- and the entire immigrant community won a huge victory when President Obama announced the deferred action policy which allowed them to finally come out of the shadows and pursue their dreams through a temporary fix to their status. But recently, Rep. King turned his back on these young people and sided with the extremists in his party trying block all funding to the program and put DREAMers at risk of deportation. While his vote was mostly a symbolic gesture (since there’s no chance the House bill as is will be passed by the Senate), this was a direct attack on children and young immigrants. Our community is looking for leadership on immigration reform, not more attacks. Please join us in telling Rep. King we're tired of his party's political games. It's time we pass immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship.

During the month of June, the Senate will consider and vote on S 744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act." The bill is a bipartisan effort to provide long-awaited and desperately needed immigration reform. When S 744 was marked up in the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) did everything he could to derail the bill. He introduced 49 mean-spirited amendments that were mostly rejected even by members of his own party. Senator Sessions will likely continue his attempts to obstruct passage of this important and historical legislation. Sessions has a long history of opposing civil rights and making racially offensive remarks. He once called the NAACP 'un-American," made jokes about the Ku Klux Klan, and prosecuted three civil rights workers for voter fraud. He has been an ardent supporter of Alabama's HB 56, the nation's most intrusive and hateful anti-immigrant law. We are sending Senator Sessions an unequivocal message: "Stop ripping apart immigrant families by standing in the way of immigration reform!" Will you join us by signing this petition? Texto de la petición en español: Senador Sessions: Deje de impedir la S 744, El Acta de Seguridad Fronteriza, Oportunidad Económica y Modernización Migratoria ahora que está siendo considerada por el Senado completo. Hemos esperado por mucho tiempo para reformar nuestro sistema dracónico de inmigración y sus colegas en el Senado continuan trabajando arduamente para asegurar que esto suceda. Usted dice que está preocupado sobre el impacto que podría tener la S 744 en los empleos y en la economía, a pesar de que apoyó fuertemente la HB 56 de Alabama, la ley anti-inmigrante más intrusa y odiosa del país, y una ley que le está costando a su estado billones de dólares en producción económica y decenas de miles de trabajos. Alega que la familia es sagrada para usted, pero apoya políticas que están separando a miles de familias inmigrantes. Las familias inmigrantes son vitales para el Sur y este país y ayudan a fortalecer a sus comunidades economicamente, socialmente, y espiritualmente. Necesitamos una reforma migratoria integral que incluye un camino a la ciudadanía ahora. Le pedimos que permita que El Acta de Seguridad Fronteriza, Oportunidad Económica y Modernización Migratoria avance en el Senado y esperamos que decida estar en el lado correcto de la historia votando ‘sí.’"

Whole Foods suspended two New Mexico employees for complaining when their manager told them they could not speak Spanish on the job. Asked to reverse the decision, Whole Food said no and said their "English-only" policy is here to stay. Whole Foods Market's commitment to organic and natural foods has made it a national leader in responsible food choice, but their policies prohibiting employees from speaking their own language or organizing to overturn these anti-diversity policies directly contradict their commitment to "team member excellence and happiness."

You Promised Generalized Immigration Reform! It is a Necessary and Timely Civil Rights Issue! ¡Promover la reforma migratoria general ahora! ¡Es simplemente correcto!

In just a matter of days, immigration will take center stage in the Senate. We've been fighting for this moment for years. But just as we're getting to primetime, Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and a handful of other senators are teaming up to undermine the bill we've fought so hard for. In fact, Sen. Cornyn just introduced a “sweeping amendment" that could undermine the Senate's immigration bill as we know it. And if that isn't bad enough, now Senator Cornyn is pressuring the Republicans in the "Gang of 8" to support his proposal. The Republican Senators in the "Gang of 8" are powerful members of their party. They have a huge role in deciding which changes to the bill will succeed or fail. If they decide to, they can stop Senator Cornyn's poison pill amendment in its tracks. And if these Senators truly care about passing reform, they will stand with our community -- not pander to hypocrites like Sen. Cornyn. Tell the Republican Senators in the "Gang of 8" to stand with our community, not Sen. John Cornyn. We've been down this road before. For years, Sen. Cornyn has portrayed himself as pro-immigrant, but his actions have shown the opposite. In 2007, Senator Cornyn even gave a speech on the Senate floor about the need to pass immigration reform…only moments after voting against the Senate’s immigration bill. We have a real chance of passing immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship for 11 million undocumented Americans. The Senate bill was written by a bipartisan group, passed committee by an overwhelming vote, and is widely supported. But Sen. Cornyn isn't interested in passing it -- he just wants to stick around long enough to derail it. Don't let his old tricks crush the dreams of 11 million Americans. Please join us in telling the Republican Senators in the "Gang of 8" to stand with the 11 million Americans without papers. Now is not the time to play politics with 11 million dreams.

As an Arkansan, I believe that Arkansas needs comprehensive, just and humane immigration reform this year because immigration reform is first and foremost about families and the moral crisis that our broken immigration system has had every day on Arkansas communities. Arkansas immigrant families have a significant positive impact on our economy – for every dollar Arkansas state and local governments spend on immigrants, our state economy gains seven in return – and both as their co-workers, employers and consumers, we want to retain these contributions and foster Arkansas’ economic future. As an Arkansas, I also believe that real immigration reform must include: • A path to citizenship for all members of our community • Reuniting families and reducing immigration backlogs • Opportunities for safe, future migration and worker protections • Border policies that respect border and immigrant communities • Fair enforcement policies that respect the safety and security of all • Fundamental due process • Opportunities to recognize immigrants’ full potential I stand with other Arkansans to assert that we will not forget or forgive those who stand for policies that delay immediate action to end the destruction of our families or protect our economy.

In America we believe that everyone is equal, period. But that's not how our current immigration system works. Under our current immigration laws, immigrants currently living in the US without papers have no way to fix their immigration status and pursue the rights obtained through citizenship. These immigrants -- many of whom are American in every way but on paper -- are doomed to a life in shadows. They are prevented from doing things many US citizens take for granted, like driving, working, applying for credit cards, and even from visiting sick family members overseas. The Senate will soon vote on an immigration bill that will would fix this tragedy by creating a pathway to citizenship for these 11 million Americans without papers. Through this pathway, students, workers, family members, and even some immigrants with deportation orders under the previous broken system would finally be allowed to pursue their American dream and eventual citizenship. Advocates have been fighting for these reforms for years, and we have never seen a better chance for making these dreams a reality. But some anti-immigrant senators -- lead by Sen. Jeff Sessions -- are trying to kill the bill by destroying the path to citizenship and promoting inhumane policies that would keep these 11 million people in the shadows so they "self-deport." Our movement has reached a tipping point and we need your help to finish the job. We need you to tell your senators to support the immigration bill with the pathway to citizenship, now more than ever. It's time for Congress to pass this bill. Please tell your senator to vote YES on immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million Americans without papers.

We all know many immigrant workers who work on jobs where conditions are often harsh and wages are low. Their work is valuable to our economy. They deserve a chance to come out of the shadows. We need to make sure that we pass immigration reform that will give these hard working, law abiding workers and their families the chance to get on a path to citizenship.

We are at the brink of a historic moment. The issue of immigration reform emerged as a national issue during the 2012 election, and Washington is finally listening. Let’s make sure they hear us. This is our chance to fix this broken immigration system, keep our families together, and keep our communities intact. Join us as we tell Senator Moran: “It’s time for a legal pathway to citizenship for 11 million undocumented Americans."

Every day, families are torn apart and workers are abused with impunity by perpetrators who would use our antiquated immigration system in order to sanction these, and other, abuses. The time for action is now!

The stigma of the term "illegal"

There are many people in Arkansas that cannot get a driver's license or apply for Social Security benefits because they have no proof of citizenship. Many have joined the military and have served our country honorably yet cannot enjoy the same protections under the law.