For immigrants coming to America it is a land of opportunity. There are dreams of a better life in both work and living. Many of them are placed with a stigma of being an “unskilled worker". However, the demand for their work cannot be denied. They face discrimination in being treated worse than Americans in the same type of work. Reasons for this is due to a language barrier, low-expectations of skilled work, and expectations of being paid well. These workers face labor exploitations in the areas they work in, and although there have been some regulations made to protect them, not enough has been done. We ask for fair treatment and anti-discrimination laws to protect immigrant workers. Immigrants are forced to work in dangerous conditions and if they happen to get injured on the job they will get deported. Supervisors may harass immigrants sexually and force them to work at a very fast pace. Most immigrants are employed in agriculture or construction, which both have high injury rates. While immigrants take these jobs because they seem safer than jobs in their previous country, they are not given adequate information and protection from unsafe working conditions. The language barrier and little education are further reasons they have been exploited. We ask that laws are put in place to protect immigrant workers from these conditions and to provide better educational opportunities for them. The deplorable working conditions for migrant workers in the United States also create undue psychological stress on the individual. Migrants tend to be youthful in age, and are looking for a way to balance the financial stress of having a family, as well as trying to maintain the well-being of family across unfriendly borders. When mothers and fathers come into the U.S. seeking a way to provide for their children they often end up working extremely long hours in dangerous conditions and do not have the psychological stamina to deal with a child who never knew their homeland. As a result, the children suffer, as well. The restrictions the U.S. government places on these families is discriminatory, is dangerous for the human psyche, and does not stop or slow the flow of traffic across the border. We ask that you address these restrictions that keep families separated and endangers their psychological, physical and emotional safety. While California has had some success with signing in laws that protect immigrant workers, there remains the problem on the federal level of immigrant worker protection which leaves immigrant workers vulnerable to abuses in other states. One example of abuse is include employer control of worker visas which can lead to exploitation and punishment for organization, including the fear of deportation. Another example is the shadow of human trafficking to which immigrants can be subject to without appropriate laws to protect them. Other anti-immigration measures such as the E-Verify system need to be addressed. We ask that you make federal immigration reform with protection for immigrant workers and their families a priority this year so they can work and live in safety. Sincerely, Dr. Paul Lopez, Ph.D., Carrie, Kendra, Francis, and Emmett

Funding from Prince George’s County Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) is critical to the infrastructure and community program operations for the smaller and older municipalities within the Gateway Arts District. As a stakeholder in the community, I would like to stress how dire this funding is for our communities. We work, live and invest in these communities. Towns like North Brentwood and Brentwood need this funding. Organizations like the Gateway CDC, Joe’s Movement Emporium, Art Works Now, the Prince George’s African American Museum and Cultural Center, the Prince George’s Arts and Humanities Council are partners in revitalizing and driving economic growth along U.S. Route 1 – county support is critical in ensuring the success and stability of these organizations and communities in the Gateway Arts District.

The Laws and Rules the Judges and Courts are Supposed to Follow: Family Court Act 436(e) - Findings of fact must be delivered with every support order 22 NYCRR 205.36 (a)- Findings of fact must be written, given to the parties at the time of entry and include specific items in a specific format. 22 NYCRR 205.36 (b)- if you don’t have a lawyer, courts must provide you pro se disclosures with information on how to object, the process and deadlines and tell you how to obtain court transcripts so you don't lose your right to appeal. Laws Applied Harshly Against the People: Family Court Act 436(e) - A party must object to a Support Magistrate Order within 35 days of the date it is mailed or that person loses not only the right to object to a judge but also the constitutional right to appeal. Queens Family Court - Court, magistrates and judges have a pattern and practice of not following their own rules or the laws passed by the NY legislature especially when it comes to the poor and self-represented (pro se). Second Department's Cowardly Decision: We will strictly apply the law against the poor and be loose with the courts and the judges. They are cowards because they deny it without opining on the issues so the effect is broad-reaching and harsh but no one knows it because family court briefs are sealed. They expect that no one will care because the self-represented and poor have no voice. Yet, over 70% of family court litigants are self-represented by some statistics. Sign this Petition so we can have a voice together. See #2013-01162. I am a single father living in Puerto Rico with custody of one of my children and I couldn’t afford to keep paying a lawyer to fight three actions in NY. I was married and divorced in PR. I am a professor and I was not poor until NY got its screws in me. I ended up self-represented and I received the magistrate's orders without a notice of entry and with no file stamp, no date of mailing and no legible post mark. There were no findings of fact and no disclosures for the self-represented. When I called the QFC, they said they don't give information over the phone. Yet the date of mailing is kept in a hidden part of the record not ever provided to the self-represented. QFC signed receipt for my objections on 11/21, less than 30 days after I got the orders even though I had no idea what to object to without findings of fact. QFC denied my objections as too late. The orders were dated 9/18 and QFC claims the orders were mailed on 10/10. NY's Second Department affirmed without opinion despite my appellate attorney's arguments about the clerk of court’s failure to provide me the pro se disclosures, findings of fact or a notice of entry. The magistrate never even prepared findings of fact in my case. Without any mention of this in the 2nd Dept opinion, no one with any power will ever know that the 2nd Dept actually nullified the law by deciding that the poor who cannot afford an attorney have no right to the very disclosures they need to have in order to meet the deadlines applied so harshly against them.

The residents of Rosena Ranch have been given the impression by the Developer that the Pakauma Park would include many features for the children of the community, and would be accessible to the community throughout the day. However, the play equipment currently installed is not designed for any children over the age of 5, and is only large enough for a few toddlers to play on at a time. Over 2,000 homes in this community are planned with approximately 8,000 residents estimated at the time of build-out. The current residents have been waiting patiently - and are depending on this park as a place for our children to play. Therefore, the community of Rosena Ranch requests that the Developer and School District recognize the size and needs of the community, and add a larger play structure, swings, and shelters to the design of this park.

It is urgent that we bring awareness of this emergency to as many people as possible. This being a catastrophe born of the last 50 years, in another 50, our grandchildren will not know what it means to swim in the ocean, to drink naturally fresh water, and will be learning about many extinct species of animals/mammals in their history books.

Nobody wants to think that human trafficking exists in their neighborhood, yet it does and it is increasing due to a rising demand and the use of online venues. The proposed legislation will work to provide assistance for victims, increase penalties for perpetrators and enhance inter agency collaboration between law enforcement and several types of social service programs. Overall, this Act is crucial in the crusade to combat the source of trafficking, increase awareness and protect the present and potential victims. We strongly recommend passage of this legislation.

When the 1 percent of the 1 percent have more of a voice than millions of Americans, we're no longer operating in a democracy.

I am starting this petition because there were protesters outside of my daughter's high school. They had literature with graphic and repulsive images of what were labeled as aborted fetuses which they tried to hand out to any student who passed by. They also tried to engage students in theological discussion about abortion. Again, I am not trying to circumvent their right to express their beliefs, I just feel that this place and time are not appropriate.

The Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline would guzzle along half a million barrels of oil each day, tearing up the land, disrupting the community and wrecking local wildlife even if they didn't mess up again.

Back in December, the PA Supreme Court ruled that local municipalities do reserve the right to decide whether they will allow shale drilling in their communities. This big victory affirmed that the Pennsylvania constitution protects the authority of local communities to regulate or block the drilling companies looking to frack in their backyards. But last month, Rep. Seth Grove introduced a bill that would overturn that court ruling. In his own words, HB 2115 “will preempt all local ordinances.” We can’t let this happen. Local communities should have the power to make decisions about their own citizens lives; decisions that will affect public health, the environment and the economy.

In order for me to run my business, please sign the petition.

As a parent I value this space because it offers my children the much needed breath of fresh air and natural exposure within the city we are bound. Fairview Park, as it exits now, invites the visitor to reflect upon the Native Americans who lived there for thousands of years, as is reflected in various sites nationally recognized as archaeologically significant. Frankly speaking there is NO place that offers the oppurtunities that exist in Fairview Park.