The NY State Assembly passed these two bills, intended to protect "Dreamers" living in the state of New York, in February 2017. However, when the bills got to the NY Senate, the eight members of the "Independent Democratic Committee" - a bloc of Senators who have turned away from the Democratic voters that elected them to join Republicans on this and many other legislative issues - joined with their Republican colleagues to block these bills. I am asking my Governor, Andrew Cuomo, to act quickly to convene a special session to pass the NY Dream Act and the NY Liberty Act. I also ask our Governor to denounce the turncoats who call themselves the IDC and to support primary challengers for each of their seats. These Senators, who ran and were elected as Democrats, have abandoned their duty to the voters that elected them to office. Let's make New York a beacon of progressive values by providing sanctuary to those who did not choose to come here but have since contributed to their communities as New Yorkers. We need a unified Democratic government that truly represents the voters that elected them, and that will stand up for all New Yorkers. (see "Assembly Dems pass series of immigrant rights and protections," The Legislative Gazette, February 27, 2017, http://legislativegazette.com/assembly-dems-pass-series-of-immigrant-rights-and-protections/)

The Supreme Court was horribly wrong in their Citizens United decision that there can't be any limits on corporate spending in political campaigns. But Justice Scalia did get one thing absolutely right when he said we need disclosure or else “democracy is doomed”. AB 249, the California DISCLOSE Act, will strike the biggest blow yet against the secret money unleashed by Citizens United, by requiring initiative ads to clearly show their real top 3 funders so everyone knows who’s trying to buy their vote. AB 249 faces its final votes next week. Republican Assemblymember Catharine Baker is a crucial vote. Please sign and share to ask her to vote “Yes”!

Seeing that Chicago recently banned Donald Trump from the city (see http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/chicago-mayor-trump-free-zone-rahm-emanuel-daca-dreamers-programme-us-president-sanctuary-city-a7931646.html for details), we are inspired to similarly declare Seattle a Trump-Free Zone until he can prove that he can honor the human rights of all who live here. His rescinding of the DACA program is one example of his many harmful policies, and such backwards acts will not be tolerated in Seattle!

Credit-reporting giant Equifax has just disclosed that in the summer of 2017, hackers gained access to the personal information of 143 million of its consumers. The hackers obtains access to names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses and, in some cases, even credit cards. But the behavior of Equifax in the wake of the cyberattack has been horrifying. Three Equifax Managers sold their stock in the company before the cyber attack was revealed, raising questions about potential insider trading. Worse still, the company offered "free" identity theft protection for those impacted, but only if the consumer waived their right to sue Equifax in a class action lawsuit! Buried in the terms of service for Equifax's TrustedID Premier is a ripoff clause that blocks consumers from joining together in class action lawsuits against the company. It is despicable that Equifax would exploit consumers' need for identity theft protection to avoid accountability for this devastating breach. But perhaps most despicable of all, at this very moment, U.S. Senators are weighing legislation to take away our right to hold companies like Equifax accountable in court (S.J.Res.47), and the House of Representatives is considering legislation to make life easier for credit-reporting agencies that screw up (H.R. 2359). This cannot stand. Repealing crucial consumer protections as new financial scandals break every week would send a clear signal to bad actors like Equifax that they can continue to plunder consumers for profit. We call on Congress to IMMEDIATELY withdraw both S.J. Res 47 and H.R. 2359, and to hold hearings to investigate Equifax's response to this cyberattack. Sources: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-09-07/three-equifax-executives-sold-stock-before-revealing-cyber-hack http://www.consumeradvocates.org/media/press-release/georgia-congressman-must-withdraw-his-equifax-friendly-bill http://www.fairarbitrationnow.org/wp-content/uploads/Fact-Sheet-CFPB-Arb-Rule.pdf

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This is at least the third time this bill has been introduced in Congress since 2014. Other bills with similar intent have likewise been introduced, but all have died a slow death languishing in one committee or another. I have friends, family, and acquaintances who have been impacted by criminal convictions. Witnessing their experience has convinced me of the ineffectiveness of our current system, that punishes someone for a misdeed long after they have served their sentence. The current system that does not allow for expungement of the majority of federal felony convictions does not contribute to rehabilitation and the proper function of our society; and does contribute to recidivism and the downfall of the very societal norms that criminal sentences are intended to reinforce. This must be changed and we must be the ones to change it.

The Dream Act of 2017 is bipartisan legislation that would allow around 1.5 million U.S.-raised immigrant youth to earn lawful permanent residence and American citizenship if they: Are longtime residents who came to the U.S. as children; Graduate from high school or obtain a GED; Pursue higher education, work lawfully for at least three years, or serve in the military; Pass security and law enforcement background checks and pay a reasonable application fee; Demonstrate proficiency in the English language and a knowledge of United States history; and Have not committed a felony or other serious crimes and do not pose a threat to our country. Versions of the Dream Act have been introduced at least ten times before, starting in 2001. They have passed either the House or Senate, but not both in the same Congressional session. This version of the bill improves upon previous bills. It expands eligibility and raises the age of entry requirement to 18 years of age—allowing more undocumented youth to qualify. It also works with current Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)—the deferred action program that protects undocumented youth from deportation—recipients to reduce some barriers as they work towards citizenship. Without legislation like the Dream Act, there is no pathway to citizenship for undocumented youth living in the U.S. This is not a perfect bill. Language requirements are xenophobic and Black and Brown communities are policed more so than white communities, increasing the likelihood of having a criminal record. And, nativists are already attempting to add border enforcement and aim to criminalize the parents of the youth the bill protects. But when we win, we'll be protecting hundreds of thousands of youth who, as citizens, will continue to fight for everyone left behind. Reps. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA 40th District) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL 27th District) have introduced the bill in the House of Representatives, and Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) have introduced a companion bill in the Senate. For this bill to finally pass without anti-migrant amendments, we'll need heavy, sustained grassroots pressure. And with DACA at risk, it can't happen soon enough. Our partners at United We Dream, the largest immigrant youth-led organization in the nation, remind us that the only reason we won DACA is because thousands of undocumented youth had the courage to demand it. Let's make sure we have their backs as they once again move this country forward. Sign if you agree: Congress must pass the Dream Act of 2017.

Because if we are going to Close our Gateways to Immigrants and remove Undocumented Americans at heart..Then Lady Liberty is a Joke to people arround the world.

President Trump has given Congress six months to pass legislation protecting Dreamers. These people have proven to be productive members of American society, with many serving in our military and assisting in Hurricane Harvey relief, in addition to the revenue raised through taxes and fees. They should not be forced out of the only country they've known for almost their entire lives.

Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX23) is a key vote on the Dream Act, as his district includes a border town in Texas with thousands of Dreamers. But, despite the looming deadline for DACA-recipients, he has yet to co-sponsor and support it publicly! As local Texas Dreamers, immigrant youth, and allies ramp up visits to his offices, make phone calls, and turn up the heat, we need to show him that we have their back and want a clean Dream Act -- and his co-sponsorship, now. Not only is the Dream Act the morally right thing to do, new studies by the Center for American Progress show that it could boost the US economy by up to *$1 trillion* in just 10 years. $1 trillion. The Dream Act has been bipartisan for over a decade, but the ugly politics of extremism are now standing in the way. When Trump rescinded DACA, 800,000 young people were left in the cross-hairs of a brutal deportation system that could rip them away from their friends, families, schools, communities, and employers, all of whom are counting on them. The backlash has been loud, but now it is up to make sure that outrage turns into real action for immigrant youth and all Americans, who stand to benefit from this critical bill. Will you add your name to ask Rep Hurd to co-sponsor and pass a clean Dream Act, immediately?

California has more Dreamers than any other state so this is very important to people in our community. Legalizing DACA participants is the right thing to do for these kids who have complied by being vetted, paying their fees, staying out of trouble, holding down responsible jobs and furthering their educational goals. They have done their part now it is up to our government to do their part. Representative Darrell Issa must take a strong stance to pass a Dream Act immediately! Please sign and share with other constituents and take a minute to call his office at 760.599.5000.

As reported in the Washington Post, FBI agents are raiding animal sanctuaries with search warrants in a search for a baby pig rescued from a factory farm. This is not just deeply immoral - we have a duty to help animals who are being abused - but an incredible waste of government resources, in a time that our nation is in crisis due to natural disasters. We're asking Attorney General Sessions to instruct the Utah US Attorney and FBI offices to stop the harassment of animal rescuers, call off the hunt for Lily, and prosecute animal abusing corporations!