Organizations Send Letter to Nebraska Delegation Urging House Action
Today a diverse group of more than 50 Nebraska organizations representing thousands of Nebraskans again called upon Congress to enact common-sense immigration laws. In a letter sent to the Nebraska Congressional delegation and released to the press, the groups reminded our Congressmen of the strong support for immigration reform in our state.
Letter sent to Congressman Fortenberry, Congressman Smith, and Congressman Terry:
June 25, 2014
Dear Congressman,
We write as more than 50 diverse Nebraska institutions from a wide range of perspectives with a shared purpose: to urge you to take action to fix our nation’s outdated immigration laws. With the August recess on the horizon and now a year since the passage of the bipartisan Senate immigration bill, we urge you to use this window of time to pass House immigration legislation that upholds our nation’s values and moves us forward.
We write to remind you of the strong support that exists in Nebraska for common-sense immigration laws. Our organizations represent thousands of Nebraskans, and together over the past year and a half, we have worked with thousands more in dozens of events across the state calling for action: business and community roundtables, faith vigils, Keep Families Together events, press conferences, meetings with your offices, and a beautiful Families’ March for Dignity and Respect drawing more than 2,000 people in a sea of Cornhusker red.
In April, our state legislature passed a bipartisan resolution (LR399) supporting common-sense immigration policy, again calling on House members to update our antiquated system by passing HR15 or similar legislation.
The cost of inaction is both tragic and unnecessary. Failing to fix our outdated immigration laws hurts Nebraska’s communities,families, economy, and future. It is in our state’s and our country’s long-term interest to have meaningful, effective reform and a clear process for citizenship. When there isn’t a clear, fair, and common-sense front door, we all pay the price. When there is no line to get in because our laws are out of date, our state and country suffer. For decades now our nation has failed to address this issue, and every day of delay causes real harm. Every day, more than 400 U.S. citizen children are separated from a parent because of detention or deportation. Every day, hardworking people and small businesses in Nebraska waste resources trying to navigate an antiquated, unworkable system.
You have our strong support for movement forward on this important issue for Nebraska’s future, and we are counting on your leadership.
Sincerely,
ACLU – Nebraska
Anti-Defamation League – Plains States Region
Black Men United
Brown Immigration Law, LLP
Campbell’s Nurseries and Garden Center
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Omaha
Center for People in Need
Center for Rural Affairs
Central Nebraska Human Trafficking & Immigration Outreach
Centro Hispano Comunitario (Columbus)
College of Saint Mary
Creighton Center for Service and Justice
DREAMers Project Coalition
El Centro de las Americas (Lincoln)
Fair Housing Center of Nebraska and Iowa
Great Plains United Methodist Peace with Justice Ministries
Great Plains Conference United Methodist Women
Heartland Workers Center
Inclusive Communities
Interchurch Ministries of Nebraska
Iowa/Nebraska Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association
Justice For Our Neighbors – Nebraska
Latino American Commission of Nebraska
Latino Center of the Midlands
League of Women Voters of Greater Omaha
League of Women Voters of Lincoln and Lancaster County
Malcolm X Memorial Foundation
Mulhall’s Nursery, Omaha
NAACP – Lincoln
National Association of Social Workers – Nebraska Chapter
National Council of Jewish Women – Omaha Section
Nebraska State AFL-CIO
Nebraska Appleseed
Nebraska Catholic Conference
Nebraska Cattlemen
Nebraska Restaurant Association
Nebraska Retail Federation
Nebraska State Dairy Association
Nebraska Urban Indian Health Coalition
Nebraskans for Peace
Omaha Healthy Kids Alliance
Omaha Together One Community
One World Community Health Centers
Peck Law Firm
Sisters of Mercy, West Midwest Community
Southern Sudan Community Association (SSCA Omaha)
St. Mary’s Immigration Program (Grand Island)
Unity in Action (South Sioux City)
Voices for Children in Nebraska
YWCA Adams County
YWCA Grand Island
YWCA Lincoln