Friday, November 2, 2007

ANOTHER KNOW YOUR RIGHTS TRAINING

DON'T MISS OUT!

We are hosting another day of training and action here at MIFN.



When: Saturday, November 10th
Where: MIFN offices 2500 University Ave office C7
Saint Paul, MN 55114
Time: 10am-2pm

(We are 10mins away from the U of M campus. The 16 and 50 bus routes stop in front of our offices. We are on the corner of 280 and University Avenue. See you there!)

TENTATIVE TRAINNING SCHEDULE

10-10:30am- Intro to topic DHS's ENDGAME plan

10:30-12:00 noon- What can you tell others about their rights?

12:00-2:00- Action on Lake Street, flyering and door knocking

Ability to Speak Spanish is helpful but not necessary to participate

PRE REGISTRATION IS NEEDED so contact us at the Minnesota Immigrant Freedom Network now to register:

651-287-0660 or by email freedomnetwork@gmail.com

Leave us:

full name*

phone number*

email*

and if you can speak Spanish*

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

MIFN OPEN HOUSE

Open House

The Minnesota Immigrant Freedom Network is hosting an Open house here at our lovely new office! Please come and check out the work we are doing and connect with staff and other volunteers on:

Tuesday, October 30th 2007

From 5:00-8:00pm

2500 Universitiy Ave

Saint Paul, MN 55114

More details to come!

Friday, October 12, 2007

Know Your Rights Training

Know Your Rights Training

I.C.E (la migra) has been terrorizing communities and tearing families apart, leaving children without Mothers and Fathers as well as entering homes without warrants. Come help us fight back!

We are hosting a training and action day for volunteers who want to help inform immigrant communities of their RIGHTS!

When: Saturday, October 27th
Where: MIFN offices 2500 University Ave office C7
Saint Paul, MN 55114
Time: 10am-2pm

(We are 10mins away from the U of M campus. The 16 and 50 bus routes stop in front of our offices. We are on the corner of 280 and University Avenue. See you there!)

TENTATIVE TRAINNING SCHEDULE

10-10:30am- Intro to topic DHS's ENDGAME plan

10:30-12:00 noon- What can you tell others about their rights?

12:00-2:00- Action on Lake Street, flyering and door knocking

Ability to Speak Spanish is helpful but not necessary to participate

PRE REGISTRATION IS NEEDED so contact us at the Minnesota Immigrant Freedom Network now to register:

651-287-0660 or by email freedomnetwork@gmail.com

Leave us:

full name*

phone number*

email*

and if you can speak Spanish*

Communications Opportunity!


Communications:

Project volunteer

The United States has legal obligations under international human rights treaties and or conventions. These obligations are not dependent on US courts and US law, but are in fact checks on US law and practice subject to international standards.. International standards, not national standards, are applied in the monitoring of US compliance with the requirements of the Convention.

The United States has signed and ratified the United Nations International Convention on racial Discrimination, and is a "State Party" to the CERD Convention. Although there are complaints procedures provided for under the CERD Convention these procedures require that the State party agree to have the CERD Committee receive and hear the complaints. The US has up to now refused to do so.

Under the Convention the United States must file so-called Periodic Reports, informing the CERD Committee on its compliance with the convention. The only practical way to hold the United States accountable under the Convention is to file our own "parallel reports" informing the Committee of the true state of racial discrimination in the United States. It is important to note that the CERD Committee places special importance on a State's compliance with regard to Indigenous Peoples.

The Freedom Network is looking for someone who will commit to organizing the body of this project. It would entail planning meetings, being in contact with speakers and planning an event where relevant organizations can come together and meet to support this frame work.

For more information please contact the MIFN @ 651-287-0660 or at freedomnetwork@gmail.com


Youth: Dream Act Coach opportunity


Wanna Learn More About the Movement for Access to Higher Education for ALL Students in MN?



Why are nearly 1,000 High School Student organizing for the MN Dream Act at the state legislature?

Join us for an info session at La Raza Student Cultural Center to learn about the MN Dream Act, as well as how to become a Dream Coach for the 2008 school year! As a Dream Coach you will facilitate discussions with students on issues regarding MN immigration history, the power of media and messaging, issues of racial equity, and civic participation. We work in ELL/ESL high school classes in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Greater MN.

For more information, come to one of our information sessions:
Tuesday Nov 6th
12-1pm & 2:30-3:30pm
Wednesday Nov 7th
10-11am & 3-4pm


La Raza Student Cultural Center, Room 211, Coffman Memorial Union, University of Minnesota (Map: http://www1.umn.edu/twincities/maps/CMU/)


Please contact Sylvia Gonzalez-Castro (651-287-0660 ext 3) or Martha Ockenfels-Martinez (651-287-0660 ext 5), Youth Organizers at the Minnesota Immigrant Freedom Network for more information or questions.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

What is the Mn Dream Act?

Equal Access to Higher Education for All

What is the problem?

Today’s broken immigration system is being used to prevent many of Minnesota’s hard working high school students from fulfilling the American dream. Anywhere from 300-500 bright students graduate from Minnesota high schools every year, but are being charged out-of-state tuition rates in public colleges and universities (source: HACER). Many of these students are honor students, class presidents, team captains, and community leaders. These students are learning English, they are paying taxes, and they are keeping many of our rural schools from closing. Even though these new students and their families are working as hard as previous immigrant families from Czechoslovakia, Ireland and Germany, out-of-state college tuition is simply too expensive. This is very unfair because these students were brought to this country as young children and have lived here almost their entire lives. We’re taken back to fifty years ago, when Black people were systematically denied access to a higher education based on their skin color. Today, many Minnesota youth are being denied access to a college education based on their immigration status.


What is the solution?

Remove all of the barriers to education for immigrant students so they can continue to study to better themselves and the community.
California
, Texas, Washington, New York, Oklahoma, Illinois, Kansas, Utah,Mississippi, Nebraska, and New Mexico have already passed such legislation. Additionally, 18 other states are considering passing similar legislation.

The current proposed Minnesota legislation will affect students that:

q Have attended high school within the state for at least three years

q Have graduated from a MN high school or attained a certificate equivalent to high school graduation

q Have registered and been accepted to a MN public college or university

If applicable, sign an affidavit with their school stating that they are or will seek to obtain their U.S. citizenship

What is the bill called?

Sandy Pappas is the chief author in the Senate; the bill is Senate File 653.

Carlos Mariani is the chief author in the House of Representatives; the bill is House File 0722.

This bill has NO fiscal note.

Legislative researchers have found that it will cost nothing to pass this bill.

Would this bill have a positive impact?

Yes. Over time, the Mn Dream Act will dramatically reduce dropout rates. In the years that follow, Minnesota will profit from the Mn Dream Act through a higher tax base created by the increased professionalism of the work force.


Is the Mn Dream Act fair?

Yes.
It is recognition of the fact that the young people at stake did not have a say in the decision to come to the U.S.
It is wrong to hold young children liable for a decision that was not their choice.


Why Vote YES for this Bill?


The Dream Act is Economic Prosperity.

Research shows that by 2008, baby boomers will start leaving the workforce at record rates, but fewer young people will be graduating from high school. This is why Tom Gillaspy, state demographer, says that new Minnesotans will be the number one factor in our state’s future economic success. In other words, the young people of our state need to have access to an affordable university education so they can fill the needs of the workforce.


The Dream Act Benefits Everybody.

Students who have a college education get better paying jobs and contribute more taxes to the state. A well educated society is a healthier society. Everyone, including students, families, workers, the economy, and institutions, benefit from more a more educated population.


The Dream Act is a Human Right.

The Dream Act is about access to education, not about the issue of immigration. According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 26, “higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.” Human beings have the right to knowledge and we must do what we can to ensure that students have an affordable way to access information and education.

El Acta de Sueño

Promoviendo Acceso a la Educación Superior Para Todos

¿Cual es el problema?

Hoy, el sistema inmigratorio que esta roto esta siendo usado para prevenir que muchos estudiantes que se empeñan no puedan alcanzar el Sueño Americano. De 300-500 estudiantes se gradúan cada año de las high schools de Minnesota, pero muchas instituciones les cobran matricula internacional (tres veces más de la matricula estatal) cuando quieren ir al colegio o a la universidad (fuente: HACER). Muchos de estos estudiantes son estudiantes inteligentes, presidentes de sus clases, atletas, y líderes de la comunidad. Están aprendiendo Ingles, pagan impuestos, y ayudan a prevenir que las escuelas de las áreas rurales de Minnesota no se cierren. Aunque estas nuevas familias estén trabajando tan duro como las familias inmigrantes de antes que vinieron de Irlandesa, Alemania o Chekoslovakia, estas familias simplemente no pueden alcanzar a pagar el precio de una matricula internacional para que sus hijas e hijos vayan a la universidad. Esto no es justo porque muchos de estos estudiantes están en este país desde chiquitos y han crecido aquí casi toda su vida. Nos acordamos de que hace cincuenta años, la gente Afro-Americana fue negada la oportunidad de ir a la escuela basado en el color de su piel. Hoy, muchos jóvenes Minnesotanos están siendo negados la oportunidad de ir a la escuela basado en su estatus inmigratorio

¿Cual es la solución?

Quitar todos los obstáculos para que los estudiantes sin documentos puedan seguir estudiando.

Los estados de California, Tejas, Washington, Nueva York, Oklahoma, Illinois, Kansas, Utah, Mississippi, Nebraska, y Nuevo Mexico ya han pasado legislacion de este tipo a favor de los e

studiantes sin documentos. Adicionalmente, otros 18 estados están considerando pasar leyes similares. Los estudiantes que cumplan con estos requisitos podrán aplicar bajo el Acta de Sueño:

Haber asistido a la High School por lo menos 3 años en el estado de Minnesota

Haberse graduado de una High School estatal o tener un certificado equivalente (como un GED)

Haber sido aceptada/o y registrada/o con una Universidad o Colegio Comunitario publico

Si es necesario, someter papeleo que indica que el estudiante esta buscando la manera de hacerse ciudadano estadounidense


¿Cómo se llama la propuesta legislativa?

La Senadora Sandy Pappas (Democrata-St. Paul) es la autora principal en el Senado; la propuesta es el Senate File 653. El Representante Carlos Mariani (Democrata-St. Paul) es el autor en la Casa de Representantes; la propuesta se llama House File 722.

Esta propuesta NO CUESTA NADA

Investigadores legislativos han determinado que si esta ley pasa, no le va costar nada a nadie.

¿Esta propuesta tendrá un efecto económicamente positivo?

Si. A través de los años, se vera que el Acta de Sueño reduciría el número de estudiantes que abandonan los estudios primarios. Estos estudiantes empezaran a ir a la universidad y a largo plazo, el Acta de Sueño subira el nivel de la profesionalización del sector trabajador, esta aumentara los impuestos que se pagan al estado.

¿Es Justo el Acta de Sueño?

Si.
Reconoce el hecho que los jóvenes muchas veces no tienen influencia sobre la decisión de venirse a
los EEUU.
No es justo culpar a los niños por una decisión que no fue suya.


¿Porque deben de votar por esta propuesta?

El Acta de Sueño es prosperidad económica.

Investigaciones comprueban que en el 2008 los baby-boomers se retiraran de sus trabajas en grandes cantidades, pero menos personas jóvenes se graduaran de la high school. Tom Gillaspy, demógrafo estatal, dice que los nuevos Minnesotanos serán el primer factor en asegurar que el estado sea exitoso económicamente. Ósea que la gente joven de nuestro estado debe de tener acceso a una educación universitaria para poder llenar los demanda de la fuerza laboral.

El Acta de Sueño beneficia a todos.

Estudiantes que tienen una educación universitaria obtienen mejores trabajos y pagan mas impuestos al estado. Una sociedad más bien educada es más saludable. Todos, inclusive los estudiantes, trabajadores, familias, instituciones, y la economía benefician de una población mas educada.

El Acta de Sueño es un derecho humano.

Esto se trata de acceso a la educación, no de inmigración. La Declaración Universal de Derechos Humanos, Articulo 26, dice que “el acceso a una educación universitaria debe de ser otorgada a todos en base al merito.” El ser humano tiene derecho al conocimiento, los estudiantes deben de tener una forma accesible y barata de obtener información y educación.