Gulf South
Advocacy in the Gulf South region generally occurs at the state and local levels. This may involve testifying before legislative bodies, research on pending legislative or administrative issues, and collaborative action with others. Some examples:
May 10, 2011: Louisiana Anti-Immigrant Legislation
On May 10th Dr. Sue Weishar testified before the Louisiana House Committee on Transportation, Highways, & Public Works Committee in opposition to HB 342 mandating implementation of the E-Verify system for companies that do business with the state of Louisiana. The committee approved the bill and sent it to the full House for action. For testimony, see here. An alternative e-verify bill ultimately was passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Governor Jindal.
April 15, 2011: Nineteen more Haitians deported from Louisiana—U.S. Government resumes deportations to devastated and diseased country
Despite vigorous protestations from human rights and immigrant advocacy groups across the country, the U.S. government resumed deportations to Haiti on Friday, April 15. At approximately 10 AM that morning, 19 Haitians who had been held in detention centers in Louisiana since early December, 2010, were put on a flight to Port-au-Prince. Read more »
March, 2011: ICE still threatening further deportations
See JSRI letter of March 10, 2011, to ICE Commissioner Morton regarding proposed ICE policy on the Haitian detainees.
January 21, 2011: Government begins deportation of Haitians to traumatized Country with Cholera Epidemic
Please contact President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Secretary Janet Napolitano and ask that all deportations to Haiti be halted until the country has sufficiently recovered and the infrastructure is in place to humanely receive persons who are deported. Your urgent action is needed! Send an online letter to President Obama and his administration today »
March 2, 2011: Alabama Anti-Immigrant Legislation
On March 2nd Fr. Ted Arroyo, SJ, testified at a public hearing in Alabama's state legislature in Montgomery on HB56, Alabama's pending anti-immigrant legislation. The twenty or so speakers, pro and con, were allowed only three minutes to advocate concerning this highly complex and controversial issue. Reports on this advocacy appeared in several Alabama newspapers, along with much anti-immigrant blogging in response. Read Ted's testimony »
Many other resources are available on this issue on our website and at the website of the bishops’ Justice for Immigrants campaign.
“ Reform efforts that include 'enforcement only' measures, such as H.B. 342, will fail to make meaningful change because they fail to address the reality that millions of human beings, many with U.S. citizen children, will continue to live in the shadows of American society. „
- Dr. Susan Weishar on Louisiana HB342