I'm writing on behalf of the Borgen Project- a seattle based non profit organization working to bring political attention to severe poverty. You can learn more about our organization through theborgenproject.org.

As you will see we have created the Global Poverty Act which has passed in the House and now we're trying to pass in the Senate. The way you can help is severly important and takes only thirty seconds to help pass this act.

We need roughly a dozen people (however the more the merrier) in New Hampshire to call Senator Sununu's office at (603) 647- 7500 and simply tell the staffer on the phone: “I’m a Borgen Project supporter and I would like the Senator to cosponsor the Global Poverty Act.” People can also email his office here:

sununu.senate.gov.

If you and your members can make the call or shoot an email it would greatly help the cause. You can see here (sample call log on right) how political offices tally each call and why it’s so important. Thank you so much for your consideration and let me know if I can answer any questions.
Thank you,

Candice Hays
The Borgen Project
theborgenproject.org

Lawsuit: ICE drugging detainees set for deportation

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Former detainees of Immigration and Customs Enforcement accuse the agency in a lawsuit of forcibly injecting them with psychotropic drugs while trying to shuttle them out of the country during their deportation.

Farm Bill Explodes into Debate Over Illegal Immigration
As the House was attempting to wrap up business for the August recess Thursday night, a debate over illegal immigration brought floor action to a screeching halt. Shortly before midnight Representatives were about to vote on final passage of the Farm Bill (H.R. 3161), which funds the Agriculture Department and Food and Drug Administration, when Representative Jerry Lewis (R-CA) offered a motion to send the bill back to committee. Importantly, however, this motion was made with instructions for the committee to adopt an amendment prohibiting all funds in H.R.3161 (including money for food stamps and housing assistance) from being used to assist illegal aliens. The vote on the Lewis motion was extremely close, with the outcome fluctuating by only two to three votes. It was at that point that chaos erupted.

According to Congress Now, the voting board posted in the chambers closed the vote at 215-213, a victory for the Lewis motion. However, it appears that despite the final posting on the board, three Representatives were allowed to switch their 'aye' votes to 'nay', changing the total to 212-216, a defeat for the Lewis motion. The vote switch happened so quickly that both parties simultaneously claimed victory, causing mass confusion on the floor. When it became clear that Leadership had declared the motion to have failed when the voting board showed the motion had prevailed, Republicans began shouting 'shame' and 'cheaters' at their Democratic colleagues. It was at that point that over 100 Republicans marched off the House floor in protest.

Human Rights First Welcomes Bipartisan Bill to Protect Iraqi Refugees
Proposals Would Extend a "Long-Overdue Lifeline"

More About Refugee Protection

Human Rights First today welcomed “The Refugee Crisis in Iraq Act,” co-sponsored by Senators Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Gordon Smith (R-OR) which would provide safe haven to those Iraqis who are at risk because of their work with the United States or with U.S. organizations.

“This bill will extend a long-overdue lifeline to Iraqi refugees who have fled from persecution and danger, ” said Eleanor Acer, Director of the Refugee Protection Program at Human Rights First. “I hope this legislation spurs action within the administration, which has yet to respond to this growing crisis with the necessary scale or urgency.”

Senators Kennedy and Smith introduced the legislation in anticipation of World Refugee Day on June 20, the date set aside to focus global attention on the plight of the world’s refugees and their struggles against oppression and persecution. The Kennedy-Smith bill would:

SOURCE: PFAW

McConnell Voter ID Amendment Resoundingly Defeated in the Senate 41–52

Late Tuesday, the Senate rejected 41–52 Senator Mitch McConnell’s effort to attach a voter ID amendment to the immigration bill. Hailing McConnell’s defeat as a victory for voting rights, People For the American Way President Ralph G. Neas issued the following statement:

“Senator McConnell’s voter ID amendment was politics at its worst. It had nothing to do with immigration. Rather, its impact would have been to keep eligible voters away from the polls—especially poor people, senior citizens, students, minorities, and people from rural areas. Its resounding bipartisan defeat is a huge victory for voters and voting rights advocates.

“Voter ID schemes make it more difficult for voters to exercise their right to vote and significantly increase the chances that eligible, registered voters will be denied the right to vote, while doing absolutely nothing to prevent voter fraud, which every study agrees is virtually non-existent. McConnell’s amendment is part of a coordinated political strategy to create a more exclusive electorate. Fortunately, so far this year, 22 state legislatures have rejected voter ID bills. And now the Senate has joined them in doing the right thing.

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune

By JEREMIAH MARQUEZ
Associated Press Writer
Published May 4, 2007, 6:29 AM CDT

LOS ANGELES -- Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa planned to cut short a trade mission in Mexico Friday to deal with the fallout from police clashes at an immigrant rally here earlier this week.

"I've decided to go back because I think it is necessary to make sure people know everything is in order and we will conduct a thorough and transparent investigation," Villaraigosa told the Televisa news network late Thursday.

Authorities have launched several investigations into the Los Angeles Police Department's actions at the May 1 rally, where police fired 240 rubber bullets. Video images of the incident were broadcast worldwide.

Villaraigosa arrived in Mexico Thursday to promote investment, trade and tourism with Los Angeles, home to the largest Mexican population outside Mexico. He visited El Salvador earlier in the week.

For Immediate Release: Friday, March 23, 2007

Contact: Germonique Jones 202-339-9331, Cheryl Aguilar 202-339-9316

Immigrants and Their Allies Join Together And Demand Comprehensive Immigration Reform with Calls to Congress

WHAT
: Following Congressmen Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) and Congressman Jeff Flake’s (R-AZ) bipartisan introduction of a comprehensive immigration reform bill in the House, advocates will jam the phone lines in Congress as part of a national call-in day on March 27 and 28. The Fair Immigration Reform Movement along with the Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform are inviting families, workers, students, faith leaders, business leaders, immigrant rights groups and communities across the country to become a part of the movement for immigrant rights. The time is NOW for comprehensive immigration reform in this country. This call-in day is part of a national coordinated campaign of actions to push for fair and humane comprehensive reform.



WHEN:
Wednesday, March 28, 2007 and Thursday, March 29, 2007

Hello,
I am currntly working on a series of articles for www.newhampshireprimary.blogspot.com, as well as a possible short book on the upcoming 2008 New Hampshire Presidential Primary. Anyone interested may contribute comments or thoughts by emailing me at dwa@unh.edu or comment here. The piece/pieces will focus on the views of New Hampshire voters and their preferences in terms of the candidates. Namely, I'd like to know what issues New Hampshire voters care about the most, and the candidates they feel best represent their interests. One may also want to comment on past elections, campaign experiences, etc...
Thanks!
David Anderson
Graduate Student/Writer/Activist
University of New Hampshire

The Framing of Immigration, By George Lakoff and Sam Ferguson

Source: The Rockridge Institute
(c) 2006 The Rockridge Institute (We invite the free distribution of this piece)

On May 15th, in an address from the Oval Office, President Bush presented his proposal for "comprehensive immigration reform."

The term "immigration reform" evokes an issue-defining conceptual frame — The Immigration Problem Frame — a frame that imposes a structure on the current situation, defines a set of “problems” with that situation, and circumscribes the possibility for "solutions."

"Reform," when used in politics, indicates there is a pressing issue that needs to be addressed — take "medicare reform," "lobbying reform," "social security reform." The noun that's attached to reform — "immigration" — points to where the problem lies. Whatever noun is attached to “reform” becomes the locus of the problem and constrains what counts as a solution.

For Immediate Release - Monday, May 15, 2006

Sullivan Response To Bush Immigration Address

State Rep. Peter Sullivan released the following statement in response to President Bush's remarks on Monday evening:

"The President's pledge to work with local law enforcement to provide better training and resources is a welcome development, as is his call for an earned path to citizenship. This aspect of his remarks recognizes the enforcement problem while acknowledging the need to accept and assimilate new members of the American family.

"Unfortunately, the Administration's proposal to deploy the National Guard along the border amounts to government by gimmickry. The Guard is already strained by deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq. The last thing that we need is the introduction of a training distractor of enormous proportions.

"In addition, the militarization of the border is a diplomatic step in the wrong direction. In an increasingly interconnected world, an armed south

This message brought to you from www.LatinosForAmerica.com

May 1, 2006: Un Dia Sin Inmigrantes — A Day Without Immigrants

Today, immigrants all across America and their supporters are taking action through boycotts, walk outs, marches, lunch hour protests and post-work church services, demanding fair immigration policies.

We, at Latinos for America, believe that today’s actions are a critical next step in this movement for our growing community of Latino/Hispanic voters who are concerned with the growing anti-immigrant sentiment in America as manifested in the proposed law HR 4437.

Immigration reform is a paramount social issue. We are supporting Un Dia Sin Inmigrantes — A Day Without Immigrants — to help make clear to our community that their voices are being heard. At the same time, we are cautioning that their participation may exact retaliation, and are encouraging each individual to clearly weigh the level of involvement and the type of action in which s/he wishes to engage. We do not believe that those who fear losing their jobs should feel any pressure to participate and we strongly encourage that provisions be made to ensure adequate continuation of support for emergency and medical services, care for the young and elderly, schools and other essential services.

DemocracyNow reports:

Between 500,000 to 2 Million Take to the Streets of L.A. To Demonstrate Against Anti-Immigrant Bill

Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in downtown Los Angeles Saturday to demonstrate against a new anti-immigrant bill being considered by Congress. Crowd estimates range from 500,000 to 2 million. We speak with longtime immigrant rights activist Javier Rodriguez and United Farm Workers of America co-founder Dolores Huerta.

Read and listen to the interview on DemocracyNow!

Physicians for a National Health Program is an organization of 13,000 physicians advocating for non-profit national health insurance. PNHP has chapters and spokespersons across the country. For contacts, call (312) 782-6006.

PRESS RELEASE July 25, 2005

Immigrants’ Health Care Costs are Low; Use Half as Much Care as Non-Immigrant Americans

Immigrants in the U.S. receive surprisingly little health care - 55% less than native-born Americans -according to a Harvard/Columbia University study that appears in the current issue of the American Journal of Public Health. Immigrant children received particularly low levels of care, 74% less overall than other children.

According to the study, immigrants accounted for 10.4% of the U.S. population, but only 7.9% of total health spending, and only 8% of government health spending. Per capita health expenditures averaged $1,139 per immigrant vs. $2,564 for non-immigrants. 30% of immigrants used no healthcare at all in the course of a year.