INTERFAITH IMMIGRATION COALTION WEBINAR

• Welcome to this month’s Webinar on Building Welcoming Communities

Through Civic Engagement• Monday, July 9th, 2012

INTERFAITH IMMIGRATION WEBINAR

• Updates on Administrative Relief For DREAM Act Eligible Youth and on the Supreme Court Decision on SB 1070

• 2012 Civic Engagement for Faith Communities• How to do civic engagement as a congregation, faith

based organization, or immigrant rights group• Issue Education, Election Protection, Voter Registration

RIGHT TO DREAM CAMPAIGN

ADMINISTRATIVE RELIEF FOR DREAM ACT ELIGIBLE YOUTH

• The Department of Homeland Security announced June 15th that undocumented immigrants may receive deferred action (for two years, renewable) and apply to work legally if they:• came to the United States at age 15 or younger and are now 30 or younger;• have lived here for at least five years as of today; are in school or have graduated from high school, earned a GED or served in the military;• have not been convicted of a felony, significant misdemeanor or multiple misdemeanor offenses, and• do not otherwise pose a threat to national security or public safety.

FAITH COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN IMPLEMENTATION

• The administrative relief will only make a difference if it is accurately implemented. We want to push the Obama Administration and the Department of Homeland Security to make sure there is a fair and transparent process with accountability measures.• Important for congregations to hold educational

forums and meet with local ICE offices to ensure accountability• Reliable legal service providers for consultations

on deferred action applications• BEWARE OF NOTARIO FRAUD

FAITH COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN IMPLEMENTATION

• On July 30 from 3-4:30 pm EST, Interfaith Immigration Coalition will host an important call with members of the Department of Homeland Security and USCIS, to talk specifically about what congregations can do to get ready to help DREAM Act eligible students with implementation of the President’s decision. We will also talk about some strategies that we can adopt through the work of implementation to build our movement to defend and secure the rights of immigrants as we prepare for a legislative push in 2013. 

• To join in this significant call on Monday July 30 from 3-4:30 pm EST, please call 1-800-920-7487 and the code is 155851. Please share this with other congregations who might be interested in sharing in this important work!

THE MOVEMENT CONTINUES

• This is surely a step in the right direction and helps us build momentum and movement, but two years of relief is not enough!

• We must continue to organize ourselves, build teams, make Congress pass the DREAM Act and demand a just and humane immigration reform with a path to citizenship

FAITH LEADERS PERFORM JERICHO WALK ON THE DAY OF THE SB 1070

HEARING

SUPREME COURT DECISION ON SB 1070

•The Supreme Court’s Decision•The U.S. Supreme Court handed down a mixed ruling on June 25, 2012, in the U.S. government’s challenge to Arizona’s notorious racial profiling law, SB 1070.  In a 5-3 decision, with Justice Kagan recusing herself, the court struck down three of the four Arizona provisions that the federal government had challenged, holding that these provisions are clearly preempted by federal law. •.

SUPREME COURT DECISION ON SB 1070

• The fourth provision was Section 2B, the “papers on demand” provision. The court reinstated Section 2B for now because, based on the information the court had on the record, it was unable to say that implementing the provision would definitely violate federal law or constitutional protections.  The Court specifically stated that the provision could raise constitutional problems, if, for example, someone were detained in order to verify their immigration status.

BLACK AND BROWN UNITY EVENT AT AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL

CHURCH IN LAUREL, MS

Attack on Immigrants’ Rights overlap with Voter Rights

• There is a clear overlap between the attack on immigrants’ rights and voter rights

• Alabama HB 56- Voter ID and Racial Profiling provisions in the same bill- LINK TO 5 MYTHS ABOUT VOTER FRAUD

• American Legislative Exchange Council where large corporations can sponsor bills have pushed both anti-immigrant bills and voter ID bills

• New Voter restriction impact access to the vote for all minorities, especially naturalized citizens and African Americans

2012 CIVIC ENGAGEMENT FOR FAITH COMMUNITIES

As people of faith, we are called to witness to justice for all members of our society. It is our duty to ensure a just world for all people!

In a world that is lacking in civility, it is important to be a voice calling for thoughtful and respectful dialogue during an election season

GUIDELINES FOR 501 (C) 3 NON-PROFIT AND CHURCH INVOLVEMENT IN CIVIC

ENGAGEMENT• There are no restrictions on educating church

members about election-year ISSUES and promoting discussion of public policy. However, your church/organization is prohibited from expressing its support for or opposition to any candidate during the discussion of issues and policies if it wishes to maintain its tax-exempt status.

VOTER REGISTRATION AND GET OUT THE VOTE

•Other kinds of unrestricted political activity include holding VOTER REGISTRATION and GET-OUT-THE-VOTE drives, preparing and distributing nonpartisan voter guides and voting records, and sponsoring candidate forums and debates. •It is prohibited to express support for or opposition to any candidate while participating in voter registration or GOTV activities

INDIVIDUAL REPRESENTATION VS. ORGANIZATIONAL REPRESENTATION

• Clergy and church leaders have the same rights as every American citizen and may fully participate in political campaigns as individuals; however, they must announce that they are acting on their own behalf and not on behalf of the church.

HOW TO GET STARTED

• Form a Civic Engagement committee in your church, organization, conference, or committee• A good committee will consist of members of

your church social action committee and/or people who you recruit to volunteer. • One person for every 50 people in your church is

a good guideline. The more people involved, the more effective your campaign will be.• Seek the support of your minister and church

social action committee for the

OUR FAITH AND OUR VOTE FOR JUST IMMIGRATION POLICIES

WHY DO VOTER EDUCATION?

• Participating in educational activities that help one to become a well informed and thoughtful voter is a key responsibility for any citizen.

• There are many ways that congregations can create forums and spaces for dialogue, discussion and faithful reflection on the issues of the day/at stake in the elections.

• It is a moral imperative for people of faith to be involved and educated about the decisions and policies that affect our communities

ISSUE EDUCATION

• Address issue concerns in the worship life of the congregation, through prayers, sermons and Scripture

• Invite members of the congregation with various kinds of expertise to speak about the issues from their experience and perspective - for example, invite public school teachers to talk about public education issues or health care workers to talk about health care issues, invite local immigrants or DREAM Act Youth from your denomination or community

•  • Discuss the issues in light of scriptural teaching and the resolutions of

your faith tradition and/or denomination

• Hold issue forums in your congregation that emphasize open, respectful dialogue about the hot-button campaign topics

EDUCATIONAL FORUMS IN THE COMMUNITY

ADD A VOTER REGISTRATION OR ELECTION PROTECTION COMPONENT

TO YOUR EDUCATIONAL FORUMS• Through the Interfaith Immigration Coalition 538

Congregations did an event on the DREAM Act. As congregations continue to work for transparent processes in implementation, think about how civic engagement can be a part of your issue education forum

• Have a voter registration table at your events

• Recruit people for polling monitors, election judges or members of election protection coalitions

VOTER EDUCATION

• Host a town hall meeting to address obstacles to voting in recent elections and to encourage and educate citizens about voter registration.

• Invite members of the community to conduct issue briefings on legislation that impacts your community

• Host a candidate forum, inviting candidates to your community or congregation

• Go to candidate forums and ask questions on permanent issues such as voter protection, or immigration issues.

ONE ARIZONA

EXAMPLE: ONE ARIZONA AND REV. PHIL RELLER

• ONE Arizona (onearizona.com)• WHO WE ARE• One Arizona is a coalition of 12 non-partisan, non-

profit organizations. These organizations are committed to increasing voter registration and participation in all communities.

• Vision: Build an inclusive, engaged and equitable state for all Arizonans.

• Mission: To increase civic participation among Arizonans.

• Inclusivity Statement : One Arizona is committed to building a diverse coalition of organizations … to represent all communities, including communities often disenfranchised by the political process

ONE ARIZONA TABLE

PARTNERS•Arizona Advocacy Network•Arizona Center for Empowerment•DREAM Act Arizona Coalition•Border Actin Network•Central Arizonans for a Sustainable Economy•Mi Familia Vota Education Fund•National Association Latino Elected Officials•Arizona’s Family Coalition Educational Fund•Promise Arizona•Puente•Southwest Conference of the United Church of Christ•Voto Latino

ROOTS IN VOTER PROTECTION

• The Interfaith Group from the One Arizona Table has its roots in voter protection

• Faith leaders had volunteered as polling monitors and witnessed intimidation at the polls of Latino voters by sheriff Joe Arpaio’s deputies

ONE ARIZONA INTERFAITH PARTNERS

• Volunteers• One AZ Interfaith Leaders Partners• AZ UCC congregations (10)• AZ UU congregations (6)• Islamic Community Center• Jewish Community Leaders• Latino/Latina Pentecostal Leaders• Civic Grass-roots Groups (2)

CLARITY OF MISSION

• OneAZ Interfaith Leaders has been motivated by a simple premise:

• Our common life and the common good are enhanced and our cherished democratic processes work best by the broadest possible citizen participation. We believe our faith and the faith of our partners call us to serve the common good and to increase citizen participation through voting.

GOALS TO CHANGE OUR COMMUNITY AND COUNTRY IN A POSITIVE WAY

• Working to ensure a positive future for our country by increasing civic participation in your neighborhood and building political strength within our community.

• Making sure populations whose vote has been traditionally marginalized in our society have a chance for their vote to count!

CONCRETE METRIC GOALS

           •1000 New people on the Permanent Early Voter List

•400 New Registered Voters

•15 community events - e.g. candidates forum, issues forum, community concert/rally, Immigration Solutions Forum

PROTECTING THE RIGHT TO VOTE

JOIN (OR BUILD) A VOTER PROTECTION COALITION

• Anyone who believes in voting rights and that elections should value voters can and should engage in voter protection work. Get to know the election system that serves your community and challenge that system to be responsive to the voters in your community.

• There is strength in numbers. While any dedicated individual can conduct voter protection activities, it is helpful to have the support of a voter protection coalition─a group of individuals and organizations committed to ensuring that the rights of voters in your community are given priority by election officials and the election system

WHY WE NEED ELECTION PROTECTION

• 38 states introduced repressive voting legislation• New laws in 14 states could disenfranchise 5 million voters

in 2012

VOTER SUPPRESSION LEGISLATION

VOTER ID LAWS

21 million people nationwide Lack ID:

• 11 % of U.S. voting-age Citizens• 25 % of African American voting age citizens• 15 % of voting age citizens earning under $35,000• 18 % of citizens age 65 and over• 20 % of young voters

FAITH COMMUNITY ON ELECTION PROTECTION

• Moral Voice on the importance of the Right To Vote

• Cross Lutheran Church in Wisconsin is a plaintiff in first lawsuit to invoke the federal Voting Rights Act to challenge the racially discriminatory impact of Wisconsin Act 23 -- a newly enacted "voter identification” 

• Reframing from the faith perspective how people are thinking about how access and restriction to vote

4 GOALS OF VOTER PROTECTION

• 1) Monitor and analyze more election processes,

• 2) Expand the range of perspectives and expertise working to identify barriers and resolve election problems,

• 3) Broaden the collective support for the voting concerns of your community

• 4) intensify the impact of your voter protection work

MI FAMILIA VOTA WORKING WITH CONGREGATIONS

• Build leaders in the community

• Starting leadership development programs, Training Sessions, Civic Participation with Latino Youth

• Faith leaders should contact Mi Familia state coordinator or state directors

• Paid canvassers go to churches to do voter registration

• Progressive Churches invite them to voter protection forum• Collobrate with

• NEEDED: Poll worker/ Polling Monitor/ Work Polls- Donate it to an organization, Training through office of elections

POLLINGWORKERS

• Pollworkers are the link between election administration—the laws, rules and procedures that govern the election process—and the voters. They are the line staff of the democratic process.

• You can be a Pollworker and make sure there is no discrimination happening at the Polls.

• Many Pollworkers donate their day wage to their favorite voter engagement non-profit organization

POLL MONITORS

• A non-partisan role, offering voters information about their rights

•  • Assist people in finding their correct polling station so

their vote will count and not be a provisional ballot

• Let voters know about the voter protection hotline, their options for getting help with their voting rights at the poll

• Conduct exit polling about voters' experiences casting their votes across the state on 

VOTER REGISTRATION AND GET OUT THE VOTE

• Locate a partner organization In your region. Set up a one to one meeting with a key leaders in your committee and the partner organization• Identify your goals for registering people to vote• Identify what type of voter registration fits best

for your capacity• Recognize the importance of signing people up

on the early voter list to vote ahead of time and raise the percentage of people voting• Get ready for Get Out the Vote activities leading

up to the election

TRAINING

• Coordinate with a local partner organization on setting up a training on how to do voter registration

• Good Training is essential to make sure you know all the voter registration guidelines and rules in your state, to turn in your new registration cards or early voter list cards

• Recruit from your own congregation, but also from other congregations/ organizations in your area, advertise through church bulletin and newsletter announcements

WHERE TO DO VOTER REGISTRATION AND EARLY VOTER LIST SIGN UPS

• Make sure everyone in your church is registered to vote with a voter registration table at coffee hour

• Go out volunteer canvassing with a partner organization. Recruit more people from faith communities to be part of door knocking and canvassing

• Identify other churches you can set up a table do voter registration and early voter list sign ups a their coffee hour

• Outreach to minority or immigrant lead congregations, populations that have traditionally been marginalized from the voting process

REGISTERING TO VOTE!

FAITH MESSAGING ON VOTING

• The faith voice plays a critical role in messaging and media work

• Messaging around welcoming communities, inclusivity and increased access to voting for marginalized communities will be critical to the 2012 election

• Write a media advisory and invite press to your forums and events for issue education and election protection

• Write Opinion Editorials and Letters to the Editor from a perspective of faith on voter rights and immigrants rights

PARTNER ORGANIZATION (SEE RESOURCE LIST)

• Our Faith Our Vote United Church of Christ• States Voices• Mi Familia Vota Education Fund• Rock the Vote• Voto Latino• National Council of la Raza• Advancement Project• Project Vote• Presente.org (Online registration)• Common Cause• Identify the local Civic Engagement Table in Your

Region!!!

NEXT STEPS AFTER THIS WEBINAR

• Build Civic Engagement Teams/ Committees in your church

• Gather leaders from many congregations and traditions to develop a regional interfaith committee

• Connect and partner with local organizations working on voter registration/ education and protection–CLICK Link for 2012 Resource Guide for Civic Engagement Partner Organizations

• Become members of local tables and coalitions in your region

• Get the word out and spread your message through various mediums of communication!