Immigration Stratery Briefing Call with Ali Noorani

Tonight, Thursday January 28th of 2010, at 8pm, I was one of the listeners of the Immigration Strategy Briefing Call by Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum and other Immigration Reform Leaders, to discuss how immigration reform fits in the President's agenda for 2010, and it was closed to the press and all remarks are off the record.

I don't know how many of you listened as well, but I wanted to share a review of the call for those of you who didn't.
There was participation from the White House and they took a few questions, Ali spoke more and answered a few more questions, but to my understanding we didn't reach any conclusion that we didn't have before, although that was expected, and the call was probably mostly to raise awareness of exactly what we need to do as of right now and the importance of getting together and acting quickly.

Some of the questions included were things such as (taken from memory, I don't remember the exact words, just the general idea of the question);

- How does Obama plan to directly tackle the Immigration issue and make it public, because of the critical need for him to do that if we want to achieve anything this year.
The answer was, of course, what we all knew; that Obama still supports reform and the supporters inside the White House will be trying to push hard to get him to publicly tackle the issue as soon as possible, but that there's no set date for anything.
- When does Senator Schumer plan on introducing the Senate version of the Immigration bill, because he's been talking about it since before August of 2009 and so far nothing.
Again, they talked a little bit about it, but the final answer was that there's no set date but "we should expect an introduction as soon as next month", but they also included in this answer the need for the public voice to push Senator Schumer as hard as we can for him to introduce this bill already, a.k.a. CALL CALL CALL CALL, send letters, faxes, e-mails, bottled messages, be a ninja and hunt his address down and knock on his door, send indian-style fire smoke signs, Morse code him, send him a wolf howl at midnight, ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING.
- Someone shortly asked what should we say when contacting Sen. Schumer about this, and what would be good talking points.
I don't remember much on this answer (I was trying to make my own question but was epically denied), but I think they just said to show your support for the Immigration bill, and make a point of how needed and necessary this is, and that we cannot and will not wait for any longer to get Immigration Reofmr, cuz this is the year, bla bla bla. I think they also quoted some part of Obama's speech last night, the part where he said the people are waiting and suffering and that Congress should do something about it asap, so you can find that and quote it to Schumer too.

There were a few more questions that didn't really add much to the debate, but we got Ali talking again, and he delivered a little speech about how no one's happy about the State of the Union Speech last night, cuz the Immigration bit was so disappointing, and that "you are angry, I am angry, we are all angry", but that we should use that fuel to mobilize ourselves as quickly as we can, and push hard for reform, because time is short and the window is narrow. He made a point to say that we only stand a chance of passing reform by having our voices heard in any way we can. He mentioned several gatherings, public speeches, support groups, actions, etc, all around the country, just in this last month, and that gave me hope, because it made me feel like we ARE a big voice after all, and that there are a lot of people out there on our side and acting in our behalf.

Finally, the conclusion of the call is that there are TWO THINGS we should all do and prepare for:
Call the Senators, starting tomorrow, and every day that you can, to push for the Immigration bill to be introduced ASAP, and be supported by as many congressmen as possible. (I'm pretty sure Schumer is introducing the bill together with another Senator, but I forget his/her name, so if you know I'd appreciate the info) Basically we need to literally flood them with phone calls, faxes, letters, etc etc etc, every day so we get our damn point across (and if they still don't get it I'll find a way to bitchslap them into sense hehehe).

The SECOND THING Ali made a point to say, is for everyone to get together to march/protest for Immigration Reform in Washington DC by March 21st. He urged every supporter, every beneficiary, everyone involved, to prepare, pack their bags, rent buses and go in groups to Washington DC to speak up for Immigration Reform on MARCH 21ST.
He seemed to want to make this very important, for anyone able to be there to NOT PASS IT UP.

In my honest opinion I think that this protest/speak up on March 21st will be very important, and MUCH more beneficial to our cause than the calls/faxes/letters/e-mails/etc. We need to get out there and prove we're willing to fight for our rights, that we'll shout out that we won't wait any longer, that this is our time and that we demand something done NOW. Not later, not next year, not after elections, but NOW.

That was the end of the conference call.
I would love to be able to go to Washington in March, but I'm afraid I can't go alone, so if anyone here is from South/Central Florida who'd be willing to organize a group and go together that would be awesome and I'm totally in.

- Belle.

Thanks so much for posting this. I was in the tail end of a meeting when they called me and I couldn't get connected by calling back!

Hey.. one question (and thanks again!) did the White House person give their name or their position? If you remember but think you ought PM me, that'd be great too.

Yeah, it was this woman that's supposed to be head of something about domestic policy or immigration, I think... I TOTALLY forgot her name and her position, I fail so hard. I'm sorry :<

No biggie, it really doesn't matter who it was, but its fun to keep track of how close to the power core the folks who talk on these calls are. Sometimes they send some flunky, sometimes someone more influential. And you ROCK for putting up the notes at all. Made me so happy cuz I was so mad I couldn't take the call!

I was on that call as well pretty much they were doing damage control over the 20 sec respond to immigration that Pres.Obama gave in the SOTU and reiterating the same things we all already know about what needs to get done to pass immigration reform on and then someone ask a question of when the Schumer bill will get introduced which Ali goes on to say he expects a bill introduced in late Feb and goes on to say that the bill can go out of committee and on the senate floor for a vote by April if all goes well then blah blah blah then i just hung up.

That Senator is Republican Lindsey Graham of South Carolina

Thanks! I knew it started with a G and reminded me of ccookies, hahaha! My mind is weird. You wouldn't also happen to remember the name of the guest speaker from the White House, would you?

@LADreamfriend: No at all!! Thank YOU for actually reading it and commenting. I wrote it all cuz I felt I needed to, but I honestly didn't think many would give a crap... I was even pondering re-posting it in the Lounge or something, since that's where most people live these days (they forgot all about taking action altogether, it makes me sooo angry), but I just didn't think it was worth the trouble. If they don't wanna act then they don't act, and those who DO will be in this forum and see this post. Hmpf.
So yea. Thanks.

Novela,

You should contact the SWER fold in S.Fla and see if you can join up with them to go to DC =p

They have that here? o.O

Have what SWER? They are based out of Miami....