N.J. Lawmakers Pass Minimum-Wage Boost as Showdown Looms

New Jersey’s Democratic-controlled Senate approved a bill to raise the minimum wage to $8.50 as a showdown with Republican Governor Chris Christie looms over a provision that would allow annual increases pegged to inflation.

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-11-29/n-dot-j-dot-lawmakers-pass-minimum-wage-boost-as-showdown-looms

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Spells Out Principles on Immigration Reform

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus announced today their principles on immigration reform.  The CHC issued a document titled: "ONE NATION: Principles on Immigration Reform and Our Commitment to the American Dream" that spells out nine (9) principles for immigration reform including a path to permanent residency and eventual citizenship for the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States.  It also includes protections for same-sex couples.   A copy of the document appears below.

Congressional Hispanic Caucus

The Honorable Charles Gonzalez, Chair

November 28, 2012

ONE NATION:

Principles on Immigration Reform and Our Commitment to the American Dream

Today, we declare our commitment to the American people to work tirelessly toward common-sense, comprehensive immigration reform that serves America’s interests, promotes fairness and the rule of law and contributes effectively and meaningfully to our economic well-being and recovery.

America has always been a nation of immigrants. In order to preserve our history, national identity and culture we must create a modern, 21st century legal immigration system that reflects our legacy. Therefore, we commit to fighting for principled, comprehensive immigration reform that:

1. Requires the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. to register with the federal government, submit to fingerprinting and a criminal background check, learn English and American civics, and pay taxes to contribute fully and legally to our economy and earn a path to permanent residency and eventual citizenship;

2. Protects the unity and sanctity of the family, including the families of bi-national, same-sex couples, by reducing the family backlogs and keeping spouses, parents, and children together;

3. Attracts the best and the brightest investors, innovators, and skilled professionals, including those in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) studies, to help strengthen our economy, create jobs, and build a brighter future for all Americans;

4. Builds on the extraordinary success of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and incorporates DREAMers—those who were brought to the U.S. at a young age and are Americans but for a piece of paper—into the mainstream of life in the United States through a path to citizenship so that America benefits from their scholastic achievements, military service and pursuit of their dreams;

5. Includes a balanced, workable solution for the agriculture industry that ensures agricultural workers have a route to citizenship and employers have the workers and American agriculture continues to lead in our global economy;

6. Ends the exploitation of U.S. and immigrant workers by providing sufficient, safe, and legal avenues for foreign workers to fill legitimate gaps in our workforce, with full labor rights, protection from discrimination, and a reasonable path to permanency that lifts up wages and working conditions for both native and foreign-born workers and their families;

7. Ensures smart and reasonable enforcement that protects our borders and fosters commerce by targeting serious criminals and real threats at our northern and southern borders and promotes the safe and legitimate movement of people and goods at our ports of entry and which are essential to our economy;

8. Establishes a workable employment verification system that prevents unlawful employment and rewards employers and employees who play by the rules, while protecting Americans’ right to work and their privacy; and

9. Renews our commitment to citizenship, to ensure all workers pay their fair share of taxes, fully integrate into our way of life and bear the same responsibilities as all Americans and reaffirms our shared belief that the Citizenship Clause of the Constitution is a fundamental freedom that must be preserved.

Our immigration laws ought to reflect both our interests and our values as Americans and we believe these principles are consistent with our nation’s commitment to fairness and equality. We commit to adhering to the above principles as we negotiate on behalf of all Americans in good faith with both parties and all stakeholders in the immigration reform debate. We acknowledge that the time to reform the system is long past due. We ask all sides to set aside the vitriol and gamesmanship that is often a part of this debate and that blocks our ability to truly solve the problem. The American people deserve nothing less.

[A copy of this document can be found on Congressman Gutierrez' website at:
http://gutierrez.house.gov/sites/gutierrez.house.gov/files/One%20Nation_Principles%20on%20Immigration%20Reform.pdf]

Book Presentation: Cubans in New Jersey: Migrants Tell Their Stories

Book Presentation

Cubans in New Jersey: Migrants Tell Their Stories
Saturday, December 1, 2:00 PM 
Newark Public Library – Auditorium, 4^th floor

5 Washington Street, Newark, NJ

New Jersey is home to the second–largest Cuban community in the country. In this book Milagros Castillo-Montoya, Doctoral Candidate at Columbia University, presents a carefully researched social history of this vibrant immigrant group, enriched with the words and vignettes of the people who actually lived the experience of dislocation and adjustment while creating meaningful new lives in New Jersey. Published by the Newark Public Library, this study is the first in a series exploring the Latino immigrant experience, being developed by the NJ Hispanic Research and Information Center (NJHRIC) @ The Newark Public Library.

Zulima V. Farber, Of Counsel to the Firm Lowenstein Sandler PC, will present “Cubans in New Jersey: Migrants Tell Their Stories.”  Ms. Farber, who was born in Cuba and came to the United States in her teens, is the first Hispanic woman to become a partner at a major law firm in New Jersey as well as the first to have served as a New Jersey cabinet officer. She served as New Jersey Public Advocate and Public Defender in former Governor Florio's cabinet, and as Attorney General in Governor Corzine’s cabinet.

Additional commentary will be provided by the author, Milagros Castillo-Montoya and Dr. Olga Jiménez-Wagenheim, Professor Emerita, Rutgers University, who served as Director of the Latino Community Profiles Project.  The publication of "Cubans in New Jersey: Migrants Tell Their Story" was made possible in part by a generous donation from Esther Gatria in honor of her late aunt, América Gatria.

This event is cosponsored by the Friends of the HRIC (FoHRIC), an organization established to support the work of the NJHRIC with the goal of spreading the word about the need to establish a historical repository to preserve data on various Latino communities in New Jersey. The FoHRIC (www.friendsofhric.org) also sponsors events and activities that help increase awareness of the various Latino communities in New Jersey.

A reception and book signing will follow the presentation. Cubans in New Jersey: Migrants Tell Their Stories will be available for purchase at this event. 

Please RSVP to ibetancourt@npl.org or 973-733-7772.   

Directions to the Library and parking information: http://www.npl.org/Pages/AboutLibrary/directions.html

All Newark Public Library programs are free and open to the general public.  

For additional information, please call 973–733–7772 (Sala Hispanoamericana) or email ibetancourt@npl.org. 

Latino Action Network Foundation Joins National Latino Voter Registration Drive

The Latino Action Network Foundation is co-sponsoring the New Jersey Kick-Off Event for the ¡Ya Es Hora! ¡Ve y Vota! National Voter Registration Drive this Thursday in Newark, New Jersey.  

When: Thursday, October 4, 2012 at 5 pm

Where: Barringer High School, 90 Parker St. Newark, NJ.

RSVP: Please call (973) 945-5532 or email NJCivic@lafuenteinc.org or click "going" on our Facebook Event Page.

We encourage everyone to bring family, friend and neighbors to learn more about the importance of voting and your rights as a voter.  We will be registering people to vote at the event as well as signing up volunteers that want to help register others to vote.

The Latino Action Network Foundation is proud to partner with Unvision, NALEO, Hispanic Federation, La Fuente, La Casa de Don Pedro, and many other partners on this project. We hope you can join us for this important mobilizing event!

For more info please call (973) 945-5532 or email NJCivic@lafuenteinc.org.

Event is nonpartisan and not affiliated with any candidate. The sole purpose is to mobilize our community. Your Vote, Our Voice! Tu Voto, Nuestra Voz!

###

Latino Action Network
PO Box 943
Freehold, NJ 07728

www.LatinoActionNetwork.org

Click HERE to Join the Latino Action Network

NJ Health Insurance Exchange Act Clears Committee

Trenton, NJ - The  New Jersey Health Benefit Exchange Act (S-2135) cleared the Senate Commerce Committee yesterday.  Daniel Santo Pietro, Chair of the Public Policy of the Latino Action Network (LAN) testified before the Senate Commerce Committee in support of the New Jersey Health Benefit Exchange Act (S2135). Click HERE to read Daniel's testimony.  The article below describes yesterday's proceedings and includes a statement by Santo Pietro.  Click HERE to read the article on the NJ Spotlight website.
 

NJ Health Insurance Exchange Clears Committee 

Amended legislation addresses many of the issues lawmakers, advocates, and activists had with original bill

By Joe Tyrrell, October 2, 2012 in Healthcare

NJ Spotlight 

Renewed legislation establishing a state health insurance exchange to oversee coverage won approval from the Senate’s commerce committee on Monday -- after some tinkering to the makeup of the exchange's governing board.

State health exchanges are a key provision of the federal Affordable Care Act. These virtual marketplaces let individuals and small businesses compare their options for private health insurance by cost and coverage.

LAN Public Policy Chair Testifies in Support of New Jersey Health Benefit Exchange Act (S-2135)

Daniel Santo Pietro, Chair of the Public Policy of the Latino Action Network (LAN) testified before the Senate Commerce Committee in support of the New Jersey Health Benefit Exchange Act (S2135).  If passed, the bill would set up a state-run insurance exchange as a way to give uninsured people a way to buy health insurance plans as part of the federal health insurance overhaul.  Santo Pietro pointed out that Latino workers who are employed in service jobs that offer no health coverage and Latino small business owners and their employees are a large part of the uninsured population, about 400 thousand.  Given the need to reach out to such a large portion of the Hispanics, he urged the inclusion of Latinos on the board of the newly created exchange.  He also urged the bill's rapid passage and enactment into law in New Jersey, so we can all start the work that should be in high gear in early 2013 to move our state toward universal coverage.  You can read Daniel Santo Pietro's full testimony below:

Testimony for Senate Commerce Committee

Bill S2135

New Jersey Health Benefit Exchange Act

October 1, 2012

I am Daniel Santo Pietro, Chair of  Public Policy of the Latino Action Network (LAN).  LAN is a state-wide network of Latino leaders from community organizations, unions, academia, and professionals.

LAN has worked extensively on and supports fully the principles of the NJ Healthcare Coalition.  It is critical that the Exchange created under this Act has a strong consumer bias if it is to realize its purpose.  The State Health Policy Center has pointed out for over a year that the Exchange will have to do outreach to many low income people to be successful.  What is particularly important to LAN is that Latinos will be one of the largest subgroup of consumers that will seek health coverage through the exchange. 

LAN FYI: DHS Outlines Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Process

WASHINGTON—The Department of Homeland Security today provided additional information on the deferred action for childhood arrivals process during a national media call in preparation for the August 15 implementation date.  


On June 15, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano announced that certain people who came to the United States as children and meet other key guidelines may be eligible, on a case-by-case basis, to receive deferred action.  U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is finalizing a process by which potentially eligible individuals may request consideration of deferred action for childhood arrivals.


USCIS expects to make all forms, instructions, and additional information relevant to the deferred action for childhood arrivals process available on August 15, 2012. USCIS will then immediately begin accepting requests for consideration of deferred action for childhood arrivals.

• Information shared during today’s call includes the following highlights:
• Requestors – those in removal proceedings, those with final orders, and those who have never been in removal proceedings – will be able to affirmatively request consideration of deferred action for childhood arrivals with USCIS.
• Requestors will use a form developed for this specific purpose.
• Requestors will mail their deferred action request together with an application for an employment authorization document and all applicable fees to the USCIS lockbox.
• All requestors must provide biometrics and undergo background checks.
• Fee waivers cannot be requested for the application for employment authorization and biometric collection. However, fee exemptions will be available in limited circumstances.
• The four USCIS Service Centers will review requests.

Additional information regarding the Secretary’s June 15 announcement will be made available on www.uscis.gov on August 15, 2012. It is important to note that this process is not yet in effect and individuals who believe they meet the guidelines of this new process should not request consideration of deferred action before August 15, 2012. Requests submitted before August 15, 2012 will be rejected. Individuals who believe they are eligible should be aware of immigration scams. Unauthorized practitioners of immigration law may try to take advantage of you by charging a fee to submit forms to USCIS on your behalf. Visit www.uscis.gov/avoidscams for tips on filing forms, reporting scams and finding accredited legal services. Remember, the Wrong Help Can Hurt! An informational brochure and flyer are also available on www.uscis.gov.


For more information on USCIS and its processes, please visit www.uscis.gov or follow us on Twitter (@uscis), YouTube (/uscis), and the USCIS blog The Beacon.


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