Standing FIRM

12 responses so far ↓

• michael // April 30, 2007 at 6:20 pm

  I like your site and wondering if you would be interested in a link exchange with proinmigrant.blogspot.com.

  Sincerely,

  Michael

• Jon Garrido // September 7, 2007 at 2:32 pm

  Hispanic News the number 1 website at Google and Yahoo gets hundreds of requests each day for the exchange of links.

  We can not honor all requests so we choose not to honor one.

  Sorry,

  Jon Garrido

• Jon Garrido // September 10, 2007 at 1:49 pm

  I had never been to FAIR until this mornng. Your website is very professional.

  I would like to exhange the link and publish articles and editorials in your website.

  How do I do this?

  Jon Garrido
  Hispanic News
  http://www.Hispanic.cc
  JG@JonGarrido.com

• Dave // December 5, 2007 at 7:36 pm

  Hi,

  I would love it if you would link to our site. We would happily link to yours.

  Dave

• Dave // December 5, 2007 at 7:39 pm

  sorry our site is

  http://www.beyondbordersfilm.com

  Please watch our trailer. I think you will like it.

  Dave

• Renato Barros // March 15, 2008 at 8:39 pm

  Please see my ilsand
  I need help
  Best regards

• N/A // July 29, 2008 at 2:50 pm

  USCIS update – July 24/2008.
  New vaccines requirement for immigrants in order to get their green card.

  It really piss me off that everyday they are adding more barriers and also consider all immigrants sick people when the only sick thing on this country is the health corrupt system.

• Tera // November 7, 2008 at 8:48 pm

  I am speechless. . .
  All I can say is UNBELIEVABLE.

• Bill Morris // January 31, 2009 at 12:17 am

  I’m a Democrat and a liberal on most social issues. What’s more, my son’s middle name is Rodriguez. I see your organization, however, as either misguided or phony, seeming to stand for an open-borders immigration policy and all that implies. That policy is inimical to U.S. interests and American workers, having to compete with illegal-alien cheap labor.

• rachelfirm // February 5, 2009 at 1:16 pm

  First, I would like to clarify that we are not an open borders group. Not that there is anything fundamentally wrong with the idea of open borders, but it is NOT what we advocate for. Also, I believe if you read what are are actually about, you would feel differently. I encourage you to look at the FIRM principles:

  1. Provide a Path to Permanent Resident Status and Citizenship for All Members of Our Communities. Our immigration policy needs to be consistent with reality. Most immigrants are encouraged to come to the United States by economic forces they do not control. Immigrants bring prosperity to this country, yet many are kept in legal limbo. Legalization of the undocumented members of our communities would benefit both immigrants and their families and the U.S.-born, by raising the floor for all and providing all with equal labor protections.
  2. Reunite Families and Reduce Immigration Backlogs. Family unity is a guiding principle in federal policy. Immigration reform will not be successful until we harmonize public policy with one of the main factors driving migration: family unity. Currently families are separated by visa waiting periods and processing delays that can last decades. Comprehensive immigration reform must strengthen the family preference system, by increasing the number of visas available both overall and within each category. In addition, the bars to re-entry must be eliminated, so that no one who is eligible for an immigrant visa is punished by being separated from their family for many years.
  3. Provide Opportunities for Safe Future Migration and Maintain Worker Protections.
  4. Any worker visa program must include provision for full labor rights (such as the right to organize and independent enforcement rights); the right to change jobs; and a path to permanent residence and citizenship. A regulated worker visa process must meet clearly defined labor market needs, and must not resemble current or historic temporary worker programs. The new system must create a legal and safe alternative for migrants, facilitate and enforce equal rights for all workers, and minimize the opportunities for abuse by unscrupulous employers and others.
  5. Respect the Safety and Security of All in Immigration Law Enforcement. Immigration enforcement laws already in place are creating fear among immigrant and nonimmigrant communities alike. Ineffective and costly policies should not be expanded, but new alternatives and solutions should be sought. Fair enforcement practices are critical to rebuilding trust among immigrant communities and protecting the security of all. Any immigration law enforcement should be conducted with professionalism, accountability, and respect. Furthermore, there should be effective enforcement of laws against human trafficking, and a border strategy that emphasizes training, accountability and competency that rejects militarizing the border with Mexico. In all cases, immigration reform must respect clear boundaries between federal immigration enforcement, local law enforcement and the enforcement of labor laws.
  6. Recognize Immigrants’ Full Humanity and Eliminate Barriers to Full Participation. Immigrants are more than just workers. Immigrants are neighbors, family members, students, members of our society, and an essential part of the future of the United States. Our immigration policies should provide immigrants with opportunities to learn English, naturalize, lead prosperous lives, engage in cultural expression, and receive equitable access to needed services and higher education. FIRM opposes unreasonable barriers to naturalization, including excessive fees, endless and discriminatory background checks, and grinding bureaucracy.
  7. Restore Fundamental Civil Rights of Immigrants. Since September 11, 2001, selective and discriminatory implementation of sweeping law enforcement policies has not only failed to make us safer from future attacks, but undermined our security while eroding fundamental civil liberties. Failure to protect these fundamental rights goes against the core values of a democracy, and, therefore, the United States. For the benefit of everyone, and not just immigrants, these basic rights must be restored and protected.
  8. Protect the Rights of Refugees and Asylees. The United States has always been viewed as a safe haven for those fleeing persecution. Yet, since September 11, 2001, significantly fewer refugees have been admitted. The U.S. government has an obligation to remove barriers to admission and save the lives of thousands of people across the world fleeing for their lives. In addition, our current policies treat many asylees unequally based on their country of origin. Our country must ensure fair and equal treatment of individuals and their family members seeking asylum, and end the inhumane detention and warehousing of asylum seekers.
  9. Economic Justice. America’s immigration system plays an important and often under-recognized role in United States labor policy, opening doors to particular populations to serve the short and long-term needs of American industry. Under such a dynamic, immigrants can be pitted against native-born workers in a labor market under stress from general economic insecurity. We believe strongly in the solidarity of all workers, especially low wage workers. Any worker – immigrant or native born – vulnerable to exploitation threatens the standing of all workers.
  10. No Criminalization. The United States has a long and revered immigrant past; however current immigration laws, which seek to criminalize future flows of immigrants and workers, undermine that history. Governments that selectively legislate certain groups of people as criminal in their behavior or appearance and limit access to government services and protections under this basis run the risk of creating abuse of authority and discrimination. Such abuse increases exponentially when factors of race, religion, national origin, and sexual orientation are involved.
  11. Restore the number of refugees that enter the United States to pre 9-11 levels.

  Thank you.

• Keith Raymond // April 4, 2009 at 8:52 am

  To All,

  This to let you know that this web-site has begun to censor your comments if they don’t comport with their with ideologies. In fact I’ve noticed that they’ve done that to others as well.

  I posted the following comment several days ago and it was conveniently removed. As you’ll see, there’s nothing in it that’s inflammatory or derogative. It just runs counter to their mission of helping what they like to refer as “undocumented immigrants” or “victims” of ICE raids. Let’s call a spade a spade. They’re I-L-L-E-G-A-L A-L-I-E-N-S.

  I’ve notified Bill O’Reilly of the Fox News Network’s O’Reilly Factor to let him know. Perhaps FIRM will get some air time out of this.

  They’ll probably remove this one as well so you better read it quick!!!!

  **************
  The idea that our immigration laws were somehow designed to protect the United States against terrorists is a canard.

  Quite simply, our immigration laws were promulgated to prevent foreign nationals ( a nice way of saying “illegal aliens”) from immigrating to the United States without proper consent from the United States government.

  I repeat.

  OUR IMMIGRATION LAWS WERE PROMULGATED TO PREVENT FOREIGN NATIONALS FROM IMMIGRATING TO THE UNITED STATES WITHOUT PROPER CONSENT FROM THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.

  If you don’t have permission from the United States government to be here- terrorist or otherwise, then you’re here illegally in violation of Federal Law.

  Indeed, the mere presence of illegal aliens in this country speaks volumes about the moral and ethical constitution of these individuals, not to mention their willingness (or unwillingness) to abide by the other laws and regulations of this Great Country.

  Simply put, they don’t care. If they did, we wouldn’t be on this web-site bantering this hotly-debated issue around. Believe me, I would much rather be in my wood shop making fine furniture. But I for one cannot let go of this and won’t until it’s resolved. And by that I don’t mean the reformation of our immigration laws.

  Here’s a few factiods:

  - The population of illegal aliens in the United States is currently estimated to be about 11 million people. You read that right- ELEVEN MILLION PEOPLE!

  - It is estimated that 57% are immigrants from Mexico, 24% are from other Latin American countries, 9% are from Asia, 6% are from Europe and Canada and 4% are from the rest of the world. In other words, 8 out of every 1o illegal aliens in this country are hispanic. You don’t need a calculator to figure out that equates to nearly 9 million hispanics are in this country illegally. You read that right- NEARLY NINE MILLION ILLEGAL ALIENS ARE HISPANICS!

  - Illegal aliens continue to outpace the number of legal immigrants- a trend that has held steady since the 1990s.

  - The majority of hispanics that are here illegally continue to concentrate in places with large communities of the same already exist. However, they are now settling in both urban and rural areas througout the rest of the country, thereby adding to the ever increasing economic burden of this country. And there seems to be no end in sight.

  To add fuel to the fire, now comes the Catholic Church that condones the continued illegal entry of hispanics into this country, then cries foul when our government enforces our immigration laws by deporting and/or incarcerating them. To that end, the notion that ICE raids of American businesses are tearing the families of illegal aliens apart is laughable.

  Hello!

  Did it ever occur to anyone that if these people weren’t here illegally to begin with, their familes wouldn’t be torn apart?

  Of course it did. But they conveniently side-step that part of the issue and attempt to tug at your soft side by playing on your sympathy.

  Indeed, this storyline is remarkably similar to one involving a former neighbor of mine that decided to start up an auto repair business in our neighborhood; this despite the fact that he was violating our neighborhood covenants, not to mention a city ordinance which forbid such businesses from being operated in residential areas. This guy thought that his neighbors were complacent and would tolerate his illegal activities.

  Well, he thought wrong. He was shut down quicker than a grease monkey removing lug nuts with an air ratchet.

  But here’s the kicker. Rather than accept the fact that what he did was illegal and disrespectful to his neighbors, he decided to turn it around and play the “You’re Not Being Very Neighborly” card.

  No one bought it and he moved out of the neighbohood within 2 years.

  The moral of the story: Stick to the facts and the issue at hand. Don’t let anyone- the illegal alien community, Catholic Church or even Auntie Em attempt to side-step the fact that what they’re doing is not only wrong, its illegal.

  I repeat: IT’S ILLEGAL.

  Accept it and move on.

• M Revilla // April 6, 2009 at 7:02 pm

  In response to Keith,
  First of all, what’s laughable is your idea that this website and organization somehow doesn’t have the right or authrority to monitor and/or control the comments that are posted. It’s a rather uneducated and ignorant position to take in thinking that if your post is removed because you proposed opposing sentiments then your rights have somehow been violated–what’s more laughable is your thinking that Bill O’Reilly would actually report on your eneducated claim that they can’t remove what that want to remove from their own site.
  Secondly, your story of kicking the automotive mechanic out of your neighborhood leads me to believe that you are the one who doesn’t want to promote jobs for Americans. Let’s think about it: An entrepeneur decides to open a business, providing a service to the community, you because of your eneducated and ignorant ideoligies decide that somehow his business has wronged you, so you close him down and run him out of the neighborhood. Who’s the one endangering American jobs in your neck of the woods? To put it frankly: you need to get off your high horse and become more human, and less of a jerk towards people who don’t agree with you. What needs to happen in this issue is that we all discuss it as human beings, and treat everyone involved as a human being, and I believe that is the goal of this organization.
  Thank you.