Open Letter to Schwarzenegger

Immigrant and Refugee Rights Groups
“Open Letter” to Governor Schwarzenegger:

“Retract Your Support for Border Vigilante Hate Groups – Advocate for the Rights of All California Residents”


CONTACT:
· National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights:
Arnoldo García (510) 465-1984 ext 305 or (510) 928-0685
Catherine Tactaquin (510) 465-1984 ext 302
· See California-Wide Contacts Below
· Open Letter/Carta Abierta SEE BELOW


(Oakland, CA) Today, immigrant and refugee rights organizations across the state are delivering an “Open Letter to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger” – calling on the Governor to withdraw his invitation to the Minutemen Project, an armed anti-immigrant vigilante group that “patrolled” the Arizona border, to prosecute any initiative, measure or campaign that endangers the well-being and rights of immigrants communities in the state of California and to make good on his words as a “champion of immigrants.”

The open letter, titled, “Gov. Schwarzenegger -- Retract Your Support for Border Vigilante Hate Groups – Advocate for the Rights of All California Residents,” comes after a series of controversial public statements Governor Schwarzenegger made over the last two months calling, first, for the “closing” the U.S.-Mexico border, then applauding the Minutemen Project for doing a “terrific job” in Arizona where they harassed and illegally detained migrants. He then invited them to California while calling for more border security and immigration enforcement, which have caused migrant deaths.

The “Open Letter” declares:

· “One out of every four Californians, like you Mr. Governor, is an immigrant. Your support for vigilantes amounts to calling for attacks on immigrants and diminishes their civil rights.
· “We are calling on you to immediately retract your support for the Minutemen Project and to publicly pledge to uphold fundamental human and civil rights.
· “As Governor, it is your responsibility to protect and promote the rights and interests of all California residents -- regardless of their immigration or citizenship status -- to live, work, worship, study and play free from fear or hate.”

Signatories to the letter are demanding that Governor Schwarzenegger:

Retract his support for the Minutemen, disinviting them and any other anti-immigrant group from coming to California to harass immigrants.
Denounce as illegal and pledge to prosecute any form of vigilantism, hate violence, racial profiling and/or any other discriminatory and anti-immigrant actions or campaigns. And,
Make good on his words that as a “champion of immigrants” he will work to work to provide access to public services, including driver’s licenses, fully fund education, healthcare, and enforce the labor rights and protections of all residents of California regardless of their immigration or citizenship status.

The letter calls for decisive action from the Governor: “You must clearly state that racist and intolerant behavior has no place in our great state.”

The “Open Letter” points out that the U.S. already spends more than $2.5 billion annually on immigration control and enforcement on the U.S.-Mexico border alone. In spite of the firestorm of criticism, Gov. Schwarzenegger continues lauding the Minutemen Project and is inciting anti-immigrant hysteria and destabilizing community safety through his support.

The Minutemen Project, the open letter emphasizes, is “mimicking” the U.S. official border enforcement strategy of “prevention through deterrence,” which according to the Public Policy Institute of California has failed at its intended goal of stopping unauthorized migration and has only resulted in more migrant deaths. Implemented in 1994, the current border security strategy deliberately forces migrants to cross through dangerous isolated desert and mountainous areas. During the last ten years, over 3,500 migrants have died as a result.

The letter closes by calling on Governor Schwarzenegger to work “to ensure the integration of all immigrant communities into the mainstream of California.”


California State Contacts (Partial List):

AFSC U.S.-Mexico Border Program:
Christián Ramírez (619) 233-4114

Comité No Nos Vamos (559) 498-6033

Filipinos for Affirmative Action:
Christopher Punongbayan (510) 465-9876 ext. 305

Frente Indígena de Organizaciones Binacionales (FIOB):
Rufino Dominguez (559) 499-1178

Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Rights:
Betty Self-Cantón (415) 227-0388
Rev. Phil Lawson
Tessa R. Callejo

La Raza Centro Legal, San Francisco
Reneé Saucedo (415) 553-3404

National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights:
Arnoldo García (510) 465-1984 ext 305 or (510) 928-0685
Catherine Tactaquin (510) 465-1984 ext 305

Voluntarios de la Comunidad
Felipe Garcia (916) 568-7565
José Sandoval (408) 203-1696

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OPEN LETTER TO GOV. ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER

Gov. Schwarzenegger –
Retract Your Support for Border Vigilante Hate Groups
Advocate for the Rights of All California Residents

Dear Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger:

We are greatly disturbed by your continuing support and praise for the Minutemen Project, an armed anti-immigrant vigilante group that “patrolled” the Arizona-Mexico border in April. Your position is inciting bigotry and undermining the rights of California´s immigrant communities.

Your words of support are giving cover to hate groups and encourage racial discrimination and hate against those perceived to be the most vulnerable. Inspired by your words, Minutemen Project members and their supporters marched in Baldwin Park, threatening community safety. Regardless of your intention, you must take responsibility for and seek to rectify the consequences of your conduct.

One out of every four Californians, like you Mr. Governor, is an immigrant. Your support for vigilantes amounts to calling for attacks on immigrants and diminishes their civil rights.

We are calling on you to immediately retract your support for the Minutemen Project and to publicly pledge to uphold fundamental human and civil rights. As Governor, it is your responsibility to protect and promote the rights and interests of all California residents -- regardless of their immigration or citizenship status -- to live, work, worship, study and play free from fear or hate.

Mr. Governor:
Retract your invitation to the Minutemen
Stop and Prosecute Hate, Serve All California Residents

First, Governor Schwarzenegger, you must retract your invitation to the Minutemen and any other anti-immigrant group from coming to California to endanger and violate the rights of our border communities and migrants. You must clearly state that racist and intolerant behavior has no place in our great state.

Second, Governor Schwarzenegger, you must denounce as illegal and pledge to prosecute any form of vigilantism, hate violence, racial profiling and/or any other discriminatory and anti-immigrant actions or campaigns, which threaten the rights and integrity of our communities everywhere in California.

And, third, Gov. Schwarzenegger, we urge you to act quickly to make good on your declaration that you are a “champion of immigrants,” to provide equitable and fair access to public services, including driver’s licenses, fully funded education, labor protections, and healthcare, to all residents of California regardless of their immigration or citizenship status.

Close Off Hate, Not the Border!

Your latest remarks, Governor Schwarzenegger – lauding the actions of a paramilitary private citizen armed patrol – are a patent endorsement of activities that promote bigotry and hate. By not taking a resolute stand against the Minutemen Project and other anti-immigrant groups, you are encouraging more vigilantism and hate violence against immigrants or anyone perceived to “look or sound” like an immigrant in California.

We must remind you of your statements, during a press conference over three weeks ago, Gov. Schwarzenegger, when you called for closing the U.S.-Mexico border. While you did not apologize and blamed your command of English, saying you misspoke, you changed your statement to say instead that the federal government must do more to “secure” the border.

Then, two weeks ago week during a radio interview, you praised the Minutemen Project, an armed vigilante anti-immigrant group, which attempted to seal a twenty-mile stretch of the U.S. border in Arizona to stop migrants from crossing. Mr. Schwarzenegger, you claimed they were doing a “terrific job” and invited them to come patrol California’s border.

On Sunday May 8, during a Fox television interview, you reiterated your support for the Minutemen Project, claiming that “no one, Democrats and Republicans alike” wants immigration reform. “It’s not a lack of money. When we can afford the war in Iraq, we can afford to control our own borders,” you declared.

We remind you, Gov. Schwarzenegger, that the U.S. government already spends ten times more on immigration enforcement than on immigration services. The U.S. spends over $2.5 billion annually on immigration enforcement on the U.S.-Mexico border alone. Today there are more Border Patrol agents in the San Diego border sector alone than there were along the entire 2,000 mile-long U.S.-Mexico border in the 1980s. Additional billions are spent on airports and other points of entry.

Meanwhile, immigration and naturalization applications languish for years, leaving otherwise legal residents to live in fear of arrest, detention and deportation.

And, while our schools and health care services are severely under-funded or cutback, even more enforcement monies are on the way. Congress and the President have now pledged to double border enforcement, triple interior enforcement, and radically expand jail space for undocumented immigrants over the next five years after President Bush signed into law the “National Intelligence and Terrorism Prevention Act” in December 2004. On May 11, 2005, President Bush signed the REAL ID Act, as part of the Iraq war budget, which will send hundreds of millions of dollars more for the continuing militarization of the U.S.-Mexico border.

The Minutemen Project, which you lauded Governor Schwarzenegger, is only mimicking the U.S. government’s inhumane border enforcement strategy, called “prevention through deterrence,” which forces migrants to risk their lives crossing through the most dangerous desert and mountainous areas. The Border Patrol began applying this strategy to the entire border in 1994. The result is immigrants are deliberately funneled into Arizona and other isolated border areas where hundreds of men, women and children die every year. According to the 2002 study by the non-partisan Public Policy Institute of California, Holding the Line: The Effect of the Recent Border Build-up on Unauthorized Immigration, increased U.S. border enforcement has done virtually nothing to decrease unauthorized migration and only produced more migrant deaths.

Since 1994, more than 3,500 migrants have died at the border as a result of the border control strategy. The Mexican government states that an average of two migrants die on the border every day, a result of being deliberately forced to cross through dangerous desert and mountain regions.

Mr. Governor, “Champion of Immigrants,” Live Up to Your Own Words

In spite of the firestorm of criticism against you, Governor Schwarzenegger, you continue to commend the Minutemen who have declared they will come to California in August. Taking advantage of this volatile situation, California Republican Assemblyman Ray Haynes and “Rescue California,” the group that led the recall effort of Gov. Gray Davis, have submitted a state initiative for the 2006 ballot calling for a state border police to “secure” the border and go after employers hiring undocumented workers.

Governor Schwarzenegger, we hold you directly responsible for any hate violence that may result from your words of encouragement to anti-immigrant vigilantism. We also hold you responsible if we are faced with fighting a wasteful state border patrol initiative that will further divide our state and communities. Instead, your Office should be working to ensure the integration of all immigrant communities into the mainstream of California.

The time is now to retract your statements and take positive actions to remedy the situation and ACT as a “champion of immigrants.”

We must all work together to create a future where all Californians and their communities thrive or we will face uncertainty and divisions that will tear our state apart.

We look forward to hearing from you.


Respectfully,

(Partial List of Endorsers)

AFSC Human Migration and Mobility/Project Voice
AFSC U.S.-Mexico Border Program, San Diego
Bay Area Immigrant Rights Coalition, Oakland
Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law, Los Angeles
Central American Resource Center
Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles
Comité No Nos Vamos, Fresno
Filipinos for Affirmative Action, Oakland
Frente Indígena de Organizaciones Binacionales
International Institute of the East Bay
La Raza Centro Legal, San Francisco
The Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Rights
Love Sees No Borders
Migration Policy and Resource Center/Occidental College
Mujeres Unidas y Activas, San Francisco
National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
Red Mexicana de Acción frente al Libre Comercio (Mexican Action Network on Free Trade)
South Asian Network
Southwest Workers Union
Union de Exbraceros e Inmigrantes, Fresno
Voluntarios de la Comunidad, San Jose and Sacramento

Shan Cretin, Pacific Southwest Regional Director for AFSC
Maria Marroquín, The Worker Center at Calvary Church
Heba Nimr, Partnership for Immigrant Leadership and Action
(Individuals’ organizations listed for ID only)


To Endorse the Open Letter to Gov. Schwarzenegger
Para Endosar la Carta Abierta al Gob. Schwarzenegger:
Call/Telefonee al (510) 465-1984 ext. 305
Email: agarcia@nnirr.org

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CARTA ABIERTA AL
GOBERNADOR ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER

Gob. Schwarzenegger
Retracte su apoyo a los grupos de odio vigilantes en la frontera
Sea promotor de los derechos de todos los residentes de California


Estimado señor Gobernador Arnold Schwarzenegger:

Estamos profundamente molestos por su continuo apoyo al Proyecto Minutemen, un grupo armado de vigilantes anti-inmigrantes que “patrullan” la frontera de Arizona con México desde el mes de abril. Su postura está instigando la intolerancia racista y socavando los derechos de las comunidades inmigrantes de California.

Sus palabras de apoyo dan amparo a los grupos de odio y alientan la discriminación y el odio racial contra los inmigrantes que son percibidos como los más vulnerables. Inspirados por sus palabras, miembros e integrantes del Proyecto Minutemen y otros grupos anti-inmigrantes marcharon en Baldwin Park, amenazando la seguridad de la comunidad. Sin importar el propósito de sus intenciones, usted tiene que asumir su responsabilidad y rectificar las consecuencias de su conducta.

Uno de cada cuatro californianos, como usted, Señor Gobernador, es un inmigrante. Su apoyo a los vigilantes, de manera resumida, es un llamado a atacar a los y las inmigrantes y socava sus derechos civiles.

Le estamos exigiendo que retracte inmediatamente su apoyo a los Minutemen y se comprometa públicamente a defender los derechos humanos y civiles de todos y todas. Como Gobernador, es su responsabilidad proteger y promover los derechos y los intereses de todos los y las residentes de California – sin importar su condición migratoria o de ciudadanía – para poder vivir, rezar, trabajar, estudiar, y jugar libres del miedo u odio.

Sr. Gobernador:
Retracte su invitación a los Minutemen, ponga alto al odio y aplíqueles la ley,
Sirva a todos los y las residentes de California

Primero, Gobernador Schwarzenegger, tiene que retractarse de su invitación a los Minutemen y a cualquier otros grupos anti-inmigrantes de venir a California a poner en peligro y violar los derechos de nuestras comunidades fronterizas y de los migrantes. Tiene que declarar sin ambages que la conducta racista e intolerante no tiene lugar en nuestro gran estado.

Segundo, Gobernador Schwarzenegger, tiene que denunciar como ilegal y comprometerse a aplicar la ley a cualquier forma del vigilancia por estos grupos, la violencia de odio, el perfil racial, y/o cualquier otras acciones o campañas anti-inmigrantes que amenazan los derechos y la integridad de nuestras comunidades en California.

Y, tercero, Gob. Schwarzenegger, le urgimos a tomar acciones rápidamente para hacer valer su declaración que es un “campeón de los inmigrantes” y proveer el acceso equitativo y justo a los servicios públicos, incluyendo a las licencias de manejar, los fondos completos para la educación, las protecciones laborales, y la salud a todos los y las residentes de California sin importar su condición migratoria o de ciudadanía.

¡Cierre el odio, no la frontera!

Sus últimos comentarios, Gobernador Schwarzenegger – alabando las acciones de un grupo armado paramilitar de ciudadanos – es un rotundo endoso a las actividades que promueven el racismo y el odio. Al no tomar una posición resuelta contra el Proyecto Minutemen y otros grupos anti-inmigrantes, está incitando a la vigilancia paramilitar y la violencia contra inmigrantes o contra cualquier persona que “aparente ser o hablar” como un inmigrante en California.

Tenemos que recordarle sus declaraciones, durante una conferencia de prensa hace más de tres semanas, Gob. Schwarzenegger, cuando hizo un llamado a cerrar la frontera entre EEUU y México, no se disculpó y explicó que era debido a su falta de conocimiento del inglés, diciendo que habló mal, cambió su declaración para decir que el gobierno federal tenía que hacer más para “la seguridad” fronteriza.

Luego, hace dos semanas durante una entrevista en la radio, elogió a los Minutemen, un un grupo anti-inmigrante de vigilantes paramilitares armados, que intentaron cerrar un sector de veinte millas de la frontera estadounidense en Arizona para impedir que cruzaran migrantes. Sr. Schwarzenegger, usted afirmó que estaban haciendo un trabajo “tremendo” y los invitó a patrullar la frontera de California.

El Domingo 8 de Mayo, durante una entrevista en el canal de televisión Fox, reiteró su apoyo al Proyecto de los Minutemen, afirmando que “ninguno, Demócratas y Republicanos por igual” quieren la reforma migratoria. “No es por falta de dinero. Cuando podemos sufragar la guerra en Irak, podemos sufragar el costo para controlar nuestras propias fronteras,” declaró usted.

Le recordamos, Gob. Schwarzenegger, que el gobierno EEUU ya gasta diez veces más en el control policíaco de la inmigración que en servicios de inmigración. Los EEUU gasta más de $2.5 mil millones anualmente para vigilar la migración sólo en la frontera entre EEUU y México. Hoy hay más agentes de la Patrulla Fronteriza en el sector de la frontera de San Diego que en todas las 2,000 millas de la frontera EEUU-México durante los 1980s. Se gastan miles de millones de dólares más en los aeropuertos y otros puntos de entrada en la frontera.

Mientras tanto, las solicitudes para la inmigración y la naturalización permanecen en el limbo por años, dejando a las personas que califican para residentes legales, vivir bajo el temor al arresto, la detención y la deportación.

Y, mientras nuestras escuelas y servicios de salud sufren severos recortes presupuestales o son eliminados, aún más dinero está en camino para el control policíaco de la migración. El Congreso y el Presidente han prometido duplicar el numero de agentes para el control fronterizo y triplicar el control policíaco del interior durante los próximos cinco años, y expandir radicalmente el espacio carcelario para inmigrantes indocumentados después de que el Presidente Bush ratificó como ley el “Acta de Inteligencia Nacional y Prevención del Terrorismo” en Diciembre del 2004. El 11 de Mayo, 2005, el Presidente Bush ratificó el Acta de REAL ID, como componente del presupuesto para la guerra contra Irak, la cual dedicará millones de dólares más sólo para continuar la militarización de la frontera estadounidense con México.

El Proyecto Minutemen, que usted alabó Gobernador Schwarzenegger, sólo está copiando la estrategia inhumana de control fronterizo del gobierno estadounidense, llamada “la prevención por medio de la intimidación” que consiste en forzar a los migrantes a arriesgar sus vidas al cruzar por las áreas más peligrosas del desierto y las montañas. La Patrulla Fronteriza empezó a aplicar esta estrategia en toda la frontera en 1994. El resultado es que los inmigrantes son encauzados deliberadamente a Arizona y otras áreas aisladas de la frontera donde mueren centenares de hombres, mujeres, y niños cada año. Según un estudio hecho en 2002 por el Instituto de Políticas Públicas de California, no-partidario, intitulado Controlando la línea. El efecto de la ampliación de los recientes controles en la frontera (Holding the Line: The Effect of the Recent Border Build-up on Unauthorized Immigration), la actual estrategia de control migratorio en la frontera de EEUU virtualmente no ha hecho algo para impedir la migración no autorizada y sólo ha incrementado las muertes de migrantes.

Desde 1994, más de 3,500 migrantes han muerto en la frontera debido a esta estrategia de control fronterizo. El gobierno mexicano declara que un promedio de dos migrantes mueren cada día en la frontera, como resultado de ser obligados intencionadamente a cruzar por las regiones más peligrosas del desierto y las montañas.

Sr. Gobernador, “Campeón de Inmigrantes,” haga valer sus propias palabras

A pesar de las olas de críticas en su contra, Gobernador Schwarzenegger, usted continúa ensalzando a los Minutemen, quienes han declarado que vendrán a California en agosto. Aprovechandose de esta volátil situación, Ray Haynes, el legislador republicano en la Asamblea Estatal de California, y “Rescue California” (Rescatar a California) el grupo que organizó el esfuerzo de referéndum contra el Gob. Gray Davis, han presentado una iniciativa estatal de ley para la elecciones del 2006 planteando la creación de una policía fronteriza estatal para “asegurar” la frontera e investigar a los empleadores que ocupan a trabajadores indocumentados.

Gobernador Schwarzenegger, usted será responsable directamente de cualquier violencia de odio que resulte de sus palabras de aliento a la vigilancia paramilitar anti-inmigrante. También será responsable si tenemos que enfrentarnos y combatir una iniciativa para crear una patrulla fronteriza estatal que continuará dividiendo a nuestro estado y a nuestras comunidades. En lugar de ello, su Oficina debería estar trabajando para asegurar la integración de todas las comunidades en la vida misma de California.

Ya es hora de retractarse de sus declaraciones y tomar acciones positivas que remedien la situación y ACTUE como un “campeón de los inmigrantes.”

Tenemos que trabajar juntos para crear un futuro donde todos los californianos y sus comunidades prosperen o enfrentaremos las incertidumbres y las discordias que destrozarán a nuestro estado.

Esperamos saber de usted lo más pronto posible.


Respetuosamente,

(Lista parcial de firmantes)


AFSC Human Migration and Mobility/Project Voice
AFSC U.S.-Mexico Border Program, San Diego
Bay Area Immigrant Rights Coalition, Oakland
Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law, Los Angeles
Central American Resource Center
Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles
Comité No Nos Vamos, Fresno
Filipinos for Affirmative Action, Oakland
Frente Indígena de Organizaciones Binacionales
International Institute of the East Bay
La Raza Centro Legal, San Francisco
The Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Rights
Love Sees No Borders
Migration Policy and Resource Center/Occidental College
Mujeres Unidas y Activas, San Francisco
National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
Red Mexicana de Acción frente al Libre Comercio (Mexican Action Network on Free Trade)
South Asian Network
Southwest Workers Union
Union de Exbraceros e Inmigrantes, Fresno
Voluntarios de la Comunidad, San Jose and Sacramento

Shan Cretin, Pacific Southwest Regional Director for AFSC
Maria Marroquín, The Worker Center at Calvary Church
Heba Nimr, Partnership for Immigrant Leadership and Action
(Organizaciones de individuos sólo para identificación.)

Para Endosar la Carta Abierta al Gob. Schwarzenegger:
To Endorse the Open Letter to Gov. Schwarzenegger
Telefonee al/Call (510) 465-1984 ext. 305
Email: agarcia@nnirr.org


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