What We Stand For
[Click here for FIRM Principles for Comprehensive Immigration Reform]
FIRM’s History and Mission:
Since 2000, the Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM) has been the meeting place and united voice of the dynamic grassroots movement advocating for comprehensive immigration reform and the civil rights of immigrants in America.
FIRM is a project of the Center for Community Change, a national organization dedicated to improving the lives of low-income people and people of color. FIRM is led by its member organizations and brings leaders together across lines of race, issues and geography to multiply their power. FIRM is dedicated to organizing and building grassroots power and leadership.
The hundreds of organizations involved in FIRM come from every state in the nation and have deep roots in their local communities. In 2006, these groups were the cornerstone of the people-led movement that derailed the inhumane and unworkable immigration laws pushed by Congressional leaders.
In 2007 and beyond, FIRM organizations will lead the push towards a humane and comprehensive immigration reform package that lives up to the best American values and which honors America’s rich history as a nation of immigrants.
FIRM is deeply committed to long-term social change. Every day, FIRM organizations feel the crushing impact that America’s broken immigration system has on immigrant families. And every day, FIRM leaders personify and project the uplifting spirit of hope found in immigrant communities from New York to Kansas City to Los Angeles.
FIRM leaders understand that changing the law is only one piece of our collective mission. FIRM organizations are dedicated to:
- Help local immigrant rights organizations to become increasingly powerful voices for their communities.
- Support and organize youth leadership in our communities to give the next generation of immigrant community leaders a collective national voice.
- Facilitate cross-cultural alliance building among America’s diverse immigrant communities and native-born low-income and people of color communities.
- Contribute to our democracy through deep political education and increases in the number of immigrants who achieve legal status and who become citizens and voters.
- Provide tools, information and strategic assistance to local organizations to make positive policy changes at the local, state and national levels.
- Create opportunities for immigrant community leaders from around the nation to learn from one another, help each other overcome obstacles and aggregate their collective power.
May 28, 2007 at 1:40 pm
Hi there,
I’ve been writing scholarly books and articles about immigration and nationalism for about 15 years and am an Associate Professor of Law and Society at the University of California at Santa Barbara. Out of disgust with supposed defenders of civil rights giving their imprimatur to a reactionary piece of legislation I began a blog, http://stateswithoutnations.blogger.com, that is largely focused on analyzing the fine print of the legislation and amendments being voted on now. In the event you might find some of its information and perspective useful in the largely timid world of immigrant right commentary, I wanted to pass along the url.
Sincerely, Jackie Stevens
June 6, 2007 at 10:17 pm
What is Fair Immigration Reform? Is their going to be a vote? What is comprehnsive immigration reform? I hear all this talk of new Immigration law’s but i do not understand what they are please help. So I can vote. Thanks Brandie Berrett of Ogden UT
June 14, 2007 at 12:17 pm
What is your stance on illegal immigrants? My ancestors immigrated legally three and five generations ago, and became American citizens when they arrived. They paid local, State, and Federal taxes. They earned college degrees. Your website does not address illegal immigrants at all. It only mentions immigrants without the adjectival qualifier. Is this a smoke screen?
June 14, 2007 at 11:34 pm
Third Gen — (I’m not speaking on behalf of this blog). When your ancestors arrived generations ago, it was POSSIBLE to show up and become U.S. citizens. That is no longer even remotely close to possible.
My husband is a formerly “illegal” immigrant — he paid local, state, federal and social security taxes while working here. We even filed joint returns the last three years, before his legalization (which has taken more than two years and counting by the way, and I am a U.S. citizen). He also has a technical college diploma and speaks excellent English.
September 8, 2007 at 3:50 pm
http://www.univision.com/content/content.jhtml?chid=3&schid=0&secid=278&cid=1280357
September 25, 2007 at 9:03 pm
I think it is a wonderful thing you are doing to help immigrants find a voice to fight for the rights of others who want to come to the US to get a better life for themselves and their families. My husband is a illegal immigrant who has been fighting for his residence for 5 years now, and we have two young children who always have to worry about Daddy being sent back. I never heard of this organization until I was doing a class project and I’m surprised you haven’t recieved more recognition in the media and in our community in New Orleans. I’ll have to pass the word on. Thank you for all that you do.
November 26, 2007 at 12:39 pm
During this past Thanksgiving weekend I posted a comment that was contrary to the general trend of the pro illegal alien comments that appear on this web site. The post was not obscene or libelous.
My comment posted and stayed viewable throughout the weekend. Apparently, when you got back to the office on Monday morning, you didn’t like what I said and just erased it.
There are precedents for this; the governmets of both, the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany, censored (i.e., removed) comments they didn’t like. Obviously, open discourse is not something you support.
November 26, 2007 at 6:04 pm
Dave,
Thank you for your comment, which I have left above.
I will reproduce your earlier comment that was deleted here for the sake of our discussion:
“Where do you live? We’ll tell the illegals to go live with you and you can pay their welfare and jail costs. Be sure you have good unisured motorist coverage.”
This was not an argument, nor was it a comment on anything that had been written in the original post. Rather, it was a disrespectful riposte at the author- one that also implies that undocumented immigrants ( not “illegals”
are on welfare or are criminals.
Standing FIRM, as clearly outlined in our mission, is an online community for those wishing to discuss and debate ideas in support of immigrants, document or undocumented.
We fully welcome debate and discussion on this site in favor and against various measures, as long as it is thoughtful and respectful of all immigrants. Your previous comment clearly lies outside that mission. If you would like to post further comments that respectfully outline your thoughts on immigration, we welcome your input.
November 26, 2007 at 9:56 pm
To Nicolawells :
You are correct … my statement was a jab at the comment by the poster, Hennessy, when the very first sentence of his post is, “This should make Oklahoma the laughing stock of the nation.”
One offence does not cure another but, it will certainly let the instigator know that his comment is not well received.
June 18, 2008 at 3:29 pm
Very interesting use of the English language. Using the word “Undocumented” instead of “Illegal”.
Crossing the border as some do, (ie. in the dead of night, etc), and sneaking in is WRONG!
Try the reverse going south,(and see what a Mexican prison is like). and see what happens. I have no problem with other nationalities immegrating to the US, and I agree with the Guest Worker status idea, But I cannot abide the sneaking in part. Not to mention the ammount of Drugs, etc that cone in to the US via the same route.
I am sure you will think I’m some sort of racist, but so be it. I have very good friends and former co-workers who came from south of the border, and did it by the book. They for the most part, are also not happy about the Illegal Immagrants.
June 28, 2008 at 4:59 pm
I lived in another country and paid very careful attention to not breaking any laws. I would have liked to stay but I would have been ILLEGAL if I had, so I left. Life sucks sometimes.
There is no way you can claim that someone is “only undocumented” but not illegal if it is illegal to live here without documents. You can repeat your mantra forever and it will never be the truth.
You also kid yourselves if you think that everyone that is against illegals is a racist. That’s your own mind-bending “out” but it makes no sense whatsoever.
People who came here centuries or decade ago obeyed the laws of the time, and current people who wish to live here need to obey the laws that exist now. I don’t mind a good discussion about those laws but until they are changed the illegals need to go home.
My apologies to my American Indian friends (and ex-wife) for starting history anywhere after 1492, but this is the only world I have to live in.