Nearly 50 influential Big Labor unions and pro-immigration groups are warning the Senate to reject President Obama’s free trade bill because changes made in the House would bar any president from opening the door expanding immigration and letting more illegals into the country.
In a letter, the groups decried a House decision to add the restrictions to the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act, known as the “customs bill,” that mollified anti-immigration forces and cleared the way for the House to vote for the president’s free trade bill, sending it to the Senate for final action as soon as today.
Pro-immigration groups oppose the free trade bill because of restrictions on changing immigration laws. AP Photo
Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions and others had warned that the trade bills before Congress would give the president a free hand to change immigration laws, raising grave concerns among some conservatives, whose votes were needed to pass the trade bill.
Rep. Paul Ryan, Wisconsin Republican, won changes to the customs bill that would bar the president from using trade deals and legislation to change immigration law.
Now there’s a backlash from the pro-immigrant groups, though it is unclear how much sway they will have in the Senate.
Their letter:
We hope you will continue to lead the way toward meaningful immigration reform by taking a stand against fast track and the entire package of trade deals that will only further harm immigrant communities and set back our important efforts to achieve comprehensive immigration reform.
Consejo de Federaciones Mexicanas (COFEM)
El Centro de Igualdad y Derechos
Florida Immigrant Coalition (FLIC)
Idaho Community Action Network (ICAN)-Alliance for a Just Society (AJS)
Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR)
Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement (ICCI)
Junta for Progressive Action
Latin American Coalition (LAC)
Maine People’s Alliance
Make the Road New York
The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA)
Medical Mission Sisters Alliance for Justice
Michigan United
Montana Organizing Project (MOP)-Allaince for a Just Society (AJS)
National Employment Law Project (NELP)
National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC)
National Partnership for a New America (NPNA)
National Peoples Action
Nebraska Appleseed
NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby
New Hampshire Alliance for Immigrant Rights-MIRA
The New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC)
One America (Washington State)
Pennsylvania Immigrant and Citizenship Coalition (PICC)
Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN)
Progressive Leadership Alliance
Progressive Leadership Alliance for Nevada (PLAN)
Promise Arizona (PAZ)
Rights for All People (RAP)
Services, Immigrant Rights, and Education Network (SIREN)
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas – Institute Justice Team
Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur Justice and Peace Office
Somos Un Pueblo Unido (SOMOS)
Sunflower Community Action
Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC)
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected].
