• Ensure that all law enforcement entities respect human rights and civil liberties.
• Protect the rights and dignity of workers.
• No cumbersome identification verification systems that would deter employment of minorities/immigrants.
• No criminalization of immigrants.
• A path to citizenship for the estimated 12million undocumented persons currently residing in the U.S.

BACKGROUND

There are an estimated 12 million undocumented persons currently residing in the U.S. An estimated 225,000 to 275,000 undocumented immigrants live in Colorado. Immigration adds about $10 billion to the U.S. economy annually. Under most scenarios, immigrants pay more in taxes to all levels of government than they consume in services. However, there tends to be a net surplus at the federal level and a net cost to states and localities.

POLICY-SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS

HB1325: SEASONAL WORKER PILOT PROGRAM

Sponsors Rep. Looper & Sen. Schultheis

Requires the department of labor to implement the nonimmigrant agricultural seasonal worker pilot program for the purpose of expediting recruitment, application, and approval ofworkers through the federal H-2A certification process.

Status Discussed 02/21 in the House State, Veterans & Military Affairs Committee

Position Oppose

This bill represents a huge step backwards for Colorado farm workers. Among the provisions, the bill calls for a mandatory 20 percent deduction from a workers check as a "savings". It is not the government's role to tell workers what to do with their hard earned money, especially as previous mandatory savings programs have proven ripe with corruption. Workers rights should not be diminished in order to meet the needs to Colorado
farmers. The H-2A visa program is flawed and should not be supported at the state level.

SB087: EXPANSION OF IMMIGRANT ENFORCEMENT UNIT

Sponsors Sen. Harvey & Rep. King

Doubles the number of officers in the Colorado state patrol immigration enforcement unit from 24 to 48.

Status Passed Senate Judiciary Committee 02/04 and referred to House Appropriations

Position Oppose

The Latina/o Advocacy Day platform states that local law enforcement and the state patrol should not be required to enforce immigration laws, nor should they ask people for documentation of immigration status. Increased local enforcement of immigration laws leads to racial profiling. In addition, requiring local law enforcement to implement
immigration laws makes communities less safe by creating fear of law enforcement officers and reporting crimes.

SB139: FEDERAL VERIFICATION OF EMPLOYEES WORK STATUS

Sponsors Sen, Schultheis & Rep. Lundberg

Requires the department of labor and employment to notify employers of the prohibition against hiring or continuing to employ an unauthorized alien and the availability of and participation requirements for the federal electronic verification program to verify the work eligibility status of new employees.

Status Second reading in Senate postponed 02/22

Position Oppose

The Latina/o Advocacy Day Platform states that employment verification systems that deter the employment of people of color should not be required. The federal e-verify program is flawed and does not contain accurate information. This bill could harm workers by requiring employers to verify work eligibility with a system that has been demonstrated to be inaccurate and ineffective.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED IN THESE ISSUES

Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition (CIRC) - http://www.afsc.org/central/ImmigrantRights/CIRC.htm - 303-893-3500, ext. 2#

Dignity through Dialogue and Education (DDE) - www.DignityDE.org - 303.731.0082