We Won! Freedom of Movement is a Human Right in Vermont!

Posted Tue, 05/14/2013 - 8:08pm

Dear friends and allies of Migrant Justice,

We won! After over a year of organizing, education, mobilizing and constant grassroots pressure, the House passed S.38 on Tuesday, May 7th with a 105 to 39 vote in favor of extending access to driving/ID regardless of immigration status!

The bill now is headed for the governor's desk and he will definitely sign it!

We couldn't have done it without your solidarity! This is just the beginning. Please help us keep the momentum rolling by donating to Migrant Justice today.

Check out this slideshow of the final days of the campaign here:http://bit.ly/17ZWwk5

In the last week of the campaign, a few farmers came in seeking to kill the bill. Some legislators also tried to derail it, offering discriminatory ammendments to require finger printing, to share license/ID holders personal information with ICE, and to limit the bill to agricultural workers.
Our cutting edge work exposed and made public the hidden attitudes that underpin racism. And we stuck with what's worked --bringing together farmworkers, allies and farmers to organize, mobilize, and to tell our story--defeating a total of 8 discriminatory ammendments!

Thank you so much to the hundreds of supporters who made this inspiring victory for rights and dignity possible! One of our members, Freddy Carrillo shared at the victory celebration: "This win was possible thanks to the hard work of our organizers, volunteers, drivers, and my fellow workers. I have learned that I’m not alone. Since I joined Migrant Justice, I have learned that when we unite and speak up, we are unstoppable. Let this be the beginning of many victories to come."

Together, we are changing Vermont and its having ripple effects as several organizations have been inspired across the country to introduce similar legislation this year! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! To find out how your representative voted go here and then please thank your representatives who voted for S.38!

Now, its time to move forward and we ask for your support! We poured our hearts and souls into our Driving Towards Human Rights campaign, and right now there is a crucial window of time for us to bring this momentum and power into the push for Human Rights for the 11 million!

Please donate to Migrant Justice and help us organize for comprehensive, fair, and human rights-based immigration reform, between now and the August break in Washington!

We already sent a delegation of farmworker members to DC in February and again in April to ensure that Sen. Leahy listens directly to VT farmworker voices. Right now, we need to continue our pressure as discriminatory ammedments are being proposed and debated as we write!

Please donate now.

Also, please check out this awesome VPR commentary on immigration reform by Migrant Justice organizer Natalia Fajardo, and please donate today to keep the movement moving: http://digital.vpr.net/post/fajardo-leftovers

Thank you. We look forward to continuing to build this movement with you!

The Migrant Justice Team
*Donations to Migrant Justice are tax-deductible

P.S. Below are some testimonies from our legislative allies:

Bill sponsor Rep. Mollie Burke, Brattleboro: "Vermont can now shine as solving a practical problem of helping workers with basic transportation needs, while also taking a moral stand."

Rep. Kesha Ram, Burlington: "I was proud to support S.38 in keeping with the Vermont spirit of affording and protecting basic human rights for all within our borders. The real heroes, however, are the immigrant workers who stepped out of the shadows at great personal risk to give freedom of movement to some of the most hard-working people among us. They deserve our deep gratitude and respect."

Rep. Diane Lanpher, Vergennes: "I welcome and cheer the passage of S.38. It is important for people to feel recognized as a part of the Vermont community they live and work within."