by Susan Martin and Lydia Zepeda, Welcoming Immigrants Concurrence Committee, LWV of Washington

The League of Women Voters of Washington will submit its recently adopted position on the rights of immigrants in the United States as a concurrence item for consideration at the National Convention in June.  

We need your local League to support concurrence as part of your program-planning process this month. You can do this by identifying concurrence with the LWVWA position on the rights of immigrants in the upcoming LWVUS program planning survey. 

The LWVUS adopteda position on immigration in 2008 that focuses primarily on the admission of immigrants and their right to due process.  

The LWVWA position expands on that by addressing issues that affect immigrants and their families after entry into the United States.  

The LWVWA position is based on two years of objective and nonpartisan analysis. The resulting report, Welcoming Immigrants to Washington State, is fully supported by careful data and research, including dozens of interviews with immigrants and other stakeholders.  

We  ask your League to prioritize national adoption of the LWVWA position on the rights of immigrants in the program-planning survey (available Jan.15) and, of course, at the June convention. The convention will be held in Columbus, Ohio.  

The concurrence process is the best way for the League to help protect the rights of immigrants already in the U.S. and their families. The concurrence team has sent sample language to all local Leagues to use to complete the program-planning survey. Let us know if you have questions. 

For more information, contact Welcoming Immigrants committee leaders Susan Martin at smartin@lwvwa.org and Lydia Zepeda at lzepeda@lwvwa.org.