This campaign took 3 years, 12,000 online and on-the-ground supporters, over 670 articles in the press, and hundreds of hours of policy analysis, organizing, and communications strategy. At the end, the staff and members of the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition used this campaign, (as part of the fabled ‘progressive infrastructure’) to help re-make Colorado from one of the most regressive, to one of the most progressive States in the US.
Passing new landmark laws to repeal ‘Secure Communities’ and deputation of local cops as immigration agents, give drivers licenses to all regardless of status, provide in-state tuition to state schools for all Colorado residents, allow civil unions for same sex couples, legalize marijuana and thereby decriminalize communities of color, and despite intense NRA pressure Colorado actually passed some gun control measures.
This campaign was crucial to building a stronger and more just Colorado, and the work I did on it was some of the hardest, but most rewarding and fulfilling in my career so far. A big thanks to everyone who gave up their time and efforts to make this campaign a huge success.
This is a video made from footage at the SoundStrike concert at Red Rocks in Denver.
We worked with Zach de la Rocha (Rage Against the Machine) and Rodrigo y Gabriela to highlight the oncoming onslaught of hate after Arizona passed extreme anti-immigrant laws. The musicians did a series of concerts nationwide as part of the SoundStrike, and were quite effective in helping build awareness. (We signed-up 1300 new members through the text line)
(on a personal note, it was a total thrill to meet one of my inspirations to work for justice, Zach de la Rocha…I got a hug and a thank you, it was awesome!) (And both rodrigo & gabriela are guitar magicians one should see at least once in a lifetime)
This is a video made for the Campaign in collaboration with the wonderful team at Democracia USA, especially Maria DeCambra in Colorado. The band Devotchka provided the music.
This is the sum-up I wrote for the CIRC yearly report in 2011. In 2012, CIRC went on to defeat 16 more bills, for a total of 27 anti-immigrant bills defeated in a row!
“Yes to a Strong Colorado, No to Arizona Copycat Laws” Campaign: 2010-2011
Thanks to all of you who made calls, came to the capitol, wrote letters, talked to neighbors, organized, testified, and paid attention – we defeated every anti-immigrant bill of the 2011 Colorado General Assembly!
Just to put in perspective what it meant this year: there were 11 anti-immigrant proposals introduced that advanced unworkable, unethical, untested, and often unconstitutional, state level enforcement. From compelling local law enforcement to enforce federal immigration law, to proposals to create new and draconian criminal offenses, to restrictions on bail bonds and voting rights, to E-Verify and employer sanctions, to petty punishment of localities for making their own decisions – every possible variation of Arizona-style anti-immigrant legislative agenda was proposed.
This purported immigration solution was part of a national blueprint to franchise the philosophy of “attrition through enforcement”, which tries to push immigrants out of the country through enforcement based laws. This philosophy is most notably modeled by Arizona’s enforcement based, state-level legislation that specifically targets, criminalizes, and attacks the immigrant community regardless of the devastating consequences such policies wreak on fiscal, community policing, and constitutional policy interests.
Thanks to energy and dedication of our members, partners and allies, CIRC launched a successful campaign to reject all proposed bills advancing an Arizona style agenda or promoting the attrition through enforcement paradigm. The lobbying work of Jeff at Mendez Consulting was exemplary and allowed us to have significant and timely impact under the Golden Dome. CIRC’s volunteer policy advisory team was able to react, mobilize, and deliver strong testimony and pressure, which was supplemented by the media narrative in the public sphere. Due to our ability to quickly and effectively respond to media requests, to plan and plant strategic messages, and to create an echo chamber, the “Yes to a Strong Colorado, NO to Arizona” message became the main narrative of the session in the public sphere. Every legitimate news outlet in the state came out against Arizona style laws and we were able to create the space for our champions at the capitol to do the right thing.
We collected thousands of postcards from throughout the state opposing this enforcement regime and our champions in the legislature heard us loud and clear. Every bill met its demise, as testimony after testimony was stacked with our supporters from the CIRC coalition, as well as many other individuals and organizations representing a broad array of policy interests and civil society. Thanks to timely analysis and an ability to react and distribute information throughout the state, we were able to put detailed fact sheets into the hands of legislators, the press, and policy analysts – arming them to reject the arguments of the opposition and counter with a vision that promotes democratic values and fundamental fairness.
By focusing on significant fiscal and economic impacts, adverse implications for community safety, and constitutional infirmities of Arizona copycat bills, we refocused the public debate in critical ways. In particular, we were able to clearly illustrate how extreme laws perpetuate bad policy, not just upon immigrants, but also the larger Colorado community.
A broad and unprecedented coalition of partners and stakeholders came together to stand in principled opposition to such legislation, including business interests, state and local government, legal associations, economic policy analysts, victim advocates, law enforcement, faith communities, nonprofit organizations, and immigrant community members and allies.
This effort was only successful because of the dedication and commitment put in by the many organizations and individuals at the grassroots and at the grasstops levels, those of you who made your voices heard in your communities and to your legislators. It was those of you who trekked to the capitol and waited for hours, who dialed dozens of numbers a day and repeated the same words, and who challenged our elected leaders – it was you who made the difference.
It has been an honor and a privilege to stand with all of you in this fight and on the right side of history. We look forward to the future, as we work together to write the next chapter in this country’s civil rights movement.
