Photo Courtesy of José Alejandro Córcoles
Illinois just brought us one step closer to creating a democracy where every voice is heard and included. Thanks to legislation signed by Governor J.B. Pritzker, people in Illinois who are awaiting trial in jail now have the right to vote. This new law not only promotes absentee voting for those in jail, but also requires officials to provide people returning to their communities with information on their voter eligibility and a voter registration form. This kind of common sense democracy reform is key to ensuring that our democracy represents and works for all communities.
Photo Courtesy of Ilana Panich-Linsman for The New York Times
The United States has long been known as the land of the free and home of the brave, but under Trump that no longer seems to be the case. In an unprecedented reversal of immigration law, the Trump administration announced a new regulation that would allow migrant families to be detained indefinitely. This change not only violates the Flores agreement and other long-standing legal practices, but goes against basic human decency and our values as a nation. That’s why New American Leaders spoke out, issuing this statement condemning the announcement and calling on #PeopleLikeUs to stand in solidarity against this administration’s anti-immigrant, white supremacist agenda.
Fair, secure elections are key to a healthy democracy. However, because of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s political inaction, the security of the 2020 election cycle and the future of our democracy is at risk. #PeopleLikeUs can’t stand by and let this happen. As August recess comes to a close, we need you to join us in telling Senator McConnell to make election security a priority by voting on critical bills to protect the integrity of our electoral system. Take action now and stand up for the future of our democracy!
What a week! On Monday, we wrapped up our largest ever Ready to Win training; empowering 44 New Americans to claim their seat at the table and shake up politics as usual as candidates and campaign staffers across the country! Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to hear more about this training and our newest NALpistas — we know we’ll have some exciting updates to share from this badass cohort soon!
We also had the opportunity to confirm some of our keynote speakers and honorees for our annual New American Hero Awards and Power and Policy National Conference, happening November 14th and 15th. Stay tuned for an announcement early next week… you’re not going to want to miss the chance to join these seriously impressive New Americans in Washington, DC!