A NATION of IMMIGRANTS in the 21st Century: Annual = Conference Celebrates Pro-Immigration's Broad Coalition

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National Immigration Forum = Inaugural=20 Conference
"A Nation of Immigrants in the 21st Century:=20
Moving Forward in a Time of New Challenges" =
Celebrates=20 Pro-Immigration's Broad Coalition

Click = here to view=20 a photo gallery of the=20 conference.
The National = Immigration Forum held its first annual conference, "A = Nation of=20 Immigrants in the 21st Century: Moving Forward in Time of = New=20 Challenges," on Thursday January 31 and Friday February 1 at = the=20 Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC. Sponsored by Freddie Mac, = the=20 conference drew an impressive 445 attendees from across the = broad=20 pro-immigration spectrum including 116 panelists, 28 = moderators and=20 eight keynote speakers.

During the two-day conference, 25 sessions were held = covering=20 topics ranging from racial profiling and hate crimes in the = wake of=20 September 11, 2001, to next steps on US/Mexico talks; from = the role=20 of state and local governments in welcoming new Americans to = the=20 continued importance of immigrants to our economy.=20

The National Immigration Forum held a tribute to = "Immigrants of=20 Inspiration" in recognition of the courage, inspiration, and = patriotism demonstrated by immigrants in America in the days = since=20 September 11, 2001. The tribute was presented to four = immigrants=20 whose actions, during and after the tragic events, is = inspiring to=20 us all. Firefighter Trevor Burrell, originally from Ireland, = helped=20 with the search and rescue at the Pentagon after it was = attacked.=20 USMC Gunnery Sergeant Jamal Baadani, originally from Egypt, = founded=20 a group called "Association of Patriotic Arab Americans in = the=20 Military" to promote dialog and highlight the contributions = of Arab=20 Americans in the military after learning of the news that = some of=20 the perpetrators of the September 11 attack were Egyptian. = Carmen=20 Mejia, originally from Ecuador, lost her husband who worked = at=20 Windows on the World in the World Trade Center, and now = advocates=20 for fair assistance for undocumented immigrants. And, the = Family of=20 Khang Nguyen-Khang Nguyen was originally from Vietnam and = perished=20 at the Pentagon-a building he was particularly proud to work = in as=20 he wanted to give back to this nation that had given his = family=20 freedom and opportunity. Serving as MC for the program was = Maryland=20 Representative Connie Morella (R) who affirmed the = substantial=20 contributions made by immigrants to our nation.

In a Thursday afternoon plenary session, opinion = pollsters=20 Celinda Lake and Edward Goeas discussed trends in public = opinion=20 towards immigrants. Among other things, these pollsters have = found=20 that American attitudes towards immigrants were not as = adversely=20 affected by September 11th as might have been initially = thought.=20 Particularly in the area of values, Americans before-and=20 after-September 11th strongly believe that immigrants work = hard,=20 that they want their children to succeed, and that they want = to=20 learn English.

INS Commissioner James Ziglar Announces = Initiatives at=20 Conference

INS Commissioner James Ziglar delivered a major address = during=20 the breakfast held on February 1, the second day of the = conference.=20 Among other things, the Commissioner said that the INS has = designed=20 a plan to meet the goal of admitting 70,000 refugees in this = fiscal=20 year ending September 30, despite the very slow pace of = admissions=20 since October 1st when the fiscal year began. Mr. Ziglar = announced a=20 change in INS policy towards minors, and the formation of = the Office=20 of Juvenile Affairs, which will report directly to the = Commissioner.=20 The initiative will have as its goal minimizing the need for = the=20 detention of unaccompanied minors; seeking alternatives to = such=20 detention whenever possible; and ensuring that juveniles = have access=20 to all benefits and services to which they are entitled.

The Commissioner also said that he thinks the INS should = "assist=20 potential new Americans in becoming full and equal = participants in=20 our society," and he praised the Forum for its = recently-launched=20 Center for the New American Community.

Regarding US/Mexico migration talks stalled by the events = of=20 September 11th, the Commissioner said that high-level = meetings have=20 resumed. In his view, the U.S. "should move forward in this = area,=20 not because it is in Mexico's interest, but because it is in = America's national interest." Moving a substantial part of = the=20 current illegal flow from Mexico into legal channels, Ziglar = said,=20 would "enable the Border Patrol and other law enforcement = personnel=20 to concentrate on dangerous criminal and potential terrorist = activity on the border and in the interior of the United = States."

Senator Kennedy Awarded the Promise of Liberty = Leadership=20 Award

At a luncheon sponsored by Service Employees = International Union=20 (SEIU) on February 1st, the Forum awarded Senator Edward = Kennedy=20 (D-MA) the "Promise of Liberty Leadership Award" for his = four=20 decades of defending our tradition as a nation of = immigrants and=20 for preserving the promise of liberty for America's = newcomers.=20 Senator Kennedy was presented the award by SEIU Executive = Vice=20 President Pat Ford.

In his remarks, Senator Kennedy said that he and his = colleagues=20 support a "series of principles" that will lead to fair and = balanced=20 immigration reform. They include: swift and humane family = unity,=20 entailing a reform of family and employment visa backlogs = and a=20 re-examination of obstacles to family unity in current law;=20 regularization of the flow of workers across our borders, = including=20 an earned adjustment program for long-resident undocumented = workers=20 and a guest worker program "that avoids the troubling legacy = of=20 exploitation and abuse of past programs;" restoration of due = process=20 protections to long-term residents affected by the 1996 = immigration=20 laws; and reform of the INS.

Given the success of "A Nation of Immigrants in the 21st=20 Century", the Forum looks forward to plans for a 2003 = conference.=20 For more information about the Forum, news, and upcoming = events,=20 visit http://www.immigrationforum.org= /.=20 =

=20 National Immigration Forum 220 I Street, NE, Suite = 220 =20 Washington, D.C. 20002		For More Information: = (202)=20 544-0004, ext. 42 rsurana@immigrationforum.org
=A9=20 Copyright 2002, National Immigration Forum, Inc. All Rights=20 Reserved