Greens Call 'Immigration Crisis' a Fabricated Distraction from Bush Disasters: Iraq War, Illegal Spying on US Citizens, Katrina, etc.

GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
www.GP.org

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, mclarty @greens.org
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805, starlene @greens.org

Greens call 'immigration crisis' a fabricated distraction from Bush disasters: Iraq War, illegal spying on U.S. citizens, Katrina, etc. 

• This is a NAFTA crisis -- Congress should repeal NAFTA, say Greens

• The Green Party plans for its 2006 annual meeting in Tucson, Arizona

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Green Party leaders spoke out against congressional bills and White House plans to restrict immigration and scapegoat immigrants, construct a border wall, militarize the border between the U.S. and Mexico, and declare English the official U.S. language, calling the 'immigration crisis' a fabricated distraction from disastrous Bush Administration policies and actions.

"The immigration crisis is a con job," said Howie Hawkins, New York Green candidate for the U.S. Senate <http://www.hawkinsforsenate.org>, who noted that Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) is playing on the politics of fear with her high-profile promotion of legislation for a Northern Border Coordinator at the Department of Homeland Security. "It's a Republican scheme to blame immigrants and divert attention away from the deteriorating situation in Iraq, revelations of illegal spying on U.S. citizens, the failed prescription drug plan, the criminal lack of response to Katrina, recent Republican ethics violations, and other Bush catastrophes."

The Green Party of the United States plans to hold its 2006 annual national meeting in Tucson, Arizona, from July 27 to 30 <http://www.gp.org/meeting2006/>. Titled "El Futuro es Verde / The Future is Green," the meeting -- taking place near the Mexican border -- will acknowledge the efforts by immigrants to defend their rights and the history of progressive politics in Arizona.

"Immigrants aren't the enemy. They're coming to U.S. for the same reason people came here throughout history -- for a better life," said Joni LeViness, Green Party of Oklahoma Cooperative Council member and delegate to the national party. "The reason we've seen a flood of undocumented immigrants recently is because the North American Free Trade Agreement, passed in 1993, has drained the Mexican economy, destroyed small Mexican businesses, dispossessed farmers from their land, uprooted workers, and depressed wages for the benefit of U.S.-based corporations."
"This is a NAFTA crisis. The Green Party urges Congress to repeal NAFTA, before even more damage is done," Ms. LeViness added. "Democratic leaders are afraid to call it a NAFTA crisis, because they're just as responsible for it as Republicans. President Clinton signed NAFTA into law."

In April, the Green Party of the United States approved a resolution prepared by the party's Peace Action Committee <http://www.gp.org/committees/peace> in support of the rights of immigrants in the U.S. and endorsing "El Gran Paro Americano 2006, the May 1 Great American Boycott, honoring 'Un dia sin immigrante' 'A day without an immigrant' with the pledge for No Work, No School, No Sales, and No Buying" <http://www.nohr4437.org>.

Greens participated in the May 1 and other mass demonstrations in Arizona, California, and numerous other states for immigrants' rights. Green Party members also noted that Arizona is seeing some of the most reckless and rapid development in the U.S., during an ongoing draught, while efforts are being made to privatize fresh water.

"Arizona has a proud progressive tradition, with the best 'clean election laws in the country' and expanded health care for poor people," said Richard Scott, Media Coordinator for the Arizona Green Party. "Arizona led the country on women's suffrage and workers' compensation back when these were radical concepts, and we pioneered medical marijuana laws with two popular ballot initiatives. We look forward to welcoming Greens from all over the U.S."

MORE INFORMATION
Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org 
1711 18th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009.
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
Fax 202-319-7193

"El Futuro es Verde / The Future is Green"
National Meeting of the Green Party of the United States in Tucson, Arizona, July 27-30, 2006
http://www.gp.org/meeting2006/
http://www.pimagreens.org/gpusanm/index.html 

Arizona Green Party
http://www.azgp.org

"No Immigration Hurry"
Editorial, The Progressive Populist, June 15, 2006
http://www.populist.com/06.11.edit.html