FW: Betrayal

[Rosi Carrasco]

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Subject: Betrayal
From: in...@presente.org
To: rosi...@hotmail.com
Date: Fri, 22 Mar 2013 18:31:23 +0000

Tell Sen. Chuck Schumer Give back the money!

Dear Rosi,

Chuck Schumer is the leading Senate Democrat working on immigration reform -- he gets to decide whether millions of undocumented immigrants will be imprisoned or legalized. Yet he’s also taken over $100,000 in campaign contributions from the private prison industry.¹ Is it any surprise that he’s pushing for billions more dollars spent on increased enforcement and detention of immigrants?

Tell Sen. Schumer to give back campaign contributions from the private prison industry

We can’t trust Sen. Schumer to push for fair legislation when he’s accepting money from private prison companies that have a strong interest in jailing as many immigrants as possible.

Already, tens of thousands of undocumented parents, students and even children are imprisoned every day. The two leading private prison corporations, CCA and GEO Group, spent millions in 2012 lobbying lawmakers. Not surprisingly, the result was a sharp increase in immigrant detention and deportation--and $296.9 million in profits from Immigration and Customs Enforcement for the two companies.² Senator Schumer has taken money from both of these companies.

Tell Sen. Schumer to give back campaign contributions from the private prison industry

Sen. Schumer was probably hoping no one would notice he was taking money from private prisons while making backroom deals that would result in more jailing of immigrants. But momentum to hold Sen. Schumer accountable is building. Last week, undocumented youth, led by the DREAM Action Coalition, called out his bluff. And dozens of grassroots groups have started to stage protests.

We know from past experience that Sen. Schumer is really sensitive about his image in the media and hopes to one day become Senate Majority Leader. If thousands of us ask Sen. Schumer to give back the money, the media will pay attention and Sen. Schumer will be forced to respond.

Tell Sen. Schumer the only way he can demonstrate his commitment to real immigration reform is by returning the money he accepted from private prisons. If 15,000 Presente.org members sign the petition, we’ll personally deliver it to Sen. Schumer and demand a response. Can you add your name?

Tell Sen. Schumer to give back campaign contributions from the private prison industry

Thanks and ¡adelante!
Arturo, Ana, Gabriela, Erick, and the rest of the Presente.org Team

 

P.S. Can you donate $5 to support our work? We rely on money from people like you to see campaigns like this through.

Sources:
1. "Sen. Schumer on whose side are you on? New York families or prisons?" DRM Action Coalition.
2. "How Private Prisons Game the Immigration System" The Nation, Feb. 27, 2013. 
3. "What does millions in Lobbying Money Buy? Five Congresspeople in the Pocket of the Private Prison Industry" The Nation, Feb. 27, 2013.
4. "Private prison companies making big bucks on locking up undocumented immigrants." The Associated Press, Aug. 2, 2012.

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