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WAAA Gets the Immigrant Vote |
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Just a few short weeks ago, immigration marches were carried out throughout the country. May 1st is a day of action and activism for immigrants and our allies across the country. One of our WAAA partners, the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights and their New American Democracy Project (NADP), set forth a plan of action that began on May 1st and culminates in an aggressive GOTV strategy in the November elections.
In 2006, the NADP registered 15,556 new immigrant voters, recruited 1,552 and mobilized 40,000 people to the polls. Also of note, NADP assisted with the efforts of 8,000 to become U.S. citizens.
The NADP’s goals for 2008 are just as paramount. Beginning with New American’s Democracy Day, on June 28th, NADP will register 20,000 new districts and voters, drive 50,000 new and occasional immigrant voters to the polls on Election Day and will recruit 2,000 Election Day volunteers. They will also help 10,000 immigrants gain their citizenship through the New Americans Initiative.
Over the past six years, immigrant advocates, using state of the art analysis and demography, have been able to launch targeted political action that has shifted the balance of power in over a half dozen Illinois legislativeUS Congressional seat. The work of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights is a crucial component of WAAA’s national campaign and is accomplished through joint efforts with the WAAA Illinois state partners, including Gamaliel, NAKASEC, and NCLR. To learn more about ICIRR’s on the ground program, visit www.weareamericaalliance.org
Photo Source: WAAA
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