Blog Archives

After Action Report - Civil Rights Forum Met with Rita Hart

8/27/2019

Crisis at the Border Visit with Rita Hart - After Action Report
Monday, August 19th at 6:00 pm

Civil Rights

The PACG Civil Rights Forum organized a visit with Rita Hart, who is running in the Democratic primary for the Congressional seat of retiring Congressman, Dave Loebsack. Immigration activists from the many organizations in the Quad Cities working on immigration issues met with Ms. Hart to deliver our message, beginning with: "Children do not belong in detention." At the PACG Blog you can read our complete "ask" and some proposed legislation.

We are trying to set up similar meetings with Republican candidate, Bobby Schilling, and Democratic candidate, Newman Abuissa. We will also visit with other candidates or elected officials in both Iowa and Illinois. Contact Alta if you want to participate.

Alta Price

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Green Drinks - August 29th at 5:00 pm

8/27/2019

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Green Drinks - Thursday, August 29th at 5:00 pm

Fresh Deli at the Freight House
421 W River Drive, Davenport, IA (map)

Environmental Forum

Our next Green Drinks is on Thursday, August 29th from 5 to 7 pm at Fresh Deli at the Freight House in downtown Davenport. Andy Parer from Rock Island Public Works will speak to us about Rain Gardens.

Susan Leuthasuer

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The Crisis at the Border: Principles and Proposed Legislation

8/22/2019

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The Crisis at the Southern Border: Principles and
Proposed Legislation

Representatives from various organizations in the Quad Cities have been meeting to address immigration issues. Our organizations include Progressive Action for the Common Good (Civil Rights Forum), One Human Family (Immigration Task Force), Quad Cities Interfaith (Immigration Task Force), Quad Cities Alliance for Immigrants and Refugees (QCAIR), the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), and the Catholic Diocese of Davenport. Many of us are concerned about the humanitarian crisis at the border. We are opposed to locking up children and separating them from their adult family members.

Principles:

Although we may differ on the problems we address and our proposed solutions, we agree on the following principles regarding the treatment of asylum seekers and refugees who come across our southern border. We call upon all members of Congress and candidates for Congress to consider these principles when devising legislative approaches to fixing the humanitarian crisis at the southern border.

Children should not be locked up in detention centers.

Children should not be separated from their adult family members, or used as bait in immigration enforcement actions.

For-profit private prisons or detention centers should not be used to detain asylum seekers or refugees. Any immigrant in a detention facility should receive adequate food, water, medical care, soap, toothpaste, bedding and access to legal representation. They should be protected from sexual abuse.

Alternatives to incarceration should take priority for families and other asylum seekers who pose no risk to the community. Bring back and expand the Family Case Management Program started as a pilot program under the Obama administration.

Invest in infrastructure and develop new ways to streamline processing of asylum seekers and refugees. Follow international and U.S. laws on treatment of asylum seekers and refugees and ensure they are treated fairly and receive due process.

Provide aid to countries like Guatemala and Honduras to help them address the problems that cause their citizens to flee their homes.

Proposed legislation on the crisis at the southern border:

Immigration Court Improvement Act of 2019 - Would establish immigration judges as independent judges so that they are not under the Department of Justice, which prosecutes immigration cases. Read the details of the Act here.

Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2019 - Would require legal counsel for indigent asylum seekers, children, and other vulnerable groups who cannot afford a lawyer. Read the details of the Act here.

For further information:

National Immigration Forum: Working Paper: Addressing the Increase of Central American Migrants, updated May 2, 2019

Migration Policy Institute: Policy Solutions to Address Crisis at Border Exist, But Require Will and Staying Power to Execute, April 2019

Bipartisan Policy Center: Policy Proposals to Address the Central American Migration Challenge, July 26, 2019

Human Rights First: Testimony of Michael Breen, President and CEO, Human Rights First at the Hearing Entitled: “Kids in Cages: Inhumane Treatment at the Border” before the House of Representatives, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

Note: There are many other pertinent articles at Human Rights First.

American Civil Liberties Union: Immigrants’ Rights and Detention

NPR: ACLU: Administration Is Still Separating Migrant Families Despite Court Order to Stop,
July 30, 2019

Southern Poverty Law Center: No End in Sight, October 3, 2018

WOLA: Beyond the Wall: A Campaign Defending Human Rights and Migrants in the Trump Era and Migration & Border Security

Note: There are many useful resources at WOLA (Washington Office on Latin America),
with up-to-date analyses of new Trump Administration policies. WOLA advocates for
human rights in the Americas.

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Welcome to Our New Office Manager!

8/20/2019

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PACG Welcomes New Office Manager

Hello Progressives, I would like to take this time to introduce you to our new employee, Julie Ross!

Julie has been a long-time resident of the Quad Cities community and has been active in progressive issues for many years. She holds a Masters degree in Anthropology from Southern Illinois University. She is married, has two adult daughters and in her spare time, she cuts snowflakes and raises monarch butterflies.

We are happy to add such a passionate progressive to our team. Please join me in welcoming Julie to PACG! You can contact her at [email protected].

Allison Ambrose

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7th Annual PACG Picnic and Pie Auction

8/11/2019

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7th Annual PACG Picnic & Pie Auction
Sunday, September 15th at 12:00 pm

Register here

2019_pacg_picnic_poster_.pdf
File Size:	820 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

Longview Park
18th Avenue & 17th Street, Rock Island, IL. (map)

PACG Board

Please join us again this year for great food catered by Fresh Deli, music, raffles, our famous pie auction - and an opportunity to chat and have fun with other progressive minded people!

It would help us plan for food if you pre-register at the link above (preferred) or call the PACG number on the flyer and tell Julie you are coming to the picnic and the number of people you are bringing. You can then pay at the door (although this option leads to longer lines) or mail a check to PACG, Suite 3D 1212 W. 3rd St., Davenport, IA 52802.

Tickets are $10 each or $25 for families. Kids under 10 are free. And there's playground equipment right there, so bring the kids and grandkids! We look forward to seeing you on September 15th!

Ann McCluskey

Caryn Unsicker

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After Action Report - Green Drinks

8/5/2019

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Green Drinks - After Action Report
for June & July

Fresh Deli - 421 W. River Drive, Davenport, Iowa

Environmental Forum

Green Drinks!

June

Flood waters had finally receded, so our June Green Drinks went on as scheduled. Karen Neder gave an excellent presentation on Terracycling and provided a wide range of materials that can be recycled from your kitchen, bathroom, office and more. Numerous companies have formed brigades and are recycling materials from their own production, as well as from competing brands. Terracycle Quad Cities is a company that collects and recycles thousands of products. Check out Karen’s Facebook page or go to the Terracycle Quad Cities website directly for a list of products. They range from snack bags to toothpaste tubes to juice pouches. The collection is stored and sorted at Trinity Lutheran Church in Moline and the proceeds go to the Blessings Preschool .

July

Our July Green Drinks had a good sized crowd of nearly 20 people. We chatted informally and got to know each other. We shared our concerns about climate change and local environmental issues. Representative attended from three presidential campaigns: Booker, Buttigieg, and O’Rourke, and they each shared details from their candidates’ environmental platform. Each campaign has been invited to attend, and may be at upcoming events. Check out www.greendrinks.org/IA/QuadCities for more details about our group. We meet at Fresh Deli from 5-7 pm on the last Thursday of each month.

Lori McCollum

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After Action Report - Civil Rights Forum Met with Rita Hart

Crisis at the Border Visit with Rita Hart - After Action Report​Monday, August 19th at 6:00 pm

Green Drinks - August 29th at 5:00 pm

Green Drinks - Thursday, August 29th at 5:00 pm

The Crisis at the Border: Principles and Proposed Legislation

The Crisis at the Southern Border: Principles and Proposed Legislation

Welcome to Our New Office Manager!

PACG Welcomes New Office Manager

7th Annual PACG Picnic and Pie Auction

7th Annual PACG Picnic & Pie AuctionSunday, September 15th at 12:00 pm

Register here

After Action Report - Green Drinks

Green Drinks - After Action Reportfor June & July

Archives

Categories

Crisis at the Border Visit with Rita Hart - After Action Report
Monday, August 19th at 6:00 pm

The Crisis at the Southern Border: Principles and
Proposed Legislation

7th Annual PACG Picnic & Pie Auction
Sunday, September 15th at 12:00 pm

Green Drinks - After Action Report
for June & July