Connecting the Issues: Immigration Reform, National Security and the Human Rights Framework, Part 1
The intersection of debates over issues such as immigration reform and national security provides an opportunity for building movements of solidarity amongst marginalized peoples. The challenge, however, in such joint mobilization and movement building is making clear and understandable the shared causes and similar consequences of these issues that superficially seem to affect only one marginalized community. In the absence of an ability to see and make these connections between our issues, the tremendous rewards of joint struggles tend to elude all of our communities.
For IMAN, the human rights framework provides the basis for making these connections. In this vein, and as a follow-up of the UCCRO Arizona Human Rights Solidarity Ride to Phoenix, Arizona, IMAN hosted a webinar Wednesday, October 13, 2010.
Shahid Buttar is a nationally-recognized artist and civil rights lawyer. He has a J.D. from Stanford University and has worked for The American Constitution Society for Law and Policy, Muslim Advocates, National Association of Muslim Lawyers. He currently leads The Bill of Rights Defense Committee. Buttar led a conversation on the intersection of immigration reform and national security. Joining him was Rev. Dr. Patricia Watkins of TARGET Area Development Corporation to assist in analyzing their relationship within a human rights framework.
This was the first of two seminars aimed at broadening the conversation on immigration reform. Click here to listen to Dr. Watkin’s portion of the webinar.