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This blog carnival was published on December 10th, 2012, and updated with additional blog posts on December 12th, 2012.

As we commemorate today’s anniversary of the adoption by the United Nations of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, MomsRising is pleased to launch a blog carnival to further the national dialogue on the urgent need for making our immigration system humane and workable.

With the participation of over 40 voices, ranging from members of Congress to nationally recognized advocates, the rich diversity of our country is illustrated in this blog carnival.

The below blogposts each describe a different aspect of the importance of passing immigration reform legislation in the upcoming 113th Congress. These opinions reflect the strong and growing national sentiment to pass legislation that would protect family unity, strengthen communities, and ensure a thriving economy with the contributions of immigrants.

We welcome you to scroll down and leave comments on the blogposts that inspire you and urge you to forward this blog carnival to family and friends so that they can join the conversation. Together, we can make sure that all families in our country are honored and are able to contribute to our nation's economic and social well-being.

Members of Congress

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, (D-Illinois)
Passing the DREAM Act

U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, (D-New Jersey)
A Stronger Nation for All: Why I Fight for Comprehensive Immigration Reform in Congress

U.S. Representative Charles Rangel, (D-New York)
Keeping the Dream Alive

U.S. Representative Donna Edwards, (D-Maryland)
Why the Maryland Dream Act Is a Boost to Local Economy, Country

U.S. Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, (R-Florida)
Comprehensive Immigration Reform Must Include Border Security

U.S. Representative Judy Chu, (D-California)
The POWER Act: Protecting the Most Vulnerable from Corporate Exploitation

U.S. Representative Luis Gutierrez, (D-Illinois)
What Obama Should Do Now: Fix Immigration

U.S. Representative Mike Honda, (D-California)
Bipartisan Deal Possible on Immigration Reform

U.S. Representative Raul Grijalva, (D-Arizona)
Children Have Suffered the Consequences of Our Immigration Policies

Executives for Comprehensive Immigration Reform

Ai-jen Poo, National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA)
The Fallout of Separating Immigrant Mothers From Their Children

Arianna Huffington, Huffington Post
American Dream Should Be Available To All Who Seek It

Benjamin Jealous, NAACP
On Human Rights Day, Sharing the Wisdom of Frederick Douglass

Brent Wilkes, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)
Protecting Family Unity, Strengthening Communities and Ensuring a Thriving Economy with the Contributions of Immigrants

Deepa Iyer, South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT)
South Asians Say It Loud: Fix the Immigration System Now

Ellen Bravo, Family Values @ Work Consortium
Why We All Have a Stake in Comprehensive Immigration Reform

Ellen Wu, California Pan-Ethnic Health Network (CPEHN)
Immigration Reform is Critical for the Healthy of California and the Country

Gustavo Torres, CASA in Action
2013 Must be the Year to Keep Families Together

Jacquelyn L. Lendsey, Voices for America's Children
A Hope for DREAM

Janet Murguia, National Council of La Raza (NCLR)
We Need Immigration Reform to Keep Families Together

Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health
Immigrant Integration Means Health, Dignity, and Justice for Immigrant Latinas and Communities

Lily Eskelsen, National Education Association (NEA)
A Close Up of Gaby Pacheco, One of this Country's Best Known DREAMers

Linda Meric, 9 to 5
Keep Families Together -- Fix Our Immigration System Now

Mallika Dutt, Breakthrough
Immigrant Women Strengthen Our Economy -- Our Country

Mee Moua, Asian American Justice Center
Immigration: Family Reunification is at the Core of Immigration Reform

Pablo Alvarado, National Day Laborer Organizing Network
6 Concrete Steps the President Can Take to Seize the Moment on Immigration

Reshma Shamasunder, California Immigrant Policy Center
Now is Our Chance to Help Keep Immigrant Families Together

Advocates and Allies

Reverend Alexia Salvatierra, Evangelical Lutheran Church
Underneath Immigration Debate Lies a Deeper Conversation About Our National Identity

Andres Useche, Filmmaker and Singer-Song Writer
Dream to Belong by Andres Useche: DREAM Act Song + CIR: Immigration Reform

Catherine Han Montoya, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and The Leadership Conference Education Fund
Still Waiting for Comprehensive Immigration Reform, Civil and Human Rights Activists Organize to Fight Anti-Immigrant State Laws

Felipe Sousa-Rodriguez, GetEQUAL
From Trail of Dreams to Full Equality

Gamito Diaz, One America
Hope Rising for Immigration Reform in Washington State

Helly Lee, CLASP
Immigrant Issues Are American Issues

Jiva Manske, Amnesty International USA
When I Cast My Ballot on Election Day, I Voted for Human Rights

Jora Trang, California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative
Sacrifice at Sea

Kate Kelly, Women's Refugee Commission
Immigration Reform Picture Not Complete Unless It Includes the Face of Women

Lundy Khoy, Southeast Asian Resource Action Center (SEARAC)
My Story

Lynn Tramonte, America's Voice
Immigrant Youth Vow to Fight for Their Parents, Families and Citizenship

Marissa Graciosa, Harvard Kennedy School of Government
New Electoral Reality Makes Our Community a Target of a Different Kind

Pramila Jayapal, Center for Community Change
Immigration Reform Good For Our Economy, Our Souls

Rhina Ramos, Ella Baker Center for Human Rights
Let's Stop the Madness of Separating Families

Wendy Cervantes, First Focus
United to Keep Our Families Together

Related stories from around the web:
Op-Ed: A Surprising Issue Will Change the Way Moms Vote in 2012, Mary Olivella for MomsRising.org
Lack of Paid Sick Days for Immigrant Caregivers Risky for Workers, U.S. Economy, Elisa Batista for MomsRising.org
Stop With the 'Us vs. Them' Approach, Ai-jen Poo for New York Times
Why Don't Unauthorized Migrants Come Here Legally?, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
Open Letter on Immigration Reform to President Obama, National Association of Evangelicals
The Ripple Effect: Helped by a Scholarship, A Dentist Cares for a Community in Need, Leslie Friday for Bostonia magazine
Romney Advisor Regrets Campaign's Immigration Stance, Sandra Lilley for NBC Latino

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The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of MomsRising.org.

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