Members of the San Francisco Immigrant Legal and Education Network (SFILEN) entered San Francisco's City Hall on Thursday, May 24 hoping to influence the 2007-2008 city budget. The network of fourteen diverse immigrant rights groups, ranging from Mujeres Unidas y Activas to Chinese for Affirmative Action, met with members of the Board of Supervisors and their aides to demand that immigrants get their fair share of the budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Ana Perez, from the Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), led the contingent by explaining their budget proposals during a round-table meeting between the network's members and the aides to Supervisors Chris Daly, Tom Ammiano, Bevan Dufty, Aaron Peskin, and Sean Elsbernd.

SFILEN's request, entitled the Immigrant Rights Budget Proposal, part of the People's Budget, asks for city money for specific immigrant programs within the following People's Budget categories: Workforce Development and Employment, Housing Assistance, and Family Support, all of which they contend will strengthen the city's communities and add to economic growth.

The total People's Budget would amount to $5,700,000 out of the estimated overall 2007-2008 city budget of $5.7 billion. This amounts to 0.1% of the entire San Francisco budget for immigrant services. City offices, such as the Mayors Office of Community Development and the Department of Children, Youth and Families, according to SFILEN, would then allocate the funds to immigrant services organizations which can appropriately utilize city funds to the fullest extent through culturally based services and events.

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