Meeting Rep. Steve Cohen is just one of the topics a group of students at The University of Memphis will discuss at 4:45 p.m. today in the FedEx Institute of Technology.
The students, who are reviving the campus chapter of Amnesty International this semester, plan on meeting Cohen in two to three weeks to talk about immigration detention in America. The campus chapter has been inactive since last fall.
Stopping immigration detention - the detention of someone on suspicion that they're in the country illegally - is one of the causes supported by human rights organization Amnesty International.
According to Amnesty International's website, more than 30,000 people were put in detention in 2008 - up from 10,000 in 1996. Some of those are U.S. citizens.
Members of the group said they will meet Cohen to discuss their human rights concerns at Amnesty International's Lobby Day in Washington, D.C.
Jonathan Bennett, who is heading up the effort to resurrect the student organization, said the campus group decided to meet with Cohen because of his political clout and his sympathy to the cause.
"In contrast to (Sen. Bob) Corker and other representatives, Cohen would be more (receptive) to human rights," said Bennett, junior majoring in political science, economics, international relations and German. "Our legislative coordinator has more contact with him, and Amnesty has a few bills they want him to pass."
Bennett said the group would like Cohen to put pressure on Congress to enforce bills that would improve how immigration detainees are treated and create penalties for non-compliance.
"We want him to work with other legislators to create bills that provide a solution to this problem," Bennett said.
Because the national chapter of Amnesty International is having regional organizations throughout the country lobby congressmen about the issue, Bennett said that he thought it would be a good idea for students at The U of M to lobby Cohen.
Bennett said the organization will help The University to become more internationally sound.
"(Immigration detention) is an issue that affects people all over the world," he said. "(The U of M) is trying to become a global campus. It's our job as students, and as citizens, to bring awareness to The University and make change."
Chelsea Heard, freshman international studies major, said she is getting involved with the organization to support human rights.
"I want to get active and fight for things I'm passionate about," she said.
Bennett said the organization would provide students with a political voice that they normally wouldn't have.
"I think, in a lot of ways, students' politics are limited," Bennett said. "I would like for Amnesty to be the vehicle that drives students' voices about different things. Awareness and action should be our priorities."
Jenna Stonecipher, senior English, political science and Spanish triple major, said her goal in joining the group was to help improve the living circumstances of Hispanic immigrants in the country.
"I intend to utilize Amnesty International as a means to increase awareness and improve the lives of Hispanic immigrants, both legal and illegal, in Memphis and the greater U.S.," she said.
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