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Thanks for visiting our TONY & JANINA’S AMERICAN WEDDING blog site – we’ve got a Great new website with updated info and more – please click the link below to be taken to the new website:

NEW Tony & Janina\'s American Wedding website – click here!

New Trailer Up!

TONY & JANINA’S AMERICAN WEDDING- Trailer- Directed by Ruth Leitman from Ruth Leitman on Vimeo.

May Day- International Worker’s Day

What a difference a year makes. Last year on May Day, I was following Tony on the March. He was a white face in the sea of brown faces fighting for all immigrants rights. Bush was still in office and Obama had not yet clinched the Democratic nomination. I filmed Tony along with his small but strident group The Young Polish Initiative on May Day. Last year Bush was still in oofice and Obama had not yet clinched the Democratic primary. This year millions of Americans march on behalf of the undocumented and chant laoudly to ears that will hear them. The Obama administration has agreed to put Comprehensive Immigration Reform on the already full plate of issues to tackle in the upcoming weeks. And we can see a light at the end of the tunnel in Obama’s promise to take millions of undocumented out of the shadows of darkness and into the light of day.

Posted is a work in progress scene where Tony tells journalists about Janina’s deportation- The film will include many clips from TV news as I am most interested in how the undocumented immigrant conversation has been framed in the media. Rosanna Pulido, a member of the Illinois Minutemen is quoted here- She subsequently ran for Rahm Emanuel’s vacated seat on the Republican ticket- but lost to Mike Quigley a Democrat. The turnout for the election was very poor- Pulido, of Latino decent, plastered signs all over the 5th district without any party affiliation and refrained from certain debates, perhaps so that the Latinos in the district would not be aware of her staunch Conservative views on immigration and would vote for her because of her name alone…. who can say?

America’s Voice- Live Blogging Now- Senate Hearing on Immigration Reform

http://www.americasvoiceonline.org/blog/entry/liveblogging_today_starting_at_2pm_est_senate_hearing_on_immigration_reform/

Losing Janina

Welcome to Tony & Janina’s American Wedding- Blog

Greetings… This blog was created for updates and information on my film Tony & Janina’s American Wedding. We will also post updates on Janina’s status in her quest to return to the U.S. with their son Brian, as well as posting links and updates pertaining to comprehensive immigration reform.

I began this film nearly 2 years ago, when I met Tony & Janina Wasilewski on the day that Janina had exhausted all chance of remaining in the U.S. and was being deported in 24 hours back to Poland after 18 years in America.

I think it is only fitting to begin this blog today- as I write this – on Capitol Hill Senator Charles Schumer is chairing a panel in the Senate on how to achieve Comprehensive Immigration Reform.  Alan Greenspan is speaking passionately about how much the undocumented contributes to the U.S. economy.
Links to follow.