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Press Release: LULAC Applauds Rep. Gutierrez for Taking the Lead on Immigration Reform Legislation.
On Citizenship Day, communities across the country call for real action on comprehensive immigration reform.
September 17, 2009
Contact: Lizette Jenness Olmos
(202) 365-4553
WASHINGTON – Today, hundreds of immigrant leaders and representatives
called upon Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) to lead a strategy in the coming
weeks that will get specific comprehensive immigration reform legislation
introduced and moving through the halls of Congress. With the
overwhelming support of communities across the country, Rep. Gutierrez
agreed to do so at an event in Washington organized by the National Korean
American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC) and the Fair Immigration
Reform Movement (a network of pro-immigrant advocacy groups) as part of
their Citizenship Day celebration.
Rep. Gutierrez played a pivotal role in the Familias Unidas interfaith tour
earlier this year that introduced families separated from loved ones by our
broken immigration system to his colleagues in the Congressional Hispanic
Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Asian Pacific
American Caucus and House Democratic Leadership, and helped build compassion
and support for immigration reform.
“The League of United Latin American Citizens is ready to support a bill
that fixes our broken immigration system,” said Rosa Rosales, National
President of LULAC. “We support Rep. Gutierrez and the entire Congressional
Hispanic Caucus’ commitment to taking bold action to break through the drawn
out stalemate on Capitol Hill.”
President Rosales expects Rep. Gutierrez’s efforts will lead to a
progressive immigration bill, which she defined as having the following
features:
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A path to legal status and eventual citizenship for the current undocumented
immigrant population.
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Programs that keep American families together.
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Allocation of sufficient visas to close unlawful migration channels.
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Labor rights for immigrant and native-born workers.
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Enforcement measures that enhance our nation’s security and safety while
reflecting American values.
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A commitment to assisting immigrant integration.
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Protection of fundamental rights for all.
“We are confident that if we can get legislation moving, we can win just and
fair immigration reform,” President Rosales stated. “It will take
leadership and a sense of urgency, and Rep. Gutierrez and the CHC had the
courage to stand up and tell the stories of our separated families at a time
when people weren’t listening. Now they are stepping up to the plate
again in Congress to rally around a comprehensive immigration reform bill.
We hope members of all state delegations join in them in making the passage
of an immigration bill a top priority.”
While a great deal of attention has been on health care reform – and rightly
so – the urgent need for immigration reform has not diminished. If
anything, the acrimony, deception and scapegoating of immigrants in the
health care debate has underscored the need for a comprehensive immigration
solution. Immigrants, faith leaders, businesses, labor unions,
progressive groups, and a broad coalition across the political spectrum want
the broken immigration system fixed now.
“We need smart, sensible, and humane solutions to the issues facing all of
our communities, including immigrants,” insisted President Rosales.
“We take citizenship very seriously and want to help shape the direction of
our nation.”
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The Mission of the League of United Latin American Citizens is to advance
the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence,
housing, health and civil rights of the Hispanic population of the United
States.
www.LULAC.org
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