On a rainy Thursday in Washington, D.C. hundreds of activists packed into a local Capitol Hill church for a national town hall meeting on immigration reform. Over 700 people from 35 states filled the sanctuary where they listened to families and leaders from the faith community, organized labor and Congress share their firsthand experiences as to how our current broken immigration hurts countless families, communities and workplaces – and all pointing to the pressing need for comprehensive immigration reform.
Yesterday morning’s gathering marked a major initiative led by a broad-based immigration reform movement of faith, labor, civil rights and grassroots activists from around the country. These groups have joined together to ensure that comprehensive immigration reform is a legislative priority in this congressional session.
We’ve heard that this campaign has galvanized thousands already, flooding congressional offices with tens of thousands of faxes calling for immigration reform! We are encouraged that the administration and members of Congress have committed to tackle comprehensive immigration reform. Just this week, Representative Honda (CA-15) introduced the Reuniting Families Act (H.R. 2709), legislation that would update and strengthen measures to promote family unity within the immigration system, including a reduction of family immigration visa backlogs.
However, rally organizers reminded us that we must continue to make our voices heard through phone calls, faxes, and meetings with our elected officials. Join thousands of others in demanding Congress to step up its pace to enact immigration reform that is humane and sensible. Click here to take action!
* Photo taken by Christa Schelter (LAWG) on 6/4/09 at Reunión Nacional por la Reforma Migratoria, Lutheran Church of the Reformation, Capitol Hill
