April 10 rally for immigration reform

A rally for comprehensive immigration reform will be held in Seattle Saturday, April 10, part of a nationwide campaign to spur Congressional action on the issue.

Planning for the April 10 event was at an early stage at our deadline. We will post details on our website – www.psara.org -- as they become available and will carry a full report in the April issue of The Retiree Advocate.

The campaign for the enactment of comprehensive reform legislation will be highlighted by a national “March for America” in Washington, DC, on Sunday, March 21. Its twin themes: “Immigration Reform for New American Families” and “Economic Justice for All American Families.”

In Seattle, a broad coalition assembled on the initiative of OneAmerica has begun planning for the April 10 rally. The Puget Sound Alliance for Retired Americans will be an active participant, PSARA President Robby Stern said.

Representative Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) has introduced the Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America’s Security and Prosperity Act (CIR ASAP). The measure creates a path for undocumented immigrants to come forward and regularize their status. It would also create an independent commission to assess and manage the future flow of immigrants based on the legitimate needs of the labor market.

Speaking in strong support of the Gutierrez bill, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said the nation “can no longer allow a broken immigration system to strip workers of their rights on the job.”

Trumka said the current system robs workers of earned pay, denies them collective bargaining rights, and often compels them to work in hazardous conditions.

Momentum for Congressional action is growing. Evangelical, Catholic, Jewish and mainline Protestant leaders, joined by supportive members of Congress, announced they will host one hundred events across the country as well as organizing support for the March 21 action at the nation’s capital.

Theme for the new campaign: “Together, Not Torn: Families Can’t Wait for Immigration Reform.”

“During a time when the U.S. faces many challenges, now more than ever, our country needs immigration reform,” said Jen Smyers with Church World Service. “Families that continue to be torn apart can’t wait any longer and the faith-based voice must play an important role.”

Local Law enforcement officers are also calling on President Obama and Congress to enact comprehensive reform.

It’s not the job of local police departments to apprehend people based on their immigration status, said Sheriff Richard Wiles from El Paso County in Texas.

“There is a perception that undocumented immigrants are a bunch of criminals,” Wiles said. “It’s a fallacy, because the vast majority are here for economic reasons and seek a better life for their families.”

Yakima Police Chief Sam Granato said the current system is inhuman and immigrants should not be treated like cattle. “They’re human beings, and dividing families is just wrong,” Granato said.

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