Tag: pro-immigration demonstrations

In the Streets and on Twitter, Activists Demonstrate Tuesday for Immigration Reform

Advocates started gathering Tuesday morning in Washington D.C. and other communities across the country to hold a day of demonstrations for comprehensive immigration reform.

 Houston, Florida and Philadelphia activists gather with others at the Church of the Reformation in D.C. (Photo: milenavelis/twitpic)

Houston, Florida and Philadelphia activists gather with others at the Church of the Reformation in D.C. (Photo: milenavelis/twitpic)

In the nation’s capital, groups started gathering in the morning at the Church of the Reformation before leaving for Capitol Hill, where they will “speak face-to-face with members of Congress, asking for their support of comprehensive immigration reform,” according to America’s Voice, one of the organizers.

Many participants are tweeting and posting pictures live from the event in Washington. You can follow the stream of live comment on Twitter by clicking here.

The marches include groups from Chicago, Philadelphia, New York and elsewhere. According to AHN, after the visit to Congress there will be “a prayer vigil on the West Lawn of the Capitol, where Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D.-Ill.) … will set forth principles needed for ‘rational and humane approach’ to reform.”

Gutierrez, Univision.com reports, is getting ready to introduce his own comprehensive immigration reform bill, which we’ve reported on recently, although the network’s website said it will not be ready by Tuesday.

Pro-Immigration Demonstrations: A Reminder to Obama of a Campaign Promise

One day after Pres. Barack Obama’s inauguration, demonstrations were held across the country to remind the president of his promise to address immigration reform in the first year of his administration. Protesters in Washington D.C. and several other cities also called for an immediate end to government raids aimed a rounding up undocumented immigrants.

Express-News)

Demonstrators in San Antonio (Photo: Express-News)

“Immigrants who lent President Barack Obama their support at the ballot box joined those who cannot vote in marches and prayers, writing letters and raising banners from Miami to Los Angeles to push the issue to the top of Obama’s long to-do list,” The Associated PressJuliana Barbassa reported.

The demonstrations were more of a friendly reminder to the new president from activists who don’t want the issue to be forgotten in the din of the economic crisis. “He was the one who told us that you can dream big,” Altagracia Garcia, 25, told Barbassa at a pre-dawn vigil in front of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Los Angeles, where demonstrators lit candles and called for and end to immigration enforcement raids.

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