I just returned from an inspiring march on Washington, D.C., where thousands of families gathered on Tuesday to call for action to fix our broken immigration system.
At the event, Congressman Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) – who earlier this year hosted a Families United interfaith tour to help educate members of Congress about the effect of the current system on families around the country – released a set of basic principles to help guide reform. He spoke eloquently about why this movement is so important:
“We need a bill that says if you come here to hurt our communities, we will not support you; but if you are here to work hard and to make a better life for your family, you will have the opportunity to earn your citizenship. We need a law that says it is un-American for a mother to be torn from her child, and it is unacceptable to undermine our workforce by driving the most vulnerable among us further into the shadows.†Read Rep. Gutierrez’s principles for reform.
Our broken system hurts everyone. In Nebraska, new immigrant families are a major asset to our communities, but the broken system is preventing us from moving forward together. It also continues to tear apart families unnecessarily and with awful consequences. Read just a few family stories from Nebraska constituents.
It’s time for a workable system that lives up to our nation’s values – for everyone’s sake.