May, 09 2013, 10:08am EDT
Wisconsin Immigrant Mothers Call on Senator Ron Johnson for Family Unity this Mother's Day Holiday
WASHINGTON
Last week, thousands of Wisconsin families joined together in Milwaukee on May Day to call for a broad path to citizenship in new immigration reform legislation. Now mothers and their children are speaking out to their Senators as the bill's mark-up process, which includes over 300 amendments, gets underway. The mothers demand that the heart of the reform bill stay true to basic principles that promote family unity. Some of these principels include a pathway to citizenship for 11 million aspiring Americans, without being tied to onerous border triggers or other obstacles, securing rights and protections for all workers, and keeping families together by strengthening the "right to reunite" family provisions and visa programs for future immigrants.
Mother's day is seen as a joyous occasion for many families, however that is not the case for Voces member Rafaela, "I opened the door to my family's doom it seemed...even though we told the ICE official banging on our door that my husband was not the person they were looking for, they took him anyway, we are now waiting to hear whether or not our family gets to stay together." This is a reality that millions of families have to live and the reason why these mothers are calling on Senator Johnson to meet with them, and seek his support for a truly comprehensive path to citizenship.
The program will start with a vigil dedicated to those mothers who have been deported. The group will then march for about 15 minutes to the Senator Johnson's donwtown office where a rally and press conference will be held. This will feature speakers like Rafaela who demand that reform happen this year so that she and other mothers affected by the broken immigration system may have a fighting chance at keeping their families united.
WHO: Immigrant families from Wisconsin, members of Voces de la Frontera, Youth Empowered in the Struggle, and The New Sanctuary Movement
WHAT: Immigrant Mothers March for Family Unity and Fair Immigration Reform
WHERE: Vigil at ICE offices 310 E. Knapp Street, rally/ press conference at Sen. Johnson's office (Federal Building)
WHEN: 12 pm vigil followed by short march to Federal building where rally/press conference will be held at 12:45
Voces de la Frontera is Wisconsin's leading immigrant rights group - a grassroots organization that believes power comes from below and that people can overcome injustice to build a better world.
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