The following is a press release from the Fair Immigration Reform Movement:
At Capitol Christmas Tree Lighting, Kids Tell Boehner: All We Want for Christmas is Our Families
A group of immigrant children and their families sang to Speaker John Boehner – calling out his inaction on immigration reform during the Capitol Christmas tree lighting ceremony on the West Lawn of the Capitol today.
Speaker Boehner has refused to bring a comprehensive immigration reform bill to the House floor this year, leaving in place a system that works to indiscriminately to separate children from their parents. Under Boehner’s de facto policy of family separation, children like Cecia Soza, 17, of Florida lose their parents every single day, forcing them to experience extreme stress, difficulty and sadness.
Today, Cecia, Esteban Verdugo, 11, of Michigan and 40 other children sang “Speaker Sir” to the tune of Jingle Bells: “Speaker Sir, Speaker Sir, don’t you let us down! Deportations hurt this nation, act for families now!”
Their parents chanted “Boehner, Remember! We voted in November!”
The children are part of the Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM) and its Keeping Families Together: Youth in Action campaign. This is the second time in a month’s time that FIRM has brought children to Washington to make personal appeals to House GOP leadership.
The children will hold other events and actions Wednesday and Thursday. The children are from the following states: Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington state.