Actions Today in North Carolina and 27 More Congressional Offices Across the Country Remind Key Republicans What’s At Stake for Them and Their Party if They Continue Blocking a Vote on Immigration Reform
RALEIGH, NC – At 4:05pm today, Dudley resident Angelita Morrisroe was arrested by the Raleigh Police at Rep. George Holding’s district office. The 63-year-old grandmother was accompanied to Rep. Holding’s office by her son, grandchildren and fellow immigrant families to request that he publicly urge House Speaker John Boehner to bring immigration reform to a vote in the House of Representatives.
The action at Rep. Holding’s office happened simultaneously across the nation with office occupation actions in more than 28 Congressional districts. The national day of action pressured House Republicans to pressure Speaker Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor to schedule a vote on immigration reform. Otherwise sit idly as the Republican Party kisses the White House—and eventually Congress—goodbye for good.
Morrisroe says that the urgency for immigration reform is very personal for her. She has had five family members deported from the United States, two of whom were quickly killed upon returning to Mexico.
“I am so tired of all the suffering of immigrant families. Everyone is suffering for the same reason — the House Republicans refuse to act on immigration reform,” said Morrisroe before her arrest. “Congressman Holding needs to act now.”
The local action at Rep. Holding’s district was sponsored by Fuerza y Libertad. “The message here is that we cannot wait for another day of inaction from Congress. We need something done on immigration reform today. Holding and his colleagues clearly don’t feel the urgency that our community is feeling,” said Sergio Sanchez, President of Fuerza y Libertad. “We can’t keep living and working in the shadows and not have the opportunity to prosper. On behalf the majority of Americans, Republicans need to do something today!”
It’s been nearly a year since the US Senate passed the bipartisan immigration bill, and during that time, House Republicans have used nearly every excuse in the book as to why they can’t finish the job and pass comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship.
While Rep. Holding has made positive comments about wanting to move reform forward, he’s failed to take action and call out his own House leadership to schedule a vote on immigration reform.
This Wednesday marks the one-year anniversary of the House’s ONLY action on immigration, and that was to vote to deport DREAMers. Immigrant families, activists, and other allies will mark the event by making their voices heard loud and clear, telling Rep. Holding “enough is enough!”