FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 30, 2010
Contact: Jackeline Stewart
(202) 785-1670
NCLR Applauds Menendez Immigration Bill
New Immigration legislation is an urgent call to Congress to address the National Interest
Washington, DC—NCLR today applauded Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) who has introduced the first comprehensive immigration reform bill in the Senate since 2007. The legislation, which is cosponsored by Senator Leahy (D-VT), chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, provides a real, effective, and humane fix to our broken immigration system. The legislation is part of a strategy announced recently by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and Senator Menendez, calling for action on immigration reform.
“Senator Menendez is sending a clear signal to Congress that this unfinished business demands attention. From a moral, policy, and political perspective, there is just no excuse to continue neglecting an issue that has such a deep impact on the social and economic fabric of the nation,” said Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR (National Council of La Raza), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States.
The legislation would restore the rule of law by getting the 11 million undocumented people in our country to come forward, obtain legal status, learn English, and assume the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, while creating smart enforcement policies that uphold national security and the Constitution. It would also restore our legal immigration system, allowing citizens and legal residents to reunite with their families and permitting future workers to enter the nation legally and under conditions that safeguard the American workforce.
“This is a bill that articulates what the American people want—a serious fix to a vexing national problem. For the Latino community in particular, it is a way to end the demagoguery that is threatening the long and proud history of Hispanics in America. We commend Senator Menendez’s leadership and will continue to push for any and all opportunities to achieve immigration reform. It’s about the best interest of the country and respect for our community, and Latino voters will have that on their minds this November,” concluded Murguía.
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