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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:
March 4, 2014 Julian Teixeira
(202) 776-1812
jteixeira@nclr.org
NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguía's Clear Message: "We Won't Take No for an Answer" on Immigration
WASHINGTON, D.C.—During the keynote address at the 2014 NCLR (National Council of La Raza) Capital Awards gala, Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR, called on President Obama to use executive authority to halt unnecessary deportations and on the House Leadership to pass immigration reform now.
“Any day now, this administration will reach the two million mark for deportations. It is a staggering number that far outstrips that of any of his predecessors, and it leaves behind a wake of devastation for families across America. We respectfully disagree with the president on his inability to stop unnecessary deportations. He does have the power to stop this,” said Murguía.
While 2013 was a landmark year for the immigration reform movement with a bipartisan bill passing through the Senate, Murguía noted that gridlock on Capitol Hill has once again stymied progress on the issue, as House Republican leadership refuses to move forward with legislation.
“We cannot rely on administrative relief alone,” Murguía said. “It is important and it is needed, but it is also limited and temporary. Only Congress can deliver a broad, inclusive, lasting solution, and there will be political consequences if the House does not act.”
Read the full speech here.
NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Latinos. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
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