It’s been seven long months and there is still no immigration bill in the House of Representatives. We need more than just “agreements in principle” from the House. We need legislation that will keep families together and provide a path to path to citizenship for the 11 million men, women and children in this country who are living in the shadows, vulnerable to abuse because they lack legal documentation, and unable to fully participate in a country they help to build.

John Boehner, the Speaker of the House has not gotten the job done. Speaker Boehner and the Republicans in the House would be well served to Remember November.

Remember November: Over the Memorial Day Recess the member organizations of the Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM) in 30 states will lead over 100 voter registration rallies, town hall meetings, marches, and congressional visits to urge Republican leaders to REMEMBER November and pass immigration reform!

Remember November: Immigrant and Latino voters turned out in record numbers to elect candidates who support comprehensive, commonsense, compassionate immigration reform. The GOP’s lurch to the right on immigration clearly cost them the White House and the Senate in 2012.

Remember November: A real path to citizenship with no unnecessary obstacles is the cornerstone of real reform. Throwing up roadblocks along this path is unacceptable. Citizenship should not be contingent on enforcement and employment verification “triggers”, it should be measured through family unity.

Remember November: We need a comprehensive, just and humane immigration reform. We need a comprehensive approach that makes sense for everyone living in our country. Real reform must include:

• A path to citizenship for all members of our community;
• Reuniting families and reducing immigration backlogs;
• Opportunities for safe future migration and worker protections;
• Border policies that respect border and immigrant communities;
• Fair enforcement policies that respect the safety and security of all;
• Fundamental due process; and
• Opportunities to recognize immigrants’ full humanity.

Remember November: Immigration reform is first and foremost about families and the moral crisis that our broken immigration system visits on our nation’s communities every day. We will not forget or forgive those who stand for policies that delay immediate action to end the destruction of our families.

Remember November: These families are voters who will turn out again and again. And these voters are only growing stronger and more powerful. We will reject piecemeal reform, cosmetic adjustments and any bill filled with obstacles for our families. No appeal to our voters can be heard while this moral crisis continues. In the words of Sen. Marco Rubio himself: “It’s very hard to make the economic argument to people who think you want to deport their grandmother.”

Remember November: The American people support reform. A bipartisan poll conducted by Hart Research and Public Opinion Strategies found 80 percent of Americans support reform that includes citizenship for undocumented immigrants. Most polls show citizenship favored by a 2-1 margin, with support even from Republicans. Latino Decisions polling shows that Latino voters are watching the debate closely and want results.

Remember November: We were out in force in the field, on the phones, online and in Washington. We are turning up the heat again. Our network has committed to over 100 actions to deliver our message directly to Republican house members.

We marched, we rallied, we VOTED and we will vote AGAIN. Remember November.

The families will continue to speak of the importance of including a right to reunite in the bill as they tell their stories of the emotional and financial hardship caused by the current broken immigration system.

This action is part of an effort to increase immigrant presence in Congress as the immigration bill debate continues.  Families from across the country have engaged in a range of actions including vigils, lobby visits, and protests such as today’s to call on Congress for a real, clear and direct path to citizenship, not an endless, unworkable obstacle course.  In many ways, Senator Cruz’s actions during committee debate, largely defeated, represent the worst attacks on immigrant families the process has seen to date.

DETAILS:

What: Immigrant Family Reunion
Where: Senator Ted Cruz office, B40B Dirksen Building, U.S. Senate
When: Wednesday, May 21st 2013 12:30 PM
Who: Immigrant Families, CASA in Action, the Fair Immigration Reform Movement, and Border Network for Human Rights

“Our country’s immigrant families have become an unshakable force to be reckoned with in Washington,” said Kica Matos, spokesperson for the Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM). “Today FIRM families met with President Obama at the Oval Office — a first for any president — and then they witnessed the successful passage of immigration reform in the Judiciary Committee.”

“This is not a coincidence, but the fruit of strenuous, constant work, struggle, and organizing. Our families will continue to be out in force for the remainder of the process, until President Obama signs into law an immigration bill that keeps families together and paves a path to citizenship,” Matos added. “Too many mothers have been ripped away from their children. Too many children fear losing their parents. This is when the fear and separation stops. Our families will not be separated, and we will prevail.”

Mehdi Mahraoui of New York was one of the seven people who met with Obama and Biden today, and then went to Capitol Hill to continue the daily presence FIRM families have had every day there has been a markup session.

“The President urged us to continue telling our stories to the American public, and we will do just that,” said Mahraoui, affiliated with the New York Immigrant Coalition, a FIRM member. “As a DREAM student, I have a path to citizenship but my parents do not. This is why I will continue to tell my story and the stories of countless others.”