A CALL TO ACTION

Recent events and growing voices in our country now press more strongly and universally to the need for immigration reform, a position our organization has consistently advocated. We, therefore, urge the President and Congress, Republicans and Democrats, to set aside their differences and to enact meaningful immigration reform legislation this year that:

• Is built on a truly non-partisan platform and that has broad representation, that includes business, government and labor leaders, conservatives and liberals, urban and rural representatives, and others from agricultural and services fields in order to determine realistic numbers of new workers needed by our economy.
• Makes it a priority to keep families together.
• Continues to strengthen border security in a humane manner with concern and protection for families and individuals who live near the border. The enforcement effort should keep its strong focus on removing criminals involved with drugs, violence and human trafficking.
• Protects all workers and allows both temporary and permanent workers to enter the country legally in accordance with prevailing laws and economic needs.
• Takes concrete measures to help ensure that immigrants assimilate into American society, with an emphasis on English language capability and on American civics.
• Ensures that laws are enforced humanely and that detainees are treated with dignity and in accordance with the spirit and letter of the law, especially with regard to due process.
• Creates a definite pathway for well-performing immigrants to earn legal status and which is accelerated for those with honorable military service.

Respectfully,

Organization to Help Citizen Children
Jose R. Kennard,
President