Groups Focus on Citizenship and Urge Congress to Act Quickly
To Pass Comprehensive Immigration Reform
(Washington, DC) Today, the Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform joined with the We Are America Alliance in a day of events held around the country highlighting citizenship and urging Congress to act quickly to pass comprehensive immigration reform.
The Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CCIR) is a campaign powered by the strategic, coordinated activities of immigrant advocacy, grassroots, religious and labor organizations working to remind our elected representatives in Washington that passing comprehensive immigration reform this year is a priority.
On April 28th events are being held in every corner of the country including Maryland, California, Florida, Houston and Chicago. The groups involved will be holding workshops and bringing in lawyers and other service providers, to help eligible immigrants navigate the citizenship process.
“Immigrants are choosing citizenship at historic levels; they want to participate in American society. Shoulder to shoulder with the native-born, immigrants are contributing to the renewal and revitalization of our country,” said Clarissa Martinez, campaign manager for CCIR. “To continue this proud legacy, our nation would be better served by addressing the barriers that impede this integration—and congress can go a long way toward ensuring the positive integration of future Americans by addressing our broken immigration system.”
Government and non-partisan researchers including the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Pew Hispanic Center, have shown that the number of legal immigrants applying for citizenship rose to 52% in 2005, the highest level in a quarter of a century and a 14 percentage point increase since 1990.
Census data also shows that today’s immigrants are learning English and gaining a solid education at impressive numbers. According to the 2000 Census, 91 percent of the children and 97 percent of the grandchildren of Mexican immigrants spoke English well. The 2004 Current Population Survey revealed that 83-percent of the children of Mexican immigrants graduate from high school, just three percent below the national average.
The organized events come in the wake of several polls that indicate wide-spread support for comprehensive immigration reform. Last week’s USA Today/Gallup poll showed that 78 percent of the American people support a path to earned citizenship for undocumented immigrants already in the United States. And a poll released by the National Immigration Forum and the Manhattan Institute this week showed that among likely voters, desire for action has substantially increased since last year and voters are poised to reward lawmakers who support such reforms. According to the poll, 75% of likely voters nationwide support comprehensive immigration reform.
“The American people have made it clear to congress where they stand on this issue: they overwhelmingly support a path to citizenship as a part of immigration reform,” said Martinez. “The time for comprehensive immigration reform is now, and we aren’t going to let them hide from this issue any longer. Congress needs to catch up with the American people and pass comprehensive immigration reform this year—they need to get it done, do it right, and make it work.”
For more information on individual events or about the campaign, contact mmcnee@cirnow.org or visit www.cirnow.org
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