Thread: Immigration Reform: The Phone Call Heard Around the Country

NEW YORK--Organizers described them as immigration reform "house parties."

Across the country last night, in churches, schools, immigrant support centers and private homes, backers of immigration reform gathered around telephones (the speaker phone turning the device into a de-facto radio) as Hispanic U.S. legislators laid out the strategy for pushing a reform of the immigration system in 2010.

On the call were Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill.; Nydia Velázquez, D-N.Y.; and Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz. Immigrant rights advocates from various parts of the country also spoke.

In effect, the event was a massive conference call, connecting thousands of immigration reform supporters to one another and to Washington, D.C. decision makers.

The “house partiesâ€

16,000 telephone lines were active during the event, and translation services were provided for tens of thousands of participants

Huh? Quick someone do the math for me as I don't get it!

Rosa Y., a 34-year-old Ecuadorean who did not want to give her last name because she does not have papers.

She said she had two children in Ecuador whom she had not seen in nine years, and was mainly interested in immigration reform to have a chance to be with them.

This was her CHOICE not ours. She can go home any time she wants to. She also has NO family values as she LEFT her children. She should be charged with CHILD NEGLECT! People like her have no business having children.

"They should give us a chance to get our papers, so that we can work

How in the heck does this person survive?

The illegals are fearful the American tax payer cash cow is soon going to cut them all off!

Rosa Y. is a prime example of why we don't need any more of this "reform" Her absence from the family has a very significant impact on the stability, emotional health and success of her children. There are likely a number of efforts that would provide assistance to her in her home country and she would be performing her maternal responsibilities. What kind of hazards is she exposed to in traveling so far to the US?

And I would wager that she would like to bring far more family members to the US than just her two offspring.

He said the call had made him feel more engaged with the immigration issue. "Since I came to this country, I've been hearing about immigration, but I had never paid that much attention because I came in legally and I'm a citizen," he said. "But that doesn't change this fact -- I'm an immigrant too."

This is what makes me insane--how many of the new legal immigrants believe that there is no difference between legal and illegal immigration. Too many of them will listen to someone who speaks their language, easily assuming they are speaking the truth. I have seen this too many times where even legal immigrants are taken advantage of by other former countrymen who got here before they did.

In effect, the event was a massive conference call, connecting thousands of immigration reform supporters to one another and to Washington, D.C. decision makers.

How come we cant be heard by the "Washington D.C. decision makers"? There are 80& of Americans out there that DO NOT WANT amnesty or any other program that gives ILLEGAL ALIENS the right to remain here. When is it going to be our turn to speak out against illegal immigration?