A few dozen Utahns gathered at the Capitol on Tuesday to join a national movement to push for federal immigration reform.

Members of religious, business and community groups asked Utahns to call the White House and their members of Congress to push a reform bill sponsored by Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., that was introduced in September.

"As we speak, thousands of families are campaigning for legislative reform," said Larry Love, lead volunteer with Comunidades Unidas. "Immigration reform is a pressing issue that needs to be addressed on a federal level today."

Aaron Tarin, an attorney and member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, said many Americans believe immigrants come to the border and see two doors: one marked legal immigration and the other marked illegal immigration.

"The hinges on the door marked legal immigration have long since rusted shut and the doorknob has been replaced by a dead bolt for which too few hold the key," Tarin said. "We need visas to grease those hinges and fix the broken doorknob and doorbell with comprehensive immigration reform."

Organizers said they realize there are several other pressing federal issues, from the faltering economy to health care reform to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. However, they said that President Barack Obama has promised to address immigration reform.

"We are going to hold him to his word and hold him accountable," said Isabel Rojas, program coordinator for Comunidades Unidas.

She said she realizes some of Utah's delegation will never support the immigration reform Gutierrez has proposed, but she added, "We'll take friends wherever we can find them."
http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_13552957


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