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Press Release

RECENT WAVE OF HOUSE HEARINGS ARE SEEN AS BACKPEDALING ON COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM.
LULAC urges House leadership to move process forward

July 13, 2006

Contact: Lizette Jenness Olmos, (202) 365-4553
ljolmos@lulac.org
 

Washington, DC – The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is disappointed by attempts of Republican-led House committee members to keep comprehensive immigration reform delayed and urge House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) to use his leadership to name conferees and move forward with a conference process, rather than stall action on urgently-needed reform.

“The hearings taking place around the country are being used by Republicans as a stalling tactic to comprehensive immigration reform and are completely inappropriate,” said LULAC National President Rosa Rosales.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez yesterday testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee and said tighter borders and workplace enforcement alone will not solve the country's problem with illegal immigration and may make the situation worse by driving millions of people deeper in the shadows. A series of hearings mostly focused on border enforcement have taken place this month in Philadelphia, San Diego and Laredo and further hearings will be focused on making English the nation’s official language. A hearing the week of August 14 in Arizona will focus on costs to local and state governments.

In contrast to the House of Representatives summer stall-tactic hearings on the border, communities in all four border-states are organizing forums of their own to ensure that their voices are heard. Community members, business owners, church groups, and other sectors of our communities are invited to participate.

Community hearings will be held in:
Southern New Mexico/West Texas (Saturday, August 5)
Houston (Saturday, August 5)
Nogales (Saturday, August 12 -tentative)
Tucson (Saturday, August 19)

“House Republicans argue that the President’s proposal is akin to giving amnesty although this could not be further from the truth. We hope the President will stay strong to his commitment to comprehensive immigration reform and not be pressured by House Republicans to look at an enforcement only approach that is not conducive to solving the immigration problem,” said Rosales.

The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the oldest and largest Latino civil rights organization in the United States. LULAC advances the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, health, and civil rights of Hispanic Americans through community-based programs operating at more than 700 LULAC councils nationwide. 

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