Immigration Rights Leaders Arrested Outside Harry Reid's Office, Ask Senate Leader to 'Keep His Word' on Immigrant Relief
Advocates for immigrants' rights were arrested outside Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's office on Tuesday.
United We Dream National Field Organizer Greisa Martinez said she came to Washington, D.C. to demand Sen. Reid "keep his word" to support undocumented immigrants and recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. The recipients, also known as DREAMers, demanded Reid show leadership and call on President Barack Obama to provide relief for their families.
According to Martinez, she protested in honor of people such as her mother, Elia Rosas. Martinez's father was deported six years ago, a time she considered the "most difficult moment" of her life and one she "can't bear to re-live." With her father deported, Martinez acknowledged her mother sacrificed "everything" to help her four children.
"The President's decision to back away from his word and delay administrative relief for my family means that my mother still lives with the fear of being torn apart from her four daughters," said Martinez. "Senator Harry Reid has said that he stands by our families. In this time of need, when [Obama] has once again backed away from a promise to our community, we expect Leader Reid to step up and stand with us to demand relief now."
Martinez was among the individuals arrested outside Reid's office. It's unknown how many people were arrested.
United We Dream Deputy Managing Director Felipe Sousa-Rodriguez noted that Obama's executive action delay will result in approximately 70,000 additional deportations.
"President Obama made a promise to the Latino, Asian Pacific Islander, and immigrant community that he would take concrete action to help immigrant communities by the end of the summer. While the president and pundits claim that the coming election is the reason for the delay, the fact that there is an election in November shouldn't have come as a surprise to anyone," said Sousa-Rodriguez in a statement.
According to Sousa-Rodriguez, the hopes of the Latino and immigrant communities have been raised but dashed again by crass politics" simply for political convenience. Sousa-Rodriguez added that DREAMers will hold Obama and other political leader's "feet to the fire" unless the long-promised relief is delivered.
"Senator Harry Reid courageously fought for the DREAM Act and pushed the president to stop deporting DREAMers by creating the DACA program. Now, when our families need a champion, Senator Reid has been silent despite promises that he stands for us," said Sousa-Rodriguez.
As Latin Post reported, United We Dream also confronted Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., during a book signing in late August. In fact, it was Martinez who confronted Ryan and asked the representative why he wants to deport her mother and herself.
Obama announced he will delay immigration executive action until after November, most likely after the midterm elections. Obama said he wants to guarantee his executive action is "sustainable" and ensure he has the right legal authority. The president also added he wants the public to understand the facts about the current immigration climate on the southern U.S. border.
Sousa-Rodriguez said, "It is time for the President to act and it is time for Congressional leaders who have said they stand with us to stand up and demand that President Barack Obama deliver."