Elected officials, clergy leaders call for pathway to citizenship
[The San Francisco Organizing Project/PICO California – Press Release] On March 17 the Campaign for Citizenship, an effort led by the PICO National Network, the nation’s leading grassroots, faith organization, to move the immigration process forward by creating a roadmap for citizenship for more than 11 million aspiring Americans launched in San Francisco. During a forum held at the Episcopal Church of St. John the Evangelist, Congressman Luis Gutierrez and leading clergy from throughout the Bay Area led a strong crowd as they raised the issues that are devastating families and communities due to our broken immigration system and the patchwork of immigration laws that often do not lead people to citizenship.
The Campaign for Citizenship is a grassroots effort created to push for viable solutions on the issue of immigration that will create a true process that will focus on citizenship. The Campaign is led by the PICO National Network and its federations throughout California and the country who believe that this new approach to immigration is consistent with the American values of freedom, fairness and family. PICO is represented locally by the San Francisco Organizing Project (SFOP).
Almudena Bernabeu, International Human Rights Attorney and Parishioner of St. Dominic’s Church stated, “Families are living in the shadows of our society and are being devastated by immigration policies that aren’t working, treat them like criminals, offer no real solutions and cost our country billions of dollars in enforcement. We must change our direction on this issue and go back to America’s roots of accepting immigrants who are coming here to make a better life, work hard and contribute to our society. We must move forward to create a clear path to guide them toward citizenship.”
The March 17 event was one of two Campaign for Citizenship events in California. The second was held in San Diego, with Representative Juan Vargas. Many more events are scheduled throughout the state and nation. These events are intended to move people to recognize that not only is this the moral approach to correcting our current system, but this approach is what has worked historically throughout our nation. We have long welcomed immigrants and found strength in their diversity and culture as they work hard to improve the quality of life for themselves and their families.
Our current immigration system has left 11 million people living and working in the shadows of our communities throughout the United States. Two-thirds of them have been in this country for more than a decade and have become vital members of the workforce and the local economy. These are people that we live alongside every day as we shop, work, learn and worship and they are a positive contributing force in our local and national economy.
“My mother came to this country when I was a young child in hopes of earning enough money to have us join her. After years of being apart we were finally able to be together,” said Dora Torres, a 19 year-old-DREAMER. “While our family has always worked hard and tried to be a positive part of our community, I’ve lived in fear of being deported as I’ve watched my family members taken away. I’ve seen the pain and turmoil this has caused our family through the years. I love my new country and just want a chance to be a productive citizen.”
President Obama has stated that it is time for a solution to this issue and we are going to continue to drive this message to the President and Congress to ensure that they make creating citizenship legislation a top priority for 2013 and create a true path for citizenship for all Americans.
“For many of these people, they have been waiting for more than a decade to realize their dream of US citizenship. They have been working and contributing alongside us and now is the time to make the American dream a reality for them as we have done for hardworking people who have come to this country since its infancy. The time for this legislation is now, “said Father Richard Smith, Vicar of the Episcopal Church of St. John the Evangelist