Immigration Activists Target Local Republican Congressmen

A day after the Senate voted to pass comprehensive immigration reform legislation, the Coalition for Humane Immigration of Los Angeles announced an effort by members of a California Table to move the Republican House members to support reform.

CHIRLA described the California Table as a network of independent organizations throughout California fighting for immigration reform. The groups will team to launch a series of what they call actions aimed at moving Republican House Members to vote in favor of immigration reform, organizers said.

The effort begins July 2 with the delivery of petitions to several local congressional representatives. On their list is Congressman Gary Miller who represents the 31st Congressional District that serves Redlands and Loma Linda; Ed Royce who represents 39th Congressional District serving Diamond Bar, Walnut and Industry; Rep. Paul Cook from the 8th Congressional District; Rep. Buck McKeon from the 25th Congressional District; And Rep. Darrel Issa from the 49th Congressional District.

“We’re excited to be out there,” said Ana Garcia a representative the Central American Resource Center or CARECEN that will deliver petitions to Miller’s office.

“We’re hoping to show a united front in the 31st District,” Garcia said. “We want (Miller) to know that there is support for immigration reform in his district and among his constituents.”

The Korean Resource Center will deliver petitions to Ed Royce’s Brea office. What some people may not realize is that immigration is an issue that affects many nationalities, said Dayne Lee, member of the Korean Resource Center.

In the U.S. there are about 230,000 undocumented Korean Americans, Lee said.

“We obviously support immigration reform,” Lee said. “What we’ve heard in our towns when we’re out there is that a lot of people are in favor of immigration reform.”

A show of unity is what is needed, he said.

According to the White House Blog, the bill “continues to secure our borders; ensures that every worker and employer is held accountable, plays by the same rules and pays taxes like everyone else; establishes a pathway to earned citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrants; and modernizes the legal immigration system.”