Juan Jose Gutierrez demands that Obama use his executive powers to enact a Temporary Protective Status for undocumented immigrants to repay the millions of immigrants who are an integral part of this country’s economy
TIM, Immigration,Events, Jakob Eckstein
Los Angeles, Ca June 18, 2014, at ten thirty in the morning roughly thirty activists of the Full Rights for Immigrants Coalition gathered in front of the Los Angeles Democratic Party headquarters to advocate for immigration reform. Led by Juan Jose Gutierrez, a coordinator for the Full Rights for Immigrants Coalition, various prominent members of LA’s Latino community spoke in passionate favor of immigration reform that would end the widespread deportation and exploitation of undocumented workers and the separation of immigrant families. Among the speakers were Alicia Flores, Laura Pedilla, and Gloria Saucedo, three prominent activists who appear at most of the city’s immigration reform rallies. The three women spoke of the tragic familial separation that deportees suffer and the dangerous conditions at the southern border that children are subjected to every day. Ms. Saucedo also emphasized the importance of trust in our political system. She explained how vital it is for voters to trust the candidates they elect if they are expected to keep voting. Saucedo explained that the Latino community votes for politicians who promise protection, and that none of these promises have been kept.
The issue of broken promises permeated the rally as Laura Padilla called for solidarity among the Latino community during this November’s elections. Like all the speakers before she expressed her disdain for the Republicans in the house and urged her audience to vote Democrat despite their disappointing record of broken promises. Dr. John Fernandez, an honored guest speaker who is currently running for the Los Angeles School Board, specifically addressed President Obama with bitter disappointment. “We are still waiting for Obama’s promise to reform our broken immigration system during his first one hundred days in office six years later. Obama promised to deport only hardcore criminals; gang members and drug traffickers. We are very disappointed because over two million workers without records have been deported since you took office.” The Doctor (PHD in education from UCLA) also deplored Hillary Clinton’s recent statements in support of the current deportations, accusing her of indulging the Republican agenda.
Finally, Juan Jose Gutierrez demanded that Obama use his executive powers to enact a Temporary Protective Status for undocumented immigrants to repay the millions of immigrants who are an integral part of this country’s economy.
Once the speakers had finished, the rally stood together to pose for photos and to chant enthusiastically “AHORA, AHORA, AHORA!” The speakers then gathered to enter the building they stood before to hand over a letter to Eric Bauman, Chairman of the Los Angeles Democratic Party, that requested decisive action toward immigration reform in Los Angeles and the country as a whole. However, to the group’s disappointment, Mr. Bauman was not in his office, Mr. Gutierrez was forced to give his letter to an assistant who promised to hand it off to Bauman. A little deflated but not discouraged, the rally continued outside and the speakers spoke with various Latino media outlets promising to continue their activism until they saw true results.
