The New York Civil Liberties Union held a vigil in front of Congressman John Hall’s office in Carmel, New York, to rally for a comprehensive immigration reform by launching a journey across New York state on Feb. 15.
According to organizers, the event aims to seek immigration reform “that respects everyone’s civil rights and liberties.” The rally is part of the Reform Immigration for America’s “Road Trip for Our Future.”
The road trip will consist of a five-day caravan across New York state, where activists will share stories about the American immigration system, and why they feel it requires immediate reform.
The group’s is asking for several key reforms, such as providing a realistic pathway to citizenship, restoring due process, judicial review and basic fairness to the immigration system, treating immigrants in detention centers humanely, ending local enforcement of immigration laws, and rejecting backdoor attempts to establish a national identification card.
“America’s immigration policy is a complex issue, but it’s clear that reform is needed, that those here illegally who are caught breaking the law be deported, and that businesses hiring undocumented workers should be punished. I do not support amnesty,” said Congressman Hall in a statement.
Hall added that people who illegally immigrated to the United States do not deserve to gain citizenship before those who have been “patiently working” with the system to gain entry.
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