Six thousand letters have been delivered to 60 Republicans in the House of Representatives by immigration activists from children who have witnessed other members of their family be deported or who are at risk of being shipped out of the United States. We Belong Together: Women for Common Sense Reform hosted the event earlier this month, which started in the Rayburn House Building prior to activists leading a number of children to deliver their letters.
“Stop hurting millions of children across the country,” says Pramila Jayapal, the co-chair of We Belong Together. Representative Dina Titus joined her at the event, who expressed her support for having an immigration reform bill brought to the floor of the House of Representatives. “These letters cry out to me with a message,” Titus declared. “Immigration is not just a moral issue; it is not just an economic issue. It is a family issue.”
Young immigrants such as Angel and Javier Ortega also took part in order to share their tales of families being separated by the immigration system of the United States. The twins visited their grandfather in Mexico along with their mother, only for her to be unable to return with them because she is an undocumented immigrant.
“We miss our mom every day,” Javier says. “By not passing immigration reform this year I feel like you ripped out a piece of my heart.” Children that come from families that have mixed status marched through the halls to deliver the letters, chanting: “You stall, you lie, but 6,000 kids won’t be denied.”