On Wednesday, April 10th more than two dozen local organizations and congregations will hold a candlelight vigil and march to underscore the need for Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR). The event, which is entitled "Light the Pathway to Citizenship - Don't Block It" is just one of dozens of events taking place on that day as part of a National Day of Action across the country to build support for CIR in communities throughout the nation.
"We want to demonstrate to our elected officials that there is broad community support for Comprehensive Immigration Reform," explained Ricardo Diaz, a member of the Steering Committee of the C-U Immigration Forum who is organizing the event. "There is growing consensus in our country that the time has come to fix our broken immigration system and provide a pathway to citizenship to the many undocumented immigrants living in and contributing to the vitality of our community."
Details: The event will begin at 5:30 PM at the University Y (1001 South Wright Street). From there we will march to the Unitarian Universalist Church, home of the East Central Illinois Refugee Mutual
Assistance Center (ECIRMAC) at 309 West Green, Urbana for a brief rally before proceeding to
the federal Courthouse in downtown Urbana.
Background: The November elections reset the national debate on immigration reform forcing even the most ardent opponents of immigration reform to reconsider their position. As a result there is a narrow more window of opportunity to make Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) a reality and provide a pathway to citizenship for millions of our family, friends and neighbors. The Champaign-Urbana Immigration Forum is a group of immigrants, students, clergy, service providers, labor union representatives, residents and community organizations concerned about the progress and plight of immigrants in the Champaign County community works to:
- celebrate the diversity and culture that immigrants contribute to our community;
- educate the public about issues that affect local immigrant communities;
- advocate for the rights of immigrants and encourage their full participation in civic, cultural, social and political life in our community;
- promote permanent and positive changes that will improve the quality of life for immigrants in our community; and
- organize for policies that lead to just and humane treatment to all immigrants that are part of our community.
