Police were called to Sen. Ted Cruz’s office in D.C. when his office was taken over by Texans and their allies who were denouncing his vote against comprehensive immigration reform.

Marco Malagon, Founder and President of the North Texas Dream Team, was in the room when 40-50 people took over Sen. Cruz’s office. At the same time, he was on a call with reporters and he condemned Sen. Cruz for taking an anti-Latino, anti-immigrant stance in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Malagon said that Cruz was wrong to attack the pathway to citizenship. “I want to be a citizen, I want to vote and I want to contribute,” he said. “He isn’t representing our community.”

Sen. Cruz's office shut down in Washington, D.C. May 22, 2013. Photos from United We Dream and @4anewAmerica.

The action was organized by The Fair Immigration Reform Movement and included DREAMers and religious leaders from Texas and other parts of the U.S.

Malagon’s comments to the press were cut short when those gathered in Cruz’s office began to pray. The prayers and shouts of “amen” drowned out Malagon and caught the attention of Cruz’s staff, who soon after called the police.

While Malagon and other Texans took action against Sen. Cruz’s anti-immigrant agenda in D.C., Texas denounced him back home on a press call happening at the same time.

Sen. Cornyn voted with Cruz to block immigration reform yesterday, sending outrage across Texas communities.

Local government officials had criticism for both senators. El Paso County Judge Veronica Escobar condemned what she called a xenophobic tone from the senators and their ignorance of the border and immigrant communities.

“When we have senators from our own state saying the border isn’t secure, then they are ignoring the facts,” said Escobar. “And when our senators want to block the pathway to citizenship and then also create a second-class of citizenship by preventing even those people who become citizens from ever receiving benefits, then that is alarming to us.”

Fernando Garcia, Executive Director of Border Network for Human Rights in El Paso, said that Sen. Cruz was driven by ideology and that Sen. Cornyn is only following Cruz’s lead.

“When we have Sen. Cruz saying that we need more Border Patrol, it shows complete ignorance,” he said. “And the only way to explain that ignorance is that he has ideological and political reasons. It’s shameful to us that we have a senator who doesn’t recognize the reality of Texas. We are outraged at Cruz and and concerned that Cornyn might be just following his lead.”

Rogelio Nunez is the Executive Director of Proyecto Libertad in Harlingen, Texas, a legal services organization that helps people realize the dream of becoming U.S. citizens.

“What they need to understand is that 40% of Texans are Latino and that number is growing,”  said Nunez. “Cornyn and Cruz aren’t reflecting the values of those Latinos or Texans in general. It is an insult to go against he family values of Texans and Latinos. The fact that other Republicans on the committee — and even Mitch McConnell saying he won’t block the bill —shows how far off Cruz and Cornyn are. I can only hope for a change of heart when the bill gets to the floor.”

Father Stephen Jasso of All Saints Catholic Church in Fort Worth urged Texans to pray for reform and for the senators to be moved to do the right thing.

“I want them to remember this — that immigrants are a blessing to our church and to our country,” Jasso said. “I really believe that and I pray for them to do the right thing and for the work people are doing to pass immigration reform.”

The Senator is in the position to alleviate this humanitarian crisis at the border, but has so far he has voted to aggravate it

(AUSTIN, Texas) – Sen. John Cornyn this week released an opinion editorial on FoxNews.com and a video on his YouTube page that highlights the ongoing crisis of migrant deaths at the border.

However, as the senator laments this loss of life, he forgets that the situation is a direct result of U.S. immigration and border policy, and that as a senior senator he has directly contributed to the formation of these policies.

RITA shares the senators’ concern over the crisis of migrant deaths. However, we demand that he do more than make YouTube videos and write pieces for Fox News. He must vote for policies that fix the legal immigration system so as to offer migrant workers a safe, legal and orderly way to come to the country. The absence of an functional legal immigration system for migrant workers pushes them into the hands of the smugglers he denounces. He must also reject attempts to further militarize the border, which pushes migrants into the most remote, most dangerous places.

In the markup of the current immigration reform proposal in the Senate Judiciary Committee last week, Sen. Cornyn did not stand up for the migrants whose deaths this week he laments. During the Senate Judiciary Committee Markup of Titie I, the broder enforcement section of the bill, Sen. Ted Cruz introduced an extreme amendment intended to kill the bill that called for tripling the size of Border Patrol and quadrupling border enforcement spending.  Sen. John Cornyn voted with the tea party senator on this poison pill amendment.

Sen. Cornyn also blocked reform in 2006 and 2007. Since those votes, at least 2,500 migrants have died trying to cross the border, based on Border Patrol’s estimate of 500 deaths a year.

Texans deserve better than videos, we deserve votes that reflect our values — that no one should die in a desert because politicians are playing games on immigration reform.

THE REFORM IMMIGRATION FOR TEXAS ALLIANCE WELCOMES THE IMMIGRATION PROPOSAL

Leaders from the Reform Immigration for Texas Alliance Share their Reactions to the Bi-Partisan Legislation and What this Means Going Forward 

The Reform Immigration for Texas Alliance (RITA) applauds the Senate bipartisan efforts in releasing the immigration reform bill early this morning -a moment that immigrant and border communities have long waited for.

The  “Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act” contains a series of important and positive starting points, including a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. However, the cutoff date for eligibility, 13-year waiting period and other restrictions will leave thousands of families out of the process.

RITA in partnership with communities across Texas will continue to advocate to expand the number of people eligible for this path to citizenship and to fight for compassionate reform that keeps families together, reunites those families who have been torn apart, and allows families to fully participate in American society in a reasonable amount of time.

Furthermore, the legislation would raise the cap on visas for high-skilled workers and create a new visa program for low-skilled workers. RITA recognizes the need for an immediate increase in visas for low- and high-skilled workers and stands firm that all those who enter the country on a work visa not only have the opportunity to apply for residency but for eventual citizenship. RITA partners will continue to raise concerns about the proposed mandatory employment verification system (E-Verify). The system is error ridden, too expensive, and hurts business owners and workers.

RITA applauds the inclusion of language to create DHS Border Oversight Task Force in the proposed legislation. The Task Force is about bringing border communities — that means local law enforcement, academics, elected officials, faith leaders, border residents and others  — to the table when we talk about border enforcement. This creates better strategies for keeping all Americans safe, and we have the evidence of it.

At the border, we need an enforcement system that works and focuses on real threats – terrorists, drug smugglers and human traffickers – not people looking to work and raise a family in the U.S.  This isn’t just what we think. A vast majority of Americans — 84% — believe that we should make stopping drug and weapon trafficking along the border a higher priority for border patrol than stopping illegal immigrants. The American people are right.

Today, RITA leaders will come together in various cities across Texas to provide additional comments o the bill.

Press Events in Response to Proposed Immigration Bill
Wednesday, April 17, 2013

AUSTIN
Press Conference on Proposed Immigration Bill & How Current Immigration Policy Tearing Families Apart
Where: Federal Building, 300 E. 8^thStreet, Austin TX
Time: 12:00pm
Who: Austin Immigrant Rights Coalition,
Contact: Esther Reyes, esther@austinirc.org, 512-476-2472

 DALLAS
Press Conference on Proposed Immigration Bill
Where: Dallas City Hall- Flag Room (6^th Floor), 1500 Marilla St Dallas, TX 75201
Time: 12:00 pm
Who: North Texas Immigration Coalition
Contact: Danny Cendejas, dcendejas@organizetexas.org, 214-810-4636

EL PASO
Press conference on how new CIR proposal impacts the border
Where: BNHR Central Office at 2115 Piedras, El Paso, TX
Time: 12:00 pm
Contact: Cristina Parker, cparker@bnhr.org, 915-875-9107

HOUSTON
Press Conference on Proposed Immigration Bill
Where: 4299 San Felipe, Suite #200, Houston, TX
Time: 1:00 PM
Who: Houstonians for Common Sense Immigration Reform
Contact: Will Hernandez, guillermoh@mifamiliavota.org, 832-515-9815


RIO GRANDE VALLEY
Press Conference on Proposed Immigration Bill
Where: LUPE’s San Juan office, located at the corner of Cesar Chavez Rd and Business 83, San Juan, TX
Time: 11:00am
Who: Rio Grande Valley Equal Voice Network leaders and members
Contact: John Michael Torres, johnmichael@lupenet.org, 956-534-0267

Senator Chuck Schumer, as bill sponsor, signs first page of bipartisan Senate immigration reform proposal released just after 2 a.m. on Wednesday.

Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013

Business owners across the state will be calling the senator’s office throughout the week to explain why immigration reform is good business for Texans.

In addition, RITA partners have collected more than 500 petitions from small business owners in Texas asking Sen. Cornyn to support immigration reform.

New polling by Small Business Majority shows that business owners around the U.S. stand with Texans on the issue.

Consider what the poll of small business owners found:

• Nine in 10 small business owners recognize that our current immigration system isn’t working: A sweeping 88% of small businesses agree our immigration system is broken: 38% believe the system needs a complete overhaul and 50% believe it needs major improvement.
• The vast majority of small business owners support the bipartisan Senate proposal aimed at reforming our immigration system: Given the clear need for comprehensive reform, the current bipartisan Senate plan garners overwhelming support among small business owners: 84% of entrepreneurs support the proposal—including 86% of Republicans.
• The majority agrees that the most appropriate solution for handling our 11 million undocumented immigrants is to create a path toward citizenship: A vast three-quarters agree we would be better off if people who are in the country illegally became legal taxpayers, so they pay their fair share and can work toward citizenship in the future. That’s three times the percentage (26%) who say we would be better off if people who are in the country illegally were forced to leave the country because they’re taking Americans jobs.
• Strong majorities of small business owners agree it’s important to increase the number of both high and low skilled foreign workers legally allowed into the U.S.: 74% of small business owners agree it’s important for the country and the overall economy to allow more high skilled foreign workers who might work in the high tech industries into this country legally. In addition, 64% believe we should allow more low skilled foreign workers who might work in the agricultural, restaurant or service industries into this country legally.

Petitions and calls are coming from business owners in El Paso, Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, The Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio and Houston.

Antolin Aguirre, who owns a small business in Austin, Texas, will be participating on the call Wednesday and is calling on other business owners to join the efforts this week. “I know what reform would mean for businesses like mine and I hope others who own businesses will call the senator this week,” Aguirre said. “Immigration reform is right for Texas, it’s just the right thing to do.”

About 40 people showed up to the Dallas office of Sen. John Cornyn to pray for a just and humane immigration reform.

About 40 people advocating for just and humane immigration reform paid a visit to the Dallas, Texas, office of Senator John Cornyn on Thursday.

RITA members in Austin, the Valley, San Antonio, Houston and El Paso are planning similar events to bring people of faith from all across the state together to pray and work for reform.

The purpose in Dallas on Thursday was two-fold: to have a prayer vigil and a legislative visit. The Senator’s office allowed 8 people to enter for a meeting.

The group sent the delegation off with prayers for a successful meeting and remained outside to hold vigil.

The action in Dallas came on the same day that new polling was released showing that religious Americans overwhelmingly support a path to citizenship for undocumented Americans believe that immigration reform should focus on keeping families together and protecting the dignity of every person.

The poll, conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute found that the values of keeping families together and protecting the dignity of every person are rated very or extremely important as principles to immigration reform by almost 80 percent of Americans. Additionally, 69 percent of Americans also say that following the Golden Rule — by “providing immigrants the same opportunity that I would want if my family were immigrating to the U.S.”— is a value that is very or extremely important.

The visit with Sen. Cornyn’s office lasted 75 minutes. The group told stories of their own experiences and those of their family members, illustrating the need for a humane immigration reform.

“We raised concerns about the militarization of the border, the need for a pathway to citizenship and adequate VISA allotments to provide for workers to come legally,” said Pastor Dean Reed of Arlington. “We challenged the Senator to be a moral voice in the debate over reform, and reminded him that his faith gives clear and repeated instruction to be compassionate and hospitable to the foreigner.”

Delegation leader Maria Robles, center, reports back to the team.

As they walked back to the vigil after the visit with Sen. Cornyn’s staff, the delegation of 8 were met with cheers and applause for their efforts on behalf of the people.

There, the delegation shared a report of the meeting.

Delegation leader Maria Robles thought one piece of the conversation was especially important. “We asked  if they can work on more effective ways to secure the border, like infrastructure at the ports, and address immigration reform at the same time,” Robles told the group. “I think they do understand that we really have to work on both issues at the same time.”

For photos and updates, see our Facebook page
For event information, see our Facebook event
For Twitter reactions, see our hashtag

(AUSTIN, Texas) – The ones from El Paso traveled all night to be there. The ones from the Rio Grande Valley and North Texas left their homes before the sun was up. They organized caravans, slept overnight in buses and traded off driving duties during the long drive.

They all made it. Over 2,000 people converged in Austin today to deliver a message: We demand immigration reform.

The crowd marched for about one mile down Congress Ave. to a rally at the South Steps of the Capitol. This was the first major mobilization for immigration reform in the U.S. since the reelection of Barack Obama.

Corey Tabor, Lead Pastor of Full Life Community Church opened the rally with a prayer at the south steps of the Capitol. “We pray for decriminalization of the families in this community, God. We pray for protection and education.”

Esther Reyes, Executive Director of the Austin Immigrant Rights Coalition, then took over the mic. “I think we are being heard, what do you think?” The crowd cheered in agreement.

Speakers from every part of the state and across sectors of society. They were children and parents and even grandparents. They were Latino, African-American, Asian and White. Some were immigrants and others were descendants of immigrants.

Each one laid out Texans’ demands: Stop punitive and accountable enforcement in our border communities. Stop the deportations and separation of families as a down payment for reform. Create a fair pathway to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S.  Keep American families together.

“We are undocumented and and we are unafraid. And we are fighting for this, not just for us, but for our families, for our parents, too,” said Alicia Torres, of La T.U.Y.A (Texas Undocumented Youth Alliance), a statewide network of immigrant youth.

Texans are in a position to make such bold demands. The Latino vote was decisive and historic in the November elections, and one of the reasons was voters’ hope for immigration reform. While Barack Obama offered Deferred Action to DREAMers and renewed his pledge to pass reform, Mitt Romney lurched to the right and offered only self-deportation. This sealed their fates with Latino, Asian and young voters and the rest is history.

“No one and no party will be able to win a general election ever again without the Latino vote. Ever again. Period.” said Fernando Garcia, Executive Director of the Border Network for Human Rights, a founding organization of RITA which brought about 200 people in buses and vans from El Paso to be in Austin today.

After the rally, two delegations walked several blocks to visit the Austin offices of Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz. While the senators weren’t available, their staff eventually agreed to come down and meet with the marchers. Click here to read more and see photos about what happened at Sen. Ted Cruz’s office.

Dean Reed, a Methodist pastor who traveled from Arlington and who is the Executive Director of Justice for Our Neighbors, was the only person allowed to enter the building on W. 6th Street to speak to a member of Sen. John Cornyn’s staff. “I told her that I knew the senator was a Christian and that this was an issue of compassion, that our faith is about compassion” he said. “I told her that people don’t come here because they don’t care about the law. They come here because they are desperate.”

While Reed delivered the message in the lobby of the building, the rest of the group stayed outside and chanted “Cornyn, escucha, Estamos en la lucha!” (“Cornyn, listen we are in the fight!”)

Texans Demand Immigration Reform – Feb 22 by

Texas Exige Reforma Migratoria by

Calling reform a religious imperative, the Evangelical Immigration Table is asking Christians across the country to engage in 40 days of praying and reading scriptures related to immigrants.

Leahy Says Immigration Top Priority for Senate Judiciary Committee

The Senate Judiciary Committee will dedicate most of its time this spring to comprehensive immigration reform, including changes for technology companies and agricultural businesses, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), the committee’s chairman, said Wednesday.

Erika Andiola, Immigration Activist, Goes To Work For U.S. Rep. Sinema’s Office

Erika Andiola is a founder of the Arizona Dream Act Coalition, a group of young immigrants who advocate giving legal status to people who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children. Sinema’s office announced Andiola’s hiring Wednesday.

Evangelicals Mobilize 100,000 Churches for Immigration Reform

Evangelical leaders representing more than 100,000 churches across the U.S. are backing immigration reform, and they’re asking their congregants to do the same.

A New GOP Begins, and Ends, With Immigration Reform

After President Obama’s historic performance among Hispanic voters helped him win reelection, establishment Republicans suddenly came around on immigration reform.

ACLU, Justice Center Ask N.C. Officials to Reinstate Licenses for Young Immigrants with Work Permits

Two of North Carolina’s leading civil rights organizations are asking state officials to reinstate a policy that allowed young immigrants who have been authorized to be in the United States and granted work permits under a federal program to receive North Carolina driver’s licenses.

Last night the Arizona home of Erika Andiola, a prominent DREAMer and co-founder of the Arizona DREAM Act Coalition (ADAC), was raided by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement.

Update: ICE Raids Home of DREAMer Activist Leader Erika Andiola

“I want to thank everyone for all of your support. It has been a tough day, but I know my mom and my brother will be out soon. They have to! They have done nothing wrong and there was no reason for immigration to take them.”

Texas Legislature Reverses Course On Immigration Laws

Despite Perry’s push and the Republican majorities in both Texas Houses, the bill didn’t pass. So now fast forward two years later — there’s the 83rd Texas legislature and Perry has another crack at passing a Texas SB 1070-type bill and … nada. What was an emergency two years ago is off the radar today. It didn’t get a mention in the governor’s opening remarks.

With enforcement tightened, time for immigration reform

“From the standpoint of resource allocations, case volumes and enforcement actions … immigration enforcement can be seen to rank as the federal government’s highest criminal law enforcement priority,” a report from Migration Policy Institute says.

Texas Sen. John Cornyn: Border Security Before Immigration Reform

The senator, however, did not specifically lay out what criteria he believes would indicate the border is secure. The “border security first” refrain has long been used by Republicans to stymie progress on immigration bills that provide relief for the undocumented.

Undocumented Immigrants Can Get Illinois Drivers Licenses

Gov. Pat Quinn has pledged to sign the bill, saying in a statement that it will make the state’s roads safer.