Statement of D. Taylor, President of UNITE HERE International Union Demanding Congress VOTE NOW on Immigration Reform

NEW YORK, March 26, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Nine months have come and gone since the U.S. Senate passed historic immigration reform legislation with a large bipartisan majority. Since that time the Republican-controlled House of Representatives has sat on its hands except to cast one immigration-related vote – namely to eliminate funding for the DACA program, which would doom hundreds of thousands of deserving young people to detention and deportation. 

We want a vote now and believe that a majority exists in the House if only the Speaker would allow a vote to take place. That is why today we call on all House members, Republicans and Democrats, to sign the Discharge Petition that will force House action on HR15. We hope—and expect—all supporters of a path to citizenship to sign on to the discharge petition immediately so that millions of aspiring Americans can have a shot at the American Dream.

The immigration crisis is ripping apart families and communities, and up until now, all we have gotten are pathetic excuses from John Boehner. If Republicans are serious about resolving this immigration crisis, they must stop hiding behind excuses, introduce bipartisan legislation, and finally give us a vote this year.

While we work to end Republican stalling, we call on the Obama Administration to stop deporting those who will achieve legal status once reform is passed.

UNITE HERE represents more than 270,000 workers throughout the U.S. and Canada who work in the hospitality, gaming, food service, manufacturing, textile, laundry, and airport industries. For more information, visit www.unitehere.org.

SOURCE UNITE HERE