Statement on Building Momentum for Comprehensive Immigration Reform

Washington, DC (January 29, 2013) — Rep. Schakowsky released the following statement after President Obama's immigration reform proposal:

"I'm pleased that we have momentum building towards comprehensive immigration reform. President Obama and the bipartisan group of eight Senators have given immigrants hope that their families can stay together in the United States. By calling for a pathway to citizenship, both the President and the Senators have offered a chance for the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States to come out of the shadows and be productive members of their communities.

"I want to congratulate the immigrant rights activists and the Dreamers who have fought for this day and will continue to fight until the final victory is won. This is an issue that my district wants solved and a solution is overdue. The House, Senate, and the White House must agree to a solution that keeps families together, gives immigrants a realistic pathway to citizenship and does not erect bureaucratic barriers or create lengthy delays along the way.

"I want to thank my colleague Rep. Luis Gutierrez, the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) and other organizations that have fought tirelessly to raise this issue in Congress, and the Dreamers themselves, who have courageously advocated for their rights. Together, we will work to pass a strong comprehensive immigration reform bill."

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