LULAC Supports President Obama’s Intent to Use Executive Action

July 1, 2014

Contact: Paloma Zuleta
202-833-6130
Email Paloma Zuleta

The Organization Continues to Insist on Congressional Action Before Time Runs Out

Washington, D.C. — Washington, D.C. – LULAC applauds President Obama’s announcement expressing his intent to use executive action to address the current immigration situation and provide relief to immigrant families. The President’s announcement comes in light of news reports indicating that House leadership is refusing to schedule a vote on the current immigration reform bill this year.

LULAC National Executive Director Brent Wilkes issued the following statement:

“While LULAC continues to believe that passing bipartisan and comprehensive immigration reform is the most optimal approach, time is running out.

“It is time to provide relief to our immigrant brothers and sisters who are caught in legal limbo, and we support the President’s decision to exercise his authority under the Constitution to use executive action to provide relief in the broadest way possible.

“Close to two million people have been deported, thousands of young, innocent children are locked up in detention centers along the border, and the political bickering does not seem to stop.

“Our system is broken, and it needs to be fixed. We need action now.

“We are looking to Congress for leadership, but absent congressional action, we are hopeful that the President will come through. While we understand that there are limitations to executive action, the American people widely agree that immigrants need to be brought out of the shadows and placed on a path to citizenship. It is the right thing to do, and LULAC will keep educating our membership about the need to continue engaging our members of Congress on the urgency of immigration reform.”

Over the past several years, LULAC has engaged and educated the community on the importance of passing immigration reform, and its members have engaged public leaders on this important conversation in over 100 immigration reform town halls. LULAC, along with a coalition national Latino and AAPI organizations, has also released preliminary results of a 2014 National Immigration Score Card and will release a final report late this month offering Congress ample opportunity to act before time runs out.

The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation’s largest and oldest civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 1,000 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit www.LULAC.org.

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