SPLC applauds Sen. Leahy’s call to avoid using tragedy to derail immigration reform
The SPLC issued a statement today in response to the efforts by immigration reform opponents to exploit the Boston Marathon bombings in an effort to derail reform legislation.
Monday, during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the Senate immigration reform bill, committee chair Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) urged reform opponents to use restraint in using the tragedy as a way to weaken reform efforts.
We applaud and echo Senator Leahy’s comments urging restraint by those willing to exploit the tragic events that occurred in Boston last week. This was a thinly veiled attempt by immigration reform opponents to weaken the national debate. We urge lawmakers to move forward in their efforts to address a broken and antiquated immigration system and to overhaul abusive federal guestworker programs. Now is the time to pass immigration reform that protects the human and civil rights of vulnerable low-skill workers and to bring 11 million immigrants out of the shadows.
