Jump to Navigation

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2013 AS OF 7:20 AM EST

U.S. EDITION http://www.ibtimes.com/immigration-reform-2013-boehner-drives-nail-gutierrez-calls-more-personalstories-1472 !4

Immigration Reform 2013: Boehner Drives The Nail, Gutierrez Calls or !ore "ersonal #tories
By Laura Matthews

on November 15 2013 1:47 PM

0 0 0
1 of 2

A key proponent of comprehensive immigration reform on Friday said the issues death has been announced so many times that no one should take heed. U.S. Rep. uis !utierre"# $%&ll.# said the conversation about reform# 'hich proponents hope to pass before the end of ()*+# continues among $emocrats. ,ut 'hile the congressman believes the 'ork being done and the movement taking place 'ill bear fruit# he said success depends on Republicans 'illingness to act. -.he speaker controls the /legislative0 calendar# but he doesnt control the movement for immigration reform#1 !utierre" said during a tele% briefing hosted by the advocacy group Americas 2oice. -3e control

that movement. ... .his is a fight that 'ill continue. .hey didnt start our struggle or our fight. So they cant call the end of it. 3e determine 'hen its done.1 ,ut some top Republicans have already issued a death certificate for immigration. 3ith appro4imately *5 days left on the legislative calendar this year# they say there isnt enough time to tackle an issue as large as immigration reform." 6ouse Republicans have been seen as stalling on immigration reform for months no'# since the Senate passed its ()*+ immigration reform bill in June. .hat bill 'ould give the estimated ** million undocumented immigrants in the country a *+%year path'ay to citi"enship and also contains funds for improvements to border security 7manpo'er# fencing and technology8. 6o'ever# 6ouse Speaker John ,oehner# R%9hio# :uickly 'arned $emocrats that the bill 'ouldnt advance for a floor vote 'ithout support from the -ma;ority of the ma;ority.1 Republicans# instead# opted to pass piecemeal bills to boost border security and enforcement %% both internal and in the 'orkplace. ,oehner technically signed the death certificate for the ()*+ immigration reform bill earlier this 'eek# 'hen he said he 'ont allo' 6ouse%passed reform bills to conference 'ith the Senate bill. -3e have no intention of ever going to conference on the Senate bill#1 ,oehner said# as reported by N,< Ne's. .hose 'ords represent the political stance the e4treme conservatives 'ere seeking# due to the fact that many on the far right feared that a conference bet'een the 6ouse and Senate could have resulted in a bill that included a path to citi"enship. Some Republicans have balked at the idea of citi"enship for undocumented immigrants 'ho broke the la'. .hey call it -amnesty.1 ,ut there are others in the !9= 'ho said

they 'ere considering possible legal status for undocumented immigrants but dont kno' as yet 'hat it 'ould look like. -&n the end 'e 'ill all recogni"e that the only 'ay to get comprehensive immigration reform in the 6ouse is a bipartisan approach#1 !utierre" said. For immigrants# both undocumented and legal# the issue of reform is deeply personal> many legal immigrants have a family member or friend 'ho could face deportation. .hats 'hat drove Jennifer ?artine"# *@# of 3ashington# to interrupt ,oehners breakfast on 3ednesday# in an effort to appeal to the speakers emotions to use his po'er to advance the issue for a vote. ?artine" is the child of undocumented immigrants. She told participants in the tele%briefing that there 'as al'ays a fear of her family being separated. -As a daughter of undocumented parents# thats al'ays been my reality %% deportation# separation#1 she said. -Aou think about these things as the offspring of undocumented people. &ts impossible not to think about it.1 ?artine" said it 'as e4tremely disheartening to find that after speaking 'ith ,oehner on 3ednesday# later that day he announced he 'ould not put the bill on the floor. -Aou come all this 'ay to approach someone> you are counting on their emotion# their humanity# their morals#1 she said. -&t 'as disappointing because theres this notion that the millions of $RBA?ers can 'ait# and they shouldnt have to. .heyve 'aited over a decade for this.C

?artine" added the issue isnt purely a political one# but rather a matter of human lives. -A child being separated from its parent is 'rong#1 she said. -Not putting comprehensive immigration to a vote is 'rong. ... 6uman lives are more important than dollar signs or /enforcing0 our borders.1 !utierre" commended ?artine" on her efforts and said more personal stories and additional committed diplomacy are needed to continue making the point.