Congressman Luis Gutierrez Joins Community to Urge President Obama: Do Everything In Your Power to Keep Families Together

Families Threatened With Deportation to Offer Testimony

CHICAGO, IL – Congressman Luis Gutierrez will join families facing deportation and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights on Tuesday to demand that President Obama take immediate action to stop the deportation crisis and stop tearing apart families.

After a year of House Republicans blocking a vote on the Senate’s bipartisan immigration reform and otherwise failing to move forward on immigration legislation, families need relief now. The President last week announced that he would take Administrative action to help stem the deportation crisis. Congressman Gutierrez, Illinois families, and ICIRR call on President Obama act boldly and do everything he can in the absence of Congressional action.

Two families affected by the deportation crisis, those of Agustín Corona (A089-278-003) and Wilson Gomez-Pú (A077-662-858), will share their stories and echo the call for the President to act swiftly and boldly to address this broken system.

“For more than a year, 11 million people have been waiting for House Republicans to pass bipartisan immigration reform, ICIRR CEO Lawrence Benito said, “Now that the House has missed its chance to act, President Obama has the legal authority and the moral obligation to stop the deportation crisis. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus has offered the Administration a blueprint for how best to address the broken immigration system. Now that the President has indicated a willingness to act, he should take immediate action and do everything in his power to address this crisis.”

WHO: Congressman Luis Gutierrez, community leaders, two families facing deportation

WHEN: Tuesday July 8 at 10 a.m.

WHERE: ICIRR offices, 55 E Jackson Blvd, Suite 2075

WATCH: Live video streaming starts at 10am: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/icirr

The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights is a statewide coalition of more than 130 organizations dedicated to promoting the rights of immigrants and refugees to full and equal participation in the civic, cultural, social, and political life of our diverse society. For more information, visit www.icirr.org.