Yesterday hundreds of thousands of immigrants and advocates marched in more than 136 rallies in 39 states and the nation’s capital demanding comprehensive immigration reform

Washington, DC – The National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., today applauds the Hispanic community’s participation in the more than 136 rallies that took place in 39 states and the nation’s capital. The rallies were organized by the Washington, DC-area National Capital Immigrant Coalition and hundreds of community-based organizations throughout the country to demand that Congress pass comprehensive immigration reform.

The rallies, which were part of the “National Day of Action for Immigrant Justice,” represent the largest mobilization of immigrants in U.S. history. Following the country’s great tradition of civic involvement, marchers participated peacefully in a family-oriented and positive environment.

“It’s a great day to be in America,” stated NCLR President Janet Murguía in her remarks at yesterday’s march in Washington, DC. “This country was made by the participation of its people, and today we are here to make our voices heard.”

The marches during the last weeks send a strong message that the 41 million Latinos in the U.S. and the entire immigrant community have grave concerns regarding the legislation passed last December in the House of Representatives which would criminalize undocumented immigrants. Furthermore, strong support was shown for elements of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s bill which offer a comprehensive solution to the immigration issue. This bill is expected to be debated in the Senate at the end of April.

“NCLR will continue to work with organizations around the country to ensure continued participation and solidify engagement of Latinos in the political process of this country, including naturalization and voter registration,” concluded Murguía.

For more information about the immigration debate, please visit www.nclr.org/immigration_debate.

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