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Demonstrators Urge State And National Lawmakers On Immigration Reform

Demonstrators marched to the Iowa State Capitol on Saturday to urge lawmakers for immigration reform.The "Immigration Reform Now" event welcomed some of the changes President Joe Biden's administration has implemented, but said there is still more to be done.
Kassidy Arena
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IPR
Demonstrators marched to the Iowa State Capitol on Saturday to urge lawmakers for immigration reform. The "Immigration Reform Now" event welcomed some of the changes President Joe Biden's administration has implemented, but said there is still more to be done.
English

The people marching to the Capitol interwove Spanish and English as they walked from La Placita on East Grand, but they shout one phrase in unison:

¡Si se puede!
César Chávez, civil rights activist

They’re using the slogan of the United Farm Workers of America, founded by civil rights activist César Chávez, to protest the nation’s current immigration policies.

Jesús Colunga was among the marchers. The 28-year-old spoke in Spanish.

“I believe immigrants have opportunity just like any American born here. We didn’t cross the border, rather, the border crossed us," Colunga said.

Jesús Colunga, 28, holds an American flag at the "Immigration Reform Now" march on Saturday. He and other demonstrators walked from La Placita on East Grand to the State Capitol.
Kassidy Arena
/
IPR
Jesús Colunga, 28, holds an American flag at the "Immigration Reform Now" march on Saturday. He and other demonstrators walked from La Placita on East Grand to the state Capitol.

He said immigration reform is important for Iowa because it affects people living here, whether they are U.S. citizens or not.

The demonstrators acknowledged some positives from President Joe Biden's administration, but want Biden to remember his promise to provide more pathways to citizenship. They also want lawmakers to support legislation that offers more protections to asylum-seekers.

Many added they want to abolish the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and end deportations.

Joe Henry, the president of one of the Des Moines chapters of the League of United Latin American Citizens, helped lead the march. He listed the bills the demonstrators supported.
Kassidy Arena
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IPR
Joe Henry, the president of one of the Des Moines chapters of the League of United Latin American Citizens, helped lead the march. He listed the bills the demonstrators supported.

Joe Henry, political director of the Iowa League of United Latin American Citizens, listed the bills they want passed:

  1. The American Citizenship Act, which creates an eight-year pathway to citizenship for some undocumented individuals.
  2. The American DREAM & Promise Act, which makes DREAMers and people with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) eligible for permanent residence.
  3. The Citizenship for Essential Workers Act, which provides a status for undocumented essential workers.
  4. The SECURE Act, which creates a pathway to citizenship for TPS holders.

Natalie Andrade held one of the banners for the march with her parents. She wants the state’s congressmen and women to know immigration policies affect everyone, including Iowans. Her parents are from Mexico, and now they live in Marshalltown.

"I'm very emotional about what is happening at the southern border is a huge crisis, not just humanitarian, but I feel like it's going to security and financial crisis," Andrade said.

Natalie Andrade holds a poster for the "Immigration Reform Now" march on Saturday with her parents Antonio and Patricia. They came from Marshalltown to Des Moines for the event. She said it was worth the drive. "I want my race and my country, like in my community, to be more active," Andrade said. "Like, this is rare to see so many organizations, especially Latinos together."
Kassidy Arena
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IPR
Natalie Andrade,15, (far right) holds a poster for the "Immigration Reform Now" march on Saturday with her parents Antonio and Patricia. They came from Marshalltown to Des Moines for the event. She said it was worth the drive. "I want my race and my country, like in my community, to be more active," Andrade said. "Like, this is rare to see so many organizations, especially Latinos together."

In response to Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds' refusal to accept unaccompanied migrant children, Andrade said "that's crazy to me. Because if you have power to speak up, to make a change, you should be using your power to represent the people."

The 15-year-old wants more people from her generation to get involved in knowing the country’s immigration policies.

"I really hope that my generation and youth don't shy away from these conversations. Because I know a lot of people around me feel like 'what can I do? What can I say? They won't listen to me. I'm just a child,'" Andrade explained. "And I think I'm participating and getting informed about these things [that] really matter. It shows that we are here, that we are present, that we care."

14 other organizations supported and endorsed the "Immigration Reform Now" march, which was primarily organized by the grassroots organization Latinx Immigrants of Iowa. The press release said "Immigration Reform Now it is not a political issue but a matter of humanity. It’s time to be bolder than we’ve ever been."
Kassidy Arena
/
IPR
Fourteen other organizations supported and endorsed the "Immigration Reform Now" march, which was primarily organized by the grassroots organization Latinx Immigrants of Iowa. The press release said "Immigration Reform Now it is not a political issue but a matter of humanity. It’s time to be bolder than we’ve ever been."

The Reforma Migratoria Ahora (Immigration Reform Now) march was organized by a board coalition including the grassroots advocacy group Latinx Immigrants of Iowa. Their event was supported and endorsed by 14 other organizations.

En Español

La traducción de Hola Iowa.

Las personas que marchan hacia el Capitolio mezclan español e inglés mientras caminan desde La Placita en East Grand, sin embargo gritan una frase al unísono:

¡Si se puede!


Utilizan el lema de la Unión de Campesinos de América, fundada por el activista de los derechos civiles César Chávez, para protestar contra las actuales políticas de inmigración del país.

Jesús Colunga estaba entre los manifestantes. El joven de 28 años habló en español.

“Creo que los inmigrantes tienen oportunidades como cualquier estadounidense nacido aquí. Nosotros no cruzamos la frontera, sino que la frontera nos cruzó a nosotros”, dijo Colunga.

Dijo que la reforma migratoria es importante para Iowa porque afecta a las personas que viven aquí, sean o no ciudadanos estadounidenses.

Los manifestantes reconocieron algunos aspectos positivos de la administración del presidente Joe Biden, pero quieren que Biden recuerde su promesa de proporcionar más vías de acceso a la ciudadanía. También quieren que los legisladores apoyen una legislación que ofrezca más protecciones a los solicitantes de asilo.

Muchos añadieron que quieren abolir el Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas de Estados Unidos (ICE) y poner fin a las deportaciones.

Joe Henry, director político de la Liga de Ciudadanos Latinoamericanos Unidos de Iowa, enumeró los proyectos de ley que quieren que se aprueben:

  1. La Ley de Ciudadanía Estadounidense, que crea una vía de ocho años para la ciudadanía de algunos indocumentados.
  2. El American DREAM & Promise Act, que hace que los DREAMers y las personas con Estatus de Protección Temporal (TPS) sean candidatos a la residencia permanente.
  3. La Ley de Ciudadanía para Trabajadores Esenciales, que proporciona un estatus para los trabajadores esenciales indocumentados.
  4. La Ley SECURE, que crea una vía de acceso a la ciudadanía para los titulares del TPS.

Natalie Andrade sostuvo una de las pancartas de la marcha con sus padres. Ella quiere que los congresistas del estado sepan que las políticas de inmigración afectan a todos, incluyendo a los habitantes de Iowa. Sus padres son de México y ahora viven en Marshalltown.

“Estoy muy conmovida por lo que está sucediendo en la frontera sur, es una gran crisis, no sólo humanitaria, sino que siento que va a la seguridad y la crisis financiera”, dijo Andrade.

En respuesta a la negativa de la gobernadora de Iowa, Kim Reynolds, de aceptar a los niños migrantes no acompañados, Andrade dijo que “eso es una locura para mí. Porque si tienes poder para hablar, para hacer un cambio, deberías usar tu poder para representar a la gente”.

La joven de 15 años quiere que más personas de su generación se impliquen en conocer las políticas de inmigración del país.

“Realmente espero que mi generación y los jóvenes no rehúyan estas conversaciones. Porque sé que mucha gente a mi alrededor se siente como ‘¿qué puedo hacer? ¿Qué puedo decir? No me van a escuchar. Sólo soy un niño'”, explicó Andrade. “Y creo que estoy participando e informándome sobre estas cosas [que] realmente importan. Demuestra que estamos aquí, que estamos presentes, que nos importa”.

La marcha Reforma Migratoria Ahora fue organizada por una coalición de la junta directiva que incluye al grupo Latinx Immigrants of Iowa. Su evento fue apoyado y respaldado por otras 14 organizaciones.

Kassidy was a reporter based in Des Moines