WASHINGTON – Shouting “Yes, we can!”, Hundreds of migrants gathered this Tuesday in front of the United States Congress to make it clear that they are not going to resign. to their dream of a immigration reform and that it is time for the Democrats to fulfill the promises they have been making for years.
The protest lasted about four hours: it began in a park near the headquarters of one of the government agencies in charge of detaining and deporting migrants and ended in front of the reflecting pool of the Capitol, where activists They erected a stage.
The leader of the Senate Democratic majority Chuck Schumer passed through that stage, in which the migrants have their eyes fixed because, to a large extent, the Senate depends the approval of a law that allows to regularize eight of the eleven million undocumented persons estimated to live in the country .
“Yes you can!” Said Sch umer going on stage. That motto, which for years has symbolized the fight for immigration reform , resounded today in the voices of legislators, such as Schumer, who approached the protest and also resonated among those who dream of a better future for years.
Schumer said that he had felt “sad” and “ angry ”after the so-called“ parliamentarian ”of the Senate, which interprets the rules of the legislative process, determined that Democrats cannot use a legislative maneuver to pass a immigration reform alone , without the Republicans.
“I will never forget the migrants who have built this country!” promised Schumer, who spoke at English to the crowd.
After the speech finished and surrounded by security, Schumer proceeded to enter a large black vehicle that was waiting for him behind the stage; But, an activist took the opportunity to take the microphone and address the senator: “Leader Schumer, Leader Schumer, get it now, get immigration reform. Not in the next election, but now! ”
“ When, when, when? ”The activist shouted to the protesters, who responded“ Now, now, now! ”
Specifically, according to a report this year by the American Immigration Council, more than 6 million minors under 18 years they live with a relative, usually a father or mother, who is undocumented.
Congress has 35 years without passing a law that allows access to citizenship to a large group of migrants.
The last time was in 1986, when the then president, Ronald Reagan, signed a law that allowed to regularize some three million undocumented immigrants.