This Week in Immigration Reform — Week Ending Dec. 12

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Week Ending December 12

This week in immigration reform: the president continues spreading the word on his executive action on immigration; Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing on how executive action will keep families together; and mayors join together to promote implementation of administrative relief.

President Obama speaks on executive action at the home of NCLR Affiliates in Nashville: This week President Obama traveled to Casa Azafrán in Tennessee to highlight his recent announcement of administrative relief. Casa Azafrán is home to two NCLR Affiliates, Conexion Americas and the Tennessee Immigrant Rights and Refugee Coalition. In the audience for the town hall, was a parent who is part of the NCLR Padres Comprometidos program and students who are part of NCLR’s Escalera program. During the town hall, the president took questions from the audience about administrative relief and highlighted the demographic change in Tennessee. President Obama said, “…what our history and the facts show is that generation after generation, immigrants have been a net-plus to our economy, and a net-plus to our society. And that’s what cities like Nashville prove is still the case. And this city proves that we can address these concerns together and make sure that immigration works for everybody — that it strengthens our economy, that it strengthens our communities…” Watch the town hall here.

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Post by National Council of La Raza.

President Obama speaks at Caza Azafran in Nashville, TN

Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing on family unity and administrative relief: This Wednesday the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing titled “Keeping Families Together: The President’s Executive Action on Immigration and the Need to Pass Comprehensive Reform” to focus on how recent executive action on immigration will keep families together. In a press statement, Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO, responded to the hearing, saying “As the Senate Judiciary Committee holds its last hearing in the 113th Congress, we are reminded of what is possible when both sides come to the table to resolve the country’s pressing concerns. We are also reminded that when the nation’s agenda is surrendered to a few extreme voices, as it was in the House of Representatives by Republican leadership, the business of the people remains undone.”

“We support the Immigration Accountability Executive Actions taken by the president and hope that these spur the new Congress into action, as previous executive actions by presidents of both parties have done,” said Murguía. “The lasting solution we need—the thorough overhaul of our immigration system—can only be achieved through legislation. It is time to stop holding that process hostage while our economy and families pay the consequences.”

NCLR Affiliates continue educating clients about administrative relief: Across the country, NCLR Affiliates are conducting information sessions to share with our community what we know so far about administrative relief.  From CARECEN in Washington to Centro Hispano in North Carolina, to Enlace Chicago, to the Community Council of Idaho, to TODEC in California, our Affiliates are getting accurate and reliable information out to the community. Find information and resources on our administrative relief webpage.

Dozens of mayors join together to form cities united for immigration action: This week New York City hosted the Mayors Summit on Immigration Implementation, a convening of 25 mayors from across the country. The summit was called by New York City Major Bill de Blasio to coordinate implementation efforts of President Obama’s executive action and to create a platform for sharing best practices. Also this week, law enforcement officials and faith leaders