SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) — As most Americans took the day off from work on Labor Day, immigration activists in San Jose held a press conference to urge elected officials to ensure citizenship for all undocumented immigrants.
Immigrants, allies and partners gathered Monday morning in front of Representative Zoe Lofgren’s office demanding immediate action by Lofgren’s office and President Joe Biden’s administration to ensure millions of undocumented immigrants living in the country are provided a path to citizenship.
“We are to ask our Representative Zoe Lofgren’s unwavering support for the undocumented community, we want her to fight for us in Congress and to ask for citizenship for all without exclusions,” said Araceli Gutierrez.
“I think the pandemic put a spotlight on that, that the immigrant community, undocumented community have always been at the forefront of labor and that we have never stopped working, not even before the pandemic, during the pandemic, and even when the pandemic is over they will still be on the frontlines of labor,” Gutierrez added. “And we are asking the same protections as anyone.”
Across the nation, the We are Home Campaign, the National Domestic Workers Alliance, and the United Farm Worker organized similar events.
Monday’s call to action was put on by Sacred Heart and PACT of San Jose in an effort to amplify the call for papers for all undocumented individuals living in the country.
Translation: Spanish to English.
“Right now, I am fighting here for the new generation and I know that right now the times we are in, there are many injustices, violations, and we do not want that future for our children, we do not want our children to go through that again,” said Anastasia Abarca, originally from Mexico who has been living in the United States for the last 15 years.
“For my son, who is still small, I know he is an American citizen but there are many children who are undocumented in this country and we do not want them to suffer the same as we are or to be as old as us living in this country without seeing that change.”
Nationally, there are an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants.
In Santa Clara County alone, there’s an estimated 100,000 plus undocumented immigrants and a population that provides a significant economic impact.
Translation: Spanish to English.
“That is why today I reiterate, we are here today on Labor Day so that we raise awareness of the great important part that we as immigrants belong in this country even without a legal status,” said Eduardo Tapia, lead for PACT of San Jose. “So that time has come and it is fair and necessary that we are finally recognized and that we can come out of the shadows with the help of immigration reform under the reconciliation letter of the federal budget.”