Major movement on immigration reform in the United States is underway as a series of media events are scheduled for Monday and Tuesday including a rally in Miami and a meeting of Senators in Washington.
In Washington, a group of Senators including Florida Sen. Marco Rubio will announce the general framework of a bipartisan agreement to push legislation forward in the U.S. Congress.
The general thrust of the plan is:
- Create a path to citizenship of illegal immigrants already here.
- Awarding green cards to immigrant who obtain advanced degrees in math, science, technology or engineering from an American University.
- Creating an effective employment verification system.
- Allowing immigrants to fill jobs Americans cannot or will not.
The current proposal is said by various news organizations to contain only four pages. Numerous details, many controversial, still need to be worked out.
President Obama will have a major immigration policy statement on Tuesday in Las Vegas.
Monday in Miami, as part of a National Day of Action, the Florida Immigration Coalition held a rally at Miami’s Freedom Tower. They were joined by newly elected Democratic Congressman Joe Garcia (D) Florida, who now sits on the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Enforcement.
"This is something that the people wanted and Republicans need," Garcia said of immigration reform proposals.
The Miami rally in support of immigration reform is just one of a number of similar events across the county in cities such as Washington, D.C., New York City, Seattle, and Phoenix.
"No place like Miami to demonstrate that when immigrants are given an opportunity they contribute to the betterment of all involved," said Maria Rodriguez.
Garcia said: "We are going to move forward because the country supports it, because the Latinos demand it, because Democrats want it and because Republicans need it."
Debbie Wasserman Schultz said that during the campaign, it became clear that it was an issue whose time had come.
Meanwhile, in Miami the issue goes beyond Hispanics.
"We have to support our Haitian brothers and sisters," said Natalie Toledo. "It is not just the Latin community, it is affecting our Caribbean-American community."
