While Congress debates, thousands of immigrants and their supporters rallied in Little Rock and Springdale April 10 to call attention to their contributions to the community and ask for fair treatment.More than 130 cities, including Little Rock and Springdale, hosted historic rallies on Monday, April 10 to give immigrants a voice in the current debate about immigration reform.
An estimated 4,000 people attended an event on the steps of the State Capitol as part of the National Day of Action for Immigrant Justice. Catholic Charities of Arkansas was one of the sponsors of the rally.
“We need to maintain awareness in the community and let our senators and representatives know about the plight of immigrants,” said Sheila Gomez, director of Catholic Charities.
Gomez has been involved in immigration issues since 1992 when she became director of Catholic Immigration Services.
Like similar events across the country, most of the Little Rock participants wore white T-shirts to symbolize peace and carried American flags. The event was a turning point for many immigrants because they often live in the background and try not to be noticed for fear they will be arrested and deported.
“I was illegal once,” said Rafael Castro, a member of St. Edward Church in Little Rock who is now a legal resident. “I still live in fear of being caught and sent back to Mexico. Still today when I go to the border, I can feel the fear.”
Castro, his wife Lesbia and their two sons were among hundreds of parishioners who marched up Capitol Avenue from St. Edward Church before the rally began. He said Americans should not be afraid of immigrants who are moving here.
“I didn’t know anything about welfare. All I knew was if you don’t work, you don’t eat,” Castro said, wearing an American flag in his baseball cap and displaying another one.
Also in the crowd were a handful of priests who work in Hispanic ministry and were in town for the Chrism Mass at the Cathedral of St. Andrew.
More than a dozen community activists and supporters rallied the crowd in English and Spanish for two hours with their reasons why the immigration system needs to be fixed. In between speeches, Mexican dancers entertained the crowd and a man on a megaphone would lead chants of “Si Se Puede” (Yes, We Can), “Justicia” (Justice) or “USA.” Hundreds of small and large American flags covered the crowd. People carried homemade signs in English with their pleas for justice and fair treatment.
Among the speakers was Msgr. Scott Friend, diocesan vocations director who has worked in Hispanic ministry for nearly 20 years. He said the United States is a “gift from God.”
“It represents a place of freedom,” he said. “It represents a place of good labor. It represents a place of democracy. This is a place God has blessed.”
Statements were read from Bishop J. Peter Sartain, who was attending a Holy Week day of reflection for priests, and U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor, who is supporting bipartisan immigration reform.
“The Christian Church has always had a special love for immigrants and those far from their homeland,” Bishop Sartain wrote.
Mobilization efforts have been taking place across the United States over the past four weeks. More than a million people have participated in rallies in large cities like Chicago, Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles.
The impetus for the rallies are several bills before the U.S. Congress that are more focused on enforcement and less on family reunification and a path to legalization for many undocumented residents. Catholic Charities USA has been supporting a bill by Sens. McCain and Kennedy and are trying to squash any bills that would make felons out of undocumented immigrants.
“The Church believes that current immigration laws and policies have often led to the undermining of immigrants’ human dignity and have kept families apart. The existing immigration system has resulted in a growing number of persons in this country in an unauthorized capacity, living in the shadows as they toil in jobs that would otherwise go unfilled,” according to the U.S. Bishops’ Justice for Immigrants campaign.
The U.S. bishops do not support illegal entry into this country but believe those already here should be able to pay a fine and earn legal residency. More than 11 million people are living in the United States without proper documentation.
Gomez said Catholic Charities supports “comprehensive immigration reform.” Bills currently before Congress have stalled because no compromise could be reached.
More information on the Catholic position on immigration reform is available at www.justiceforimmigrants.org.
