Immigration Reform 'House Parties'

Organizers described them as immigration reform "house parties." Across the country last night, in churches, schools, immigrant support centers and private homes, backers of immigration reform gathered around telephones (the speaker phone turning the device into a de-facto radio) as Hispanic U.S. legislators laid out the strategy for pushing a reform of the immigration system in 2010. On the call were Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill.; Nydia Velázquez, D-N.Y.; and Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz. Immigrant rights advocates from various parts of the country also spoke.

In effect, the event was a massive conference call, connecting thousands of immigration reform supporters to one another and to Washington, D.C. decision makers.

The “house parties” came less than a week after Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said the White House was preparing to push the U.S. Congress on immigration reform early in 2010.

On the call, the legislators urged listeners — 16,000 telephone lines were active during the event, connecting tens of thousands of participants — to call their members of Congress and ask for action on immigration reform.

The immigrant organizers who spoke on the call urged listeners to call their legislators and use their cell phones to text the words “Justice” or “Justicia” to the number 69866. In the coming months, they would receive, via cell phone, updates about actions they might take to advance immigration reform....full story