Senate passes immigration bill

Intermountain Catholic

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Hundreds turned out in Utah in support of immigration reform despite the blazing heat. IC photo/Laura Vallejo

SALT LAKE CITY — The United States Senate passed a comprehensive immigration reform bill June 27 with a 68-32 vote, with support from Utah Senator Orrin Hatch. That afternoon, hundreds of people gathered at the Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building in downtown Salt Lake City for a prayer vigil in thanksgiving, to support immigration reform as it heads to the U.S. House of Representatives for a vote.

The prayer vigil was organized by the Salt Lake Dream Team and PICO (People Improving Communities through Organizing).

Singing, cheering and praying that the immigration reform bill will give undocumented people now in the U.S. a way to become legal citizens, María Santillán, a parishioner of Sacred Heart Parish in Salt Lake City, wore a big smile as she welcomed the attendees.

Santillán described herself "as a person of faith with a mother who has strong beliefs for social justice – she encouraged my sisters, brother and me to help those whose rights were been taken advantage of. I am here in support of family unification and Dreamers."

"Dreamers" is a term used to describe young people who would have qualified for the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act, which was proposed in 2001 as a way for certain immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as children to gain permanent residency if they met certain requirements, such as high school graduation and college graduation or military service.

Angelica Rodriguez, a Dreamer and President of the Salt Lake DREAM team, thanked everybody for being at the prayer vigil, and shared her story.

"I am here because I am in a similar situation that you all may be in. For the past 16 years I have considered the U.S. my home and Utah my hometown," said Rodriguez, adding that she has received many labels by the society for being undocumented.

Rodriguez asked the people why they were there that day.

"Seeing my parents struggle to give my sister and me a better life through education is why I am here," said Rodriguez, adding that her parents have held multiple jobs and worked overtime, but have never been paid fairly. "I am here to fight for better jobs for our parents; I am here to fight for the opportunities that they deserve. That’s why I am here."

Juana (who requested that her last name not be used) arrived at the vigil with her children, ages 8 months and 1 year.

As she kept giving water to the children to keep them hydrated in the 90+-degree heat, she said she was happy about the Senate’s vote, and hopeful that soon she will be able to feel free.

"I am always scared because I don’t have papers, but people in my parish have helped me to overcome my fears," Juana said. "Just hearing that the bill passed today fills me with joy and hope that God is really hearing our prayers and that one day I am going to be able to give my kids the life that I thought I was going to be able to have here."

Juana arrived in the U.S. as a child with her parents, who have passed away, leaving her by herself. That’s when she met her husband and started a family.

At the vigil, people chanted, "We are Utah! We are Utah! Keep the families together! Keep the families together! Don’t call me illegal, because I am not; illegals are your laws and that’s why I don’t leave."

The event closed as families and friends joined their hands to pray the rosary, pleading that the proposed reform legislation will become law.