Big US immigration march planned as Obama is inaugurated
17/11/2008 by Liam Clifford
A consortium of 30 US immigration groups is planning a large-scale march in Washington on 21st January - the day after Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th US president.
Between them, these pro-immigration groups represent tens
of millions of immigrants. They plan to march together in order to make their
case for immigration reform. Many of the immigrants on the march will be of
Hispanic origin, a sector of society that has been largely credited with helping
Obama secure his victory: two thirds of the 10 million Hispanic votes were cast
in the President-Elect's favour.
Angelica Salas, director of the Los
Angeles-based Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, explained the purpose of
the demonstration. She told reporters: "We ask the President-Elect to consider
immigration reform one of his 10 domestic priorities." Salas expressed her hope
that US immigration reform would be initiated "in the first 100 days" of Obama's
presidency.
Chung-Wha Hong, executive director of the New York
Immigration Coalition, explained that organisers were "trying to mobilise tens
of thousands of immigrants" for the march, in order to highlight the vital role
that immigrants could play in an American economic recovery.
USA
UK
Australia
Canada
South Africa
New Zealand
Ireland
India
China
Philippines