Lopez: Glad Obama Finally Taking Action to Keep Families Together; GOP Needs to Pass Reform

ARLINGTON – Leading the effort to pass the Virginia Dream Act in order to ensure that all children have the opportunity to reach their full potential regardless of where they were born, Alfonso Lopez commended President Obama’s announcement that he will be re-examining his administration’s deportation policies that have torn families apart, and slammed Congressional Republicans for taking action this week that would only make the situation worse:

I commend President Obama for re-examining the deportation policies that have resulted in his administration deporting more immigrants than the last three presidential administrations combined. Mothers and fathers are being deported while their children, often U.S. citizens, are left behind. Those of us working every day on immigration reform have known that the president could stop the deportations today, so we are relieved to hear that he’s taking the issue seriously.

While I am glad that President Obama has finally decided to stem the tide of deportations and keep families together, when it comes to passing comprehensive immigration reform the ball is in the House Republicans’ court. It’s past time for the House Republicans to put the Senate’s comprehensive immigration reform package up for a vote and expand opportunities for all aspiring Americans.

However, Republicans in Congress have shown time and again that their commitment to work on comprehensive immigration reform amounts to nothing more than empty words. Just this week they passed a bill that would only increase deportations by removing protections for children who were brought into this country at a young age and who have only known the United States as their home.

Voted the “Best Public Servant of 2013” by the readers of the Arlington Sun Gazette, Delegate Alfonso Lopez is a lifelong Democrat with over 20 years of experience on issues critical to the people of Northern Virginia. Alfonso has the passion and the practical experience to fight for our progressive values in Washington from day one. Over the past decade, Alfonso has served our community as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates, an appointee in the Obama Administration, and as a trusted advisor to Governor Kaine on federal issues in Washington. For more visit AlfonsoLopez.org