Washington, D.C.—Five Virginia Organizing leaders, including two State Governing Board members, were arrested at Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives John Boehner’s office today while taking a stand in support of immigration reform. 

 

Community leaders from Virginia Organizing chose to visit Speaker Boehner’s office because of his failure to act on immigration reform. Virginia Organizing joined young people from Michigan, Alabama, Oregon, and California to stand in solidarity and risk arrest in support of comprehensive immigration reform with a path to citizenship.  

 

“For nearly two years, House leadership has ignored letters, phone calls, emails, and other communications,” said Virginia Organizing Vice-Chairperson Ladelle McWhorter. “Today, we are here to show Speaker Boehner, House leadership and the rest of Congress that we are not backing down from immigration reform. In keeping with the history of civil disobedience in the fight for civil rights, Virginians are willing to be arrested to stand for justice for all people.”

 

Most recently, under Speaker Boehner’s leadership, the House of Representatives blocked a bill from being voted on that would have allowed undocumented young people serving in the military a path to earn their citizenship.

 

“In the shifting political landscape, it is more important than ever before that Speaker Boehner lead the House of Representatives on this important public policy,” said McWhorter. “Virginia Organizing will not rest until comprehensive immigration reform with a path to citizenship is achieved. We cannot leave millions of people who are already living and working in the U.S. out in the cold while playing politics with their lives.”

 

Click here for photos of the action. To interview a spokesperson from Virginia Organizing, please contact Amanda Pohl at 804-337-1912 or amanda@virginia-organizing.org. 

 

Virginia Organizing is a non-partisan statewide grassroots organization that brings people together to create a more just Virginia.