Black Coalition Asks Sen. Johnson To Support Immigration Reform

A coalition of African-Americans asked Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc, to support an immigration bill today, in a multi-racial push for immigration reform.

Members of Milwaukee Inner-City Congregations Allied for Hope, the African-American Roundtable and other groups rallied outside Sen. Johnson’s Milwaukee office. They delivered about 150 cards signed by local blacks to Johnson’s staff – cards that state support for an immigration bill that includes a roadmap to citizenship for the undocumented, protects workers and keeps families together.

Organizer Anita Johnson of Citizen Action of Wisconsin says the bill would help many immigrants from Africa, as well as Latin America.

“There are many, many black immigrants in Milwaukee that we’re not aware of. They could be living next door to us, they could be working with us, they could go to church with us. They don’t talk about it. We need to speak up for the silent voice of those immigrants.”

Latino groups have been the main promoters of immigration reform. Milwaukee-based Voces de la Frontera says other groups stepping forward makes sense. But Voces organizer Nancy Flores says one part of the immigration bill that needs to be dropped is a section that would eliminate diversity visas.

“They allot x amount of visas to different parts of the world. We think that the people who do migrate to this country…should be diverse. There should be equal opportunities to different people in world, and not just in one place.”

Flores also says people of all cultures can unite on this Father’s Day weekend behind the idea of not separating families. Voces de la Frontera planned its own rally this afternoon outside Sen. Johnson’s office.

Johnson has said improving border security should be the first goal of any immigration legislation.