Dan Lesser (Jewish Organizing Fellowship c/o 2009), the Executive Director of ECCO (Essex County Community Organization) was part of winning a big victory for immigration reform on April 20th when Congressman John Tierney pledged his commitment to a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
Six hundred people and faith leaders from different denominations gathered at Saint Joseph Church in Lynn to ask Congressman John Tierney for support for just immigration reform. During the community action there was a clergy procession with children representing the families that have been broken up by last year’s deportation of 400,000 undocumented people. The ECCO team also gave Congressman Tierney a book containing 150 immigrant stories.
The “yes” from Congressman Tierney amounted to a commitment to championing a reform proposal in the Congress that includes a pathway to citizenship and is inclusive of all aspiring Americans. Additionally, the ECCO team received a commitment from Congressman Tierney to set up a meeting with the head of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Boston Regional Office in which ECCO leaders will make their case to them to stop deportations of people who have no criminal record.
Mari Martinez, an ECCO leader said after the event “it was a success but we cannot take a break, there is no time to stop, this is a very important moment for debates on the legislation and we need to keep moving”
Check out press coverage of the action at itemlive.com.
