Advocates Caravan To Bakersfield To Press House Republican For Immigration Reform
ELYSIAN PARK (CBSLA.com) — Thousands of immigrant rights advocates are headed to Bakersfield Wednesday to urge House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy to support and press for a vote on immigration reform.
The "Citizenship Caravan", a statewide coalition of independent organizations, left Dodger Stadium at 7 a.m.
"We certainly have a Congress that is ready to act, learning more and more about what this issue is about and they are ready to vote on it. However, some of them, especially GOP members in the House of Representatives, need a little push," Jorge-Mario Cabrerra, with the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, told KNX1070.
Advocates To Caravan To Northern Calif. To Press For Immigration Reform
"We have 3,900 people going to Bakersfield, the place of third-ranking GOP member of the House of Representatives, so that he can push for immigration reform with a path to citizenship in the House of Representatives," Cabrerra said. "He has said he supports some type of legalization but not a path to citizenship. We believe with this action, which is coordinated nationwide, he will come to our side."
The largest car and bus caravan in California includes hundreds of vehicles from more than 30 Calif. cities carrying immigrant rights leaders, labor unions, faith organizations, students groups and elected officials.
"The significance is that we're going to the doorstep of one of the representatives that is going to have a big influence on determining if a vote is ever taken in the House of Representatives," Assembly member Jimmy Gomez said.
The caravan is expected to arrive in Bakersfield mid-day and will travel around the city before arriving at McCarthy's office around noon.
