L.A. Mayor Will Speak Out in Favor of Immigrants' Rights at the Cities Day of Immigration Action
Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Friday that he will help lead the Cities Day of Immigration Action on Tuesday, when mayors across the country will hold events and speak out in favor of immigrants' rights.
The event is sponsored by the United States Conference of Mayors, which in January adopted a resolution calling for federal immigration legislation that eliminates obstacles to citizenship for the estimated 10 million to 12 million immigrants living in the country illegally.
Garcetti, chair of the USCM's Latino Alliance for Mayors, will participative in a "Know Your Rights" phone bank hosted by Univision, where immigration experts will respond to calls from the public, and he will also help conduct a "Know Your Rights" workshop hosted by the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs.
Members of the Los Angeles Police Department, the National Immigration Law Center, Bet Tzedek, and the Los Angeles Archdiocese are also scheduled to participate in the workshop.
"The Cities Day of Immigration Action is about standing together on a commitment to compassion, equality, and justice," Garcetti said. "We're taking action for the family members, friends, neighbors, and co-workers whose lives we share, who contribute so much to our economy and communities, and are the social, cultural, and economic fabric of our cities."
Garcetti said he will also lead a bipartisan press call on Tuesday with mayors from other cities, including Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait and Providence, Rhode Island Mayor Jorge Elorza, co-chairs of the USCM's Immigration Reform Task Force. Seattle Mayor Ed Murray and Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia are also scheduled to participate, with Garcia sharing his story about immigrating to America from Peru at the age of five.
