November 3, 2000

WCVI opposes the Immigration Reforms Proposed by Senator Hatch
Call for a Presidential Veto if Congress Approves

Los Angeles, CA- "The William C. Velásquez Institute (WCVI) opposes the Legal Immigration Family Equity Act (LIFE) proposed by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch. Instead WCVI calls for support of the Latino and Immigrant Fairness Act (LIFA). If LIFA is not included in the Commerce-Justice-State spending bill (HR 4690) we ask President Clinton to keep his commitment to veto the bill," said Antonio Gonzalez, President, William C. Velásquez Institute.

"For three months Senator Hatch used all his power to do the bidding of high tech companies while blocking the Latino and Immigrant Fairness Act (LIFA). The Latino community will not be fooled into believing Senator Hatch is on our side while continuing to block the reforms in the LIFA Act. The small measures that the republicans propose are not sufficient for the well being of the immigrant community," continued Gonzalez.

The Latino and Immigrant Fairness Act (LIFA) is endorsed by all major business, labor, religious and ethnic leaders in the country. The LIFA Act would stabilize the immigration status of individuals who have been living, working, and paying taxes in the U.S. for many years. More specifically, the bill would establish legal parity between Central American and Caribbean refugees, update the "registry" date so that long time residents who have been in the U.S. prior to 1986 will qualify to remain here permanently and restore Section 245(I) of the Immigration Act which would allow persons on the verge of gaining their immigration status to remain in the U.S. while completing the process.

"The proposals of Senator Hatch undermines the efforts of the many advocacy organizations that have been pushing hard for the immigration reforms this year. The Latino community will not allow itself to be divided by politicians seeking partisan gain," said Rebecca Valdez, WCVI Intermestic Initiatives Coordinator.