Esperanza USA: Thank You, Mr. President

    PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Upon conclusion of the
 State of the Union address, Rev. Luis Cortes, Jr., president of Esperanza
 USA, thanked the President for making comprehensive immigration reform one
 of his top four domestic priorities:
     "The President understands that almost every aspect of our society ---
 the economy, housing, education, health, safety and national security ---
 demands real, workable, comprehensive immigration reform," said Cortes.
 "Most of all, the President understands the human side of immigration:
 families divided by domestic policy failures, children worried about their
 parents' safety, the commitment of millions of undocumented workers to live
 up to standards set by previous generations of immigrants."
     "While the lessons of the '06 elections are many, one thing is
 certain," Cortes continued. "You don't win elections by beating up the most
 vulnerable people in our society. The President understands this. The
 American people understand this (1). It is time for Congress to understand
 --- and to act."
     Rev. Luis Cortes is president of Esperanza USA, the largest Hispanic
 faith-based community development corporation in the country. With a
 national network of 10,000 faith and community-based agencies, Esperanza is
 one of the leading voices for Hispanics in America.
     (1) A Quinnipiac University poll taken Nov. 16-19, --- after the
 election and in spite of the airwave rhetoric --- showed 73% of Democrats
 and 66% of Republicans support a temporary or quest worker program with a
 path to citizenship.
 
 

SOURCE Esperanza USA