PA Faith, Labor, and Social Service Leaders Join Immigrant Community in Harrisburg to Urge State Legislators to Welcome Immigrants

Harrisburg, PA – Over 80 concerned community members, faith leaders, union representatives, and social service providers gathered at the State Capitol Building today to counter the heated rhetoric that enters much of the current debate about immigration in Pennsylvania.

The participants in the Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition's first state lobby day represented organizations and communities from Pittsburgh to Hazleton, Gettysburg to Allentown. All came to remind their elected representatives of the important contributions immigrants have made - and continue to make - to the state, and to urge their political leaders to make Pennsylvania a welcoming place for immigrants.

"Pennsylvania has been built on immigrant contributions, and newcomers continue to add to the strength and prosperity of our state," said Regan Cooper, Executive Director of the PA Immigration and Citizenship Coalition (PICC). "Bills that send the message that PA is unwelcoming to immigrants compromise the public health, safety and well-being of all our state's residents, citizens and non-citizens alike.  "

 Seasoned advocates joined with community members who had never before visited their lawmakers to share experiences and lobbying skills in the morning before heading over to the Capitol Building where they visited with over sixty Representatives and Senators.

"Faith communities have a special responsibility to welcome the stranger among us," said Rev. Sandy Strauss of the PA Council of Churches. "Our faith communities in particular see the impact of harmful policies toward immigrants. We are joining with our brothers and sisters in this effort to amplify our voices, because the more we can join with others to make our concerns heard, the more we can create a Pennsylvania that's safe for everyone, improving the quality of life for all of us."

"We need to show our lawmakers that immigrants are making Pennsylvania a better place," said Nelly Arevalo, Chair of the PICC Board. "We hear a lot about immigrants being bad for our state, but what we don't hear is that immigrants, even undocumented immigrants, are paying taxes. Immigrant labor is essential to our agricultural industry. Immigrants are naturalizing and voting in record numbers. They are fighting in our armed forces and bringing their art and culture to our schools and communities. None of us are perfect people, but we do not deserve to be scapegoated."

The PA Immigration and Citizenship Coalition (PICC), which organized the lobby day, is a coalition of 50 organizations, including service providers, congregations and unions, that seeks to educate and develop support for fair policies that welcome and sustain immigrants, migrants, refugees and other new Americans.  Many of the participants in today's lobby day were PICC members and are active in service and advocacy work that supports immigrants in communities across the state.