On Tuesday, October 13, over 400 SEIU members joined fellow activists and religious leaders for an immigration lobby day and rally to urge Congress to move immigration reform legislation forward. "We've traveled to Washington to tell our Congressman to stop costly immigration enforcement policies that rip families apart, upset workplaces and harm local communities," said Julio Sotelo, an SEIU Local 26 member who cleans office buildings in Minneapolis, MN and who traveled over 23 hours by bus to attend Tuesday's day of action.

The Capitol Hill rally featured Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Immigration Task Force, who outlined specifics of immigration reform legislation he plans to introduce in the House in coming weeks.

Legislation elements discussed by Rep. Gutierrez included:

• a rational, humane approach to the undocumented population;
• protections for U.S. and immigrant workers;
• sufficient visas to close unlawful migration channels;
• enhancing our nation's security and safety;
• establish a strategic border enforcement policy that reflects American values;
• keeping American families together;
• promoting immigrant integration; and
• including the DREAM Act and AgJOBS; and protecting fundamental rights for all.

"There are too many families separated, too many lives destroyed by failed immigration policies that benefit no one," said Julia Marroquín, 19 year old DREAM student from Minneapolis and daughter of SEIU Local 26 member Lucresia Mares. "This is our moment to put behind us the failures of the past and reform the U.S. immigration system once and for all so that it supports all U.S. families and strengthens this country that we love."

(Thanks to America's Voice for this video of Tuesday's event)

More coverage of the rally in the NY Times.