Protest Ted Strickland's Immigration Stance : Cleveland IMC (((i)))

The Coalition of Latino Pastors of Northeast Ohio

Contact: Pastor Jesus Laboy

Coalition of Latino Pastors, President and Co-founder

(216) 509 – 9297

February 10, 2006. Cleveland, Ohio – The Coalition of
Latino Pastors of Northeast Ohio will be holding a
protest at the Grand Opening of U.S. Rep. Ted
Strickland’s Cleveland campaign office for governor on
Saturday, February 11, 2006 at 4 p.m.

The Coalition of Latino Pastors strongly objects
to Rep. Strickland’s vote to approve the
Sensenbrenner-King Bill, which passed back in
December. Strickland was one of only 16 democratic
congressmen to approve the bill. The
Sensenbrenner-King Bill, also known as House Bill
4437, was opposed by all the major Latino civil rights
groups in the country because of its devastating
impact on Latino families and children, businesses and
churches.

The bill will convert all undocumented Latinos
into aggravated felons. In addition, it will make it
easier to separate families, and to prosecute those
who help immigrants. It allocates millions of dollars
to build large detention centers to jail members of
the Latino community. The Coalition of Latino Pastors
believes it is important for people to understand what
the Sensenbrenner-King bill will do to the Latino
community.

“We are appalled that Rep. Strickland voted for
this,” said Pastor Felix Muniz, of Nueva Luz Church of
the Nazarene. “This affects my congregation and the
compassionate way we do ministry.”

“He has disappointed us,” said Pastor Jesus
Laboy, of Elim Church, who leads one of the largest
Latino congregations in Cleveland. “We urge in the
future there be better leadership. Elected officials
and candidates need to know they cannot sell out the
Latino community and still get our vote. No Mas. No
More. We will not be taken for granted anymore. We are
doing this for our community, not for any political
party.”

The Coalition of Latino Pastors, which
represents about 60 churches in Northeast Ohio,
represents a significant group of Latinos, and is the
political consciousness of Latino churches. The
Coalition is committed to issues of social justice and
advocacy for the Latino community.

Go to http://thomas.loc.gov/ type "hr 4437" in the
search box. Click on "Border Protection,
Anti-terrorism and Illegal Immigration Control Act of
2005".

Also visit http://www.aila .org (American Immigration Lawyers
Association)

This bill criminalizes an estimated 11 million
undocumented immigrants in the US, gives local police
the powers of federal immigration authorities,
demands a five-year prison term for any humanitarian
who helps any undocumented person in any way and more.

Go to http://thomas.loc.gov/ type "hr 4437" in the
search box. Click on "Border Protection,
Anti-terrorism and Illegal Immigration Control Act of
2005".
also visit http://www.aila .org (American Immigration Lawyers
Association)

Cleveland Indy Media Center