Community leaders gathered in San Jacinto Plaza in downtown El Paso at noon Tuesday, December 15, in a rally coinciding with Rep. Luis Gutierrez Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) and over 60 other Congressional leaders' formal introduction of comprehensive immigration reform legislation in the House of Representatives. With this, the first immigration reform bill since the failed efforts of 2007, Gutierrez officially kicked off legislative efforts to repair the nation's broken immigration system.

The Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America's Security and Prosperity Act of 2009 (CIR ASAP) will help shape the contours of the debate going forward, and outline what practical and workable immigration reform looks like, say supporters.

The El Paso group distributed a statement from the Reform Immigration for Texas Alliance (RITA) endorsing the bill:

The Gutierrez bill reflects the needs and hopes of immigrant families living in Texas and across the nation. The legislation covers most of the principles outlined by RITA, including legalization, family reunification, sensible border enforcement, protection of civil and human rights, and immigrant integration .

RITA called the bill "...good for the economy, good for security and good for families."

On the national level, Frank Sharry, Executive Director of the organization America's Voice added his endorsement: "Building off the Gutierrez principles for immigration reform, CIR ASAP lays out a compelling vision of an immigration system that works for all Americans."

According to copies of an overview of the CIR ASAP distributed at the El Paso rally, the bill addresses:

• Border Security, Detention & Enforcement,
• Electronic Employment Verification System (EEVS)
• Visa Reforms (Family, employment-based and other)
• Legalization
• Strengthening the U.S. Economy & Workplace
• Integration of New Americans

Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, and the Congressional Progressive Caucus joined Representative Gutierrez to introduce the bill.

"Ladies and Gentlemen... now what we have to do is to pass this law," concluded Fernando Garcia, executive director of the Border Network for Human Rights, at the close of the rally.

The El Paso rally was convened by the Border Network for Human Rights in conjunction with Project Puente, ACLU of New Mexico, and Paso Del Norte Civil Rights Project.

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video: Enthusiastic chanting from El Pasoans concludes rally on 12/15/2009 to support introduction of Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America's Security and Prosperity Act of 2009 (CIR ASAP). "Si, se puede/Yes, we can" "What do we want? Immigration reform. When do we want it? Now" "The people united will never be defeated."