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Video: Local Families React (KRIV 26 News)
Alvaro Ortiz, Houston Chronicle
The familiar rallying cry of “si se puede” (yes we can) rang out as a dozen people gathered for a watching party in Houston Thursday afternoon for the U.S. Senate’s passage of sweeping immigration reform legislation.
They were watching the 68 to 32 vote live at the Houston offices of FIEL (Familias Inmigrantes y Estudiantes en la Lucha) which means Immigrant Families and Students in the Struggle).
Some in attendance cried; others hugged their children, excited by the prospects of a bill offering a path to citizenship to 11 million immigrants who came to this country illegally.
One of those people is 53-year-old Gerardo Tobar who arrived in the U.S. from Monclova, Coahuila-Mexico. He’s been living here since 1993.
“I’m very happy because there was great support for the bill in the Senate,” Tobar said after watching the Senate vote. “Immigration reform would benefit me and my family. Also, having legal documents, I could look for more jobs other than construction”.
Tobar has participated in marches and meetings for important civic causes and says he will stay active. “If the U.S. government wants good citizens, we need to be able to get the appropriate documents,” he said.
Cesar Espinosa, executive director for FIEL, said though he recognizes the historic nature of Thursday’s vote he stressed that this is not the end.
“Now we have to try to influence the House of Representatives,” Espinosa said. “We also must send a message to senators Cornyn and Cruz because they voted against the bill. In the next election, we’ll try to mobilize to elect politicians who really represent our community.”
(Read the full story at Chron.com)
• Senate immigration vote: ‘Yes, we can,’ supporters chant after roll call (Washington Post)
• Senate’s Immigration Joy Could Turn To Ashes In House (NPR)
LOCAL AREA HEADLINES:
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- Mom launches campaign to change Nike’s marketing practices (KIAH 39 Newsfix)
- Schaubs deliver Gr8Hope: $250,000 donation to Texas Childrens (Chron.com)
- Why Son’s Birth Defect Turned This Houston Man Into An Ironman (KUHF Public Radio)
- Baylor med student biking to Houston arrives after 2,100 mile journey (Chron.com)
- Peddling pedals: B-cycle program growing (Houston Chronicle)
- Memorial Hermann offers free sports medicine app (Chron.com)
- Tomball family attacked by bees, expert seeing aggressive trend (KHOU 11 News)
STATE HEADLINES:
- U.S. Supreme Court vacates Texas voter ID appeal (Austin Statesman)
- Texas gays wonder whether marriage will pay off (KHOU 11 News)
- Governor, Right-To-Life Activists,Take Aim At Those Who Killed Abortion Bill (KERA Dallas)
- Texas beaches tank in quality (Chron.con)
- US Senate Committee calls for quicker action following West, Texas, plant blast (KPRC 2 News)
NATION & WORLD:
- Inspector General Changes Tune On IRS Scandal (NPR)
- U.S. spends big on education, but results lag many nations: OECD (Reuters)
- Many cities face long waits to regain lost jobs (USA Today)
- Obama sees “moral imperative” to help feed Africa (Reuters)