At chants of “Kamala, escucha, estamos en la lucha” and “Si se puede” — “Kamala, listen, we’re in this fight” and “Yes we can” — about 100 people marched on Mission Street this afternoon on their way to City Hall, demanding a path to legalization for millions of undocumented immigrants.
The group started its 48-mile march in San Jose on Saturday with only one goal in mind: To send a clear message to presumed Democratic presidential nominee, Kamala Harris, during the party’s national convention in Chicago, to renew H.R. 1511.
“We want the law to be updated so it can provide legal status to millions of workers who contribute every day to this economy,” said Xochilt Nuñez, a farmer who came from Fresno to participate in the march. “This is very important for our communities.”
H.R. 1511 allows the federal government to provide, at its discretion, legal residential status to certain long-term undocumented immigrants. The last time the law was updated was in 1986, when President Ronald Reagan invoked it to provide legal status to any person who came to the country in 1972 or before.
Now, with the backing of South Bay Rep. Zoe Lofgren and other 48 co-sponsors, organizers are asking Harris to make updating the law a priority.
Doing so would benefit an estimated 8 million people who have been living in the United States for seven years and have a clean criminal record.
“We’re asking Harris not to forget about the millions of people in our communities. There are so many people suffering unnecessarily,” said activist Rene Saucedo, who described the experience as “incredible” so far. “I’ve seen so much support.”
The group had the support of other volunteers and activists who handed out water, provided medical attention and kept participants on a straight line so the group left space for other people to use the sidewalk.
“They’re in Chicago right now, but I hope they can hear our calls from here,” said Nuñez.