National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health Leaders Arrested in Act of Civil Disobedience for Immigration Reform
(Washington, D.C.) - Today, hundreds of women gathered on Capitol Hill to urge Congress to take action and pass an inclusive and common-sense immigration reform bill that addresses the concerns of women and families. Following the rally, many of these women, including Jessica González-Rojas, executive director of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, and Kimberly Inez McGuire, associate director for government relations and public affairs, were arrested for their participation in a peaceful act of civil disobedience.
“Our actions today in Washington are a direct counter to policymakers’ passivity,” said González-Rojas. “Immigrant women are often the backbone of their communities — caring for families and earning wages — yet they continue to be ignored by immigration policy reform. The 20 million immigrant women in this country deserve basic human rights, including access to affordable health care. We refuse to let them be marginalized any longer.”
As advocates for Latina health, NLIRH recognizes the ways immigrant women are cut off from their full potential because they lack access to affordable reproductive and preventive health care. Under the Senate’s proposed immigration reform bill, immigrants may have to wait up to 15 years for health care, a wait NLIRH believes is unacceptable.
