The following was published in the New York Daily News on August 22, 2013. The original article can be found here.
Immigration reform advocates arrested in lower Manhattan during protest
The group, which included professors, a nun and other clergy, blocked W. Houston St. next to the federal immigration facility at 201 Varick St.
By Erica Pearson / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Thursday, August 22, 2013, 3:08 PM
EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images
Immigration activists stage a protest in lower Manhattan Thursday.
Ten immigrant advocates — frustrated about reform being stalled in the House — were arrested Thursday in a Manhattan civil disobedience protest.
The group, which included professors, a nun and other clergy, blocked W. Houston St. next to the federal immigration facility at 201 Varick St., chanting “What do we want? Immigration reform! When do we want it? Now!”
EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images
The protesters want immigration reform, which passed in the Senate but stalled in the House of Representatives.
Police with bullhorns asked them to leave, and when they did not, quickly loaded them, hands bound behind their back, into a van.
EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images
Those arrested are due back in court in November.
“Extraordinary problems require extraordinary measures,” said Bright Dae-Jung Limm, president of lobbying group Korean Americans for Political Advancement, before his arrest.
“This is a golden opportunity and we want to make sure attention stays focused on this issue,” he said.
EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images
The activists received summonses for disorderly conduct.
The Senate passed a large reform package in June, but House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has said he will not bring it to the floor. Republican leaders in the House are instead promoting separate bills that do not provide a path to citizenship.
“Nothing is more important than that the House of Representatives finally gets it right in terms of immigration reform,” said Rev. Chloe Breyer, who walked into a police van, her hands zip-tied behind her back, during the protest, which was organized by umbrella group New York Immigration Coalition.
EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images
Ten people were arrested.
“It is frustrating that more progress is not being made,” said Breyer, who is director of the New York Interfaith Center.
All of the protesters were released Thursday afternoon with summonses for disorderly conduct and a Nov. court date.
