It was quite a week in the Nation’s capital—pro-reform advocates descended on Washington, Congressman Luis Gutierrez laid out his principles for reform, the White House started “Tweeting” in Spanish and the President showed off his Salsa moves at a White House Music Series.
Beginning on Tuesday, thousands of pro-immigrant rights supporters from across the country descended on the Capitol to march and lobby their members of congress in support of immigration reform. Representative Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) used the occasion to lay out his vision and principles for immigration reform in anticipation of a House bill to be introduced in the months ahead.
Also on Tuesday, the Supreme Court heard an important immigration-related case Kentucky V. Padilla. While the Justice’s won’t render a decision for some time, legal experts feel that some of the Justices seemed appropriately disturbed by the issues being argued in the case—namely, whether a criminal defense lawyer must advise an immigrant client about the potential immigration consequence of a plea bargain, and whether a defendant should be allowed to reopen his criminal case when the attorney misadvises his/her client about the immigration consequences of a plea bargain.
Later on Tuesday, the White House hosted “Fiesta Latina” to celebrate Latin music as part of the White House Music Series. The President practiced his salsa moves and was cajoled by Mexican-American comedian George Lopez who joked that, on the heels of Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize, that he had just been awarded a Latin Grammy as well. Lopez also joked “While we have been in here, Lou Dobbs has petitioned to build a wall around this tent.”
Also this week, the White House launched an updated Spanish Language Website and started Twittering in Spanish.
FILED UNDER: undocumented immigration
