National Coalition of Latino Clergy
& Christian Leaders (CONLAMIC)

PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Rev. Ephraim Rivera
(202) 615-7444
December 30, 2008

National Latino Evangelical and Hispanic Christian Leaders will Rally at Capitol Hill for Comprehensive Immigration Reform

WASHINGTON, DC- The National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders (CONLAMIC) the main latino evangelical, christian and pentecostal pastor's advocacy organization in the Country, is calling for an URGENT DAY OF PRAYER FOR IMMIGRATION REFORM at Capitol Hill in Washington DC.

Hundreds of church members of the Maryland, Virginia and DC latino evangelical churches, will gather at 10:30am, on January 7, 2009, at the steps of the Cannon Capitol Complex Building (corner of Independence and New Jersey Ave SW) for a prayer rally and a joint Press Conference, with Congressman Luis Gutierrez(D), from Illinois and other Members of Congress.

CONLAMIC has called President-Elect Barack Obama on a letter dated November 6, 2008, "to provide strong leadership on the need for a comprehensive immigration reform legislation, calling Members of the 111th. Congress, to address this issue during his first 100 days in office".

"It is a matter of high moral and traditional family values approach, to stop the raids, incarceration and deportation of thousands of fathers, mothers and sons, who are victims of a broken immigration system and its only accomplishment has been putting families apart and an increase of anti-immigrant sentiment, which has polarized our communities and increased the number of hate crimes against the latino immigrant community", says the Rev. Miguel Rivera, who speaks on behalf of over 20,000 latino evangelical pastors with Chapters in 34 States and Chairman of the National Coalition of Latino Clergy & Christian Leaders (CONLAMIC)

Members of the President-Elect Barack Obama christian advisory team, the Reverend Antonio Bolainez from McAllen, Texas and the Reverend Herman Perez from Chicago Illinois, will be present to address the Press as well.

Other recognized National Evangelical Leaders such as the Reverend Walter Coleman from Chicago, Reverend Jorge Rascke from Puerto Rico, the Reverend Luis Cortes from Philadelphia, the New York State Senator, Reverend Ruben Diaz and the Reverend Bishop Kittim Silva from New York have been invited to attend.

"We commend the efforts of Congressman Gutierrez and Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez who are both committed to this issue and with a bipartisan support, at the Senate and the House of Representatives, this legislation can be accomplished. America needs social and spiritual healing, due to so much racial intolerance and the first step forward to seek such healing process is by, all Members of Congress and President-elect Obama, to come forward and do what is right on behalf of civil and human rights", said also the Rev. Rivera.