Rochester Business Journal

Local supporters of immigration reform are joining a statewide caravan when it arrives on Feb. 17 at the local offices of two members of the House of Representatives.

The “New York Road Trip for Our Future,” was organized to step up pressure on elected leaders to get moving on reform of immigration laws. It is coordinated here by a coalition of local groups in collaboration with the statewide New York Immigration Coalition and the national Reform Immigration for America campaign.

“In the course of this five-day trip, nearly 5,000 people will be deported and more than 5,000 will be detained, and we’ll be no closer to a workable, common-sense immigration system that serves the national interest,” said Chung-Wha Hong, executive director of the state coalition, in a statement. “So we’re taking to the road, traveling across the state, bringing our message to our representatives on their home turf, joining our voices with their constituents, and making it clear that the typical Washington response of doing nothing is simply not acceptable.”

The first local stop is a rally in Sodus, Wayne County, followed by visits to the local offices of  Rep. Eric Massa, D-Corning, and Christopher Lee, R-Clarence. The day will end at a gathering at the Federal Immigration Detention Center in Batavia.

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