On "National Day of Action" on immigration reform, tempers run high over Congress' inaction
WASHINGTON/MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Ranting about reform. The immigration issue has stirred emotions on both sides of the debate, but at a news conference organized by conservatives to highlight the economic need for a new national policy, a speaker went off script -- calling Republicans "Nazis" and the president the "N word."
It was billed as a "National Day of Action" on immigration reform.
Conservative ministers, members of the military and business people gathered to demand a solution.
"We're attempting to encourage Congress and the Obama Administration to work together to pass immigration reform this year," George Klaetsch with the Partnership for a New Economy said.
The press conference calling for action was soon hijacked by a man more interested in calling names.
"I can give it my best, but the Republicans are Nazis, the Tea Party is KKK, and the Democrats are not doing nothing for our country, for me. Congress has done nothing for the last eight years. You know why? Because the 'N word' is in charge," the man said.
The inaction of Congress is clearly leading to boiling tempers.
The political parties are blaming each other.
"The hang up is the Democrats are holding border security hostage for a guarantee of citizenship," Wisconsin Republican Senator Ron Johnson said.
Wisconsin's Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin says the deadlock is the result of a Tea Party action resistant to reform.
"I really hope the leadership in the House rethinks this," Senator Baldwin said.
Meanwhile, on the so-called "Day of Action," immigrant advocates from Voces de la Frontera held a rally in Milwaukee to call for in-state college tuition for undocumented students.
"It would be better if more undocumented students went to school. They would be benefitting the economy, they would be benefitting themselves, they would be growuing as people. We don't want to just leave them standing and wondering what they could have done," Iuscely Flores said.
According to a Pew Hispanic Center report, there are an estimated 100,000 undocumented workers in Wisconsin -- making up about two percent of the workforce here.