On Sunday, March 21, 2010, the country was focused on the historic health care legislation vote. All, that is, except for the over 200,000 people who filled the Washington Mall to urge the President and Congress to move forward on comprehensive immigration reform.
The President did not attend the demonstration because of the vote taking place in the House, but a video message he prepared earlier was broadcast to the marchers.
Real change doesn't start in the White House or the halls of Congress. It starts with people like you, in communities all across this country standing up and making your voices heard.
Four years ago as a senator, I joined many of you at a march like this one in my home state of Illinois. And today we remember someone who stood with you--not just on days like this, but for his entire career. This march would make Ted Kennedy proud. And I know that his spirit is with us as we continue his life's work to bring about real comprehensive immigration reform for our country.
Teddy's commitment to the cause never wavered and neither is mine. I've always pledged to be your partner as we work to fix our broken immigration system, and that's a commitment that I reaffirm today. Nobody knows the cost of inaction better than you. You see it in the families that are torn apart and the small business owners who strive to do the right thing while others game the system. You see it in the workers who deserve the protection of our laws and in the officers who struggle to keep our communities safe while earning the trust of those they serve.
That's why today, there is a growing coalition of law enforcement officials, faith and community leaders and members of the labor and business sectors who understand that immigration reform is critical to our security and our prosperity.
In the end, our broken immigration system affects more than a single community; it affects our entire country. And as we continue to strengthen our economy and jumpstart job creation, we need to do so with an immigration system that works, not the broken system we have now.
That's why nine months ago, I asked members of my team to lead our efforts to move the legislative process forward. Since then, they've met with elected officials from both parties and stakeholders from all across the country, and we've worked together with Senators Schumer and Graham as they developed a framework that includes common sense, effective strategies to protect our borders and enforce the law while offering a path to citizenship for hardworking people who register, pay taxes, pay a fine, and agree to play by the rules.
I congratulate Senators Schumer and Graham for their leadership and I pledge to do everything in my power to forge a bipartisan consensus this year on this important issue. You know as well as I do that this won't happen overnight but if we work together across ethnic, state and party lines, we can build a future worthy of our history as a nation of immigrants and a nation of laws.
Thank you so much.
Source: Transcribed from a YouTube video from JoeinDC