Attorneys Lobby for Better Immigration Laws
Posted Nov 14, 2003

Several attorneys from the Washington D.C. Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) participated in a "Mini Lobby Day" on November 7, 2003, on Capitol Hill. An attorney from The Law Office of Sheela Murthy, P.C., who is co-chair of the Washington D.C. Chapter’s Congressional Committee, helped in organizing the event and coordinating the various sessions for Chapter members. Another of our attorneys participated in the day-long meeting in the nation's capital with designated congressional staff members. The event was part of our on-going lobbying efforts to drive home the need for legislative understanding and support of pro-immigration legislation in Congress.

The participants of the Mini Lobby Day program met with congressional aides from the offices of Senators and Congresspersons representing Maryland and Virginia. The topics discussed included a broad range of current immigration issues. The discussions included potential comprehensive immigration reform that would both provide earned adjustment for certain illegal immigrants and initiatives to eliminate illegal immigration. The potential changes aimed at reducing illegal immigration were measures such as an increase the family-based immigration quota and a reduction of backlogs in case processing. Also discussed were (1) the need for increased understanding of the H and L visa programs, including why these programs are important; (2) promotion of the DREAM Act, and its related bill proposal, the Student Adjustment Act in the House of Representatives; (3) and the elimination of executive actions that have curbed civil liberties.

The overall feeling was that some Congressional offices were very receptive to our message, while others simply listened politely. We hope that the early signs indicating that the economy is improving will enable more Congressional members to understand our position and hear our recommendations with open minds. We at The Law Office of Sheela Murthy, P.C. are pleased to have participated in this event and plan to continue in our efforts to raise awareness of these important issues for the cause of immigration. We have a consolidated plan to address the importance of U.S. immigration, both at the grass roots level and at the national level. Our involvement and participation in this event is just one step in our multi-pronged plan to raise the consciousness of those who can make a difference to this cause.