On November 21, Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez (IL-04) led a delegation of 11 Members of Congress to Birmingham, Alabama to investigate how the state’s new restrictive immigration law is being implemented.  An ad hoc hearing was held in Birmingham’s City Council Chambers and a mass meeting at the historic 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham launched the “One Family, One Alabama” campaign to repeal the law, HB56.  An amicus brief supporting the federal lawsuit to overturn the law was also submitted on November 21 and was signed by 39 House Democrats, including the 11 who traveled to Alabama.

On Friday, December 2 at 9:30 a.m. Members of the delegation who traveled to Alabama held a press conference to discuss their trip and what they learned.  In addition to Rep. Gutierrez, the Members of Congress present at the press conference included: Rep. Silvestre Reyes of Texas; Rep. Terri A. Sewell of Alabama, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas, and Rep. Zoe Lofgren of California, who each spoke at the event today.