This week was the 104th anniversary of Ellis Island's one-day peak -- the day when more immigrants were welcomed than any other in American history. On April 17, 1907, 11,747 immigrants became Americans -- and that was just at Ellis Island.
Today, 104 years later, America is stuck in the mud with a broken immigration system. Americans want reform that unites families, promotes fair employment practices, and restores America's place as a nation that welcomes those seeking freedom from persecution and a better way of life.
This week, Immigrants' List -- a bipartisan political action committee dedicated to electing pro-immigration lawmakers -- unveiled the 2011 inductees into the Immigration Hall of Shame. They're the 10 Washington politicians presenting the biggest threat to America fixing its broken and dangerous immigration system -- the leading marshals of the anti-immigration reform agenda. They spread misinformation, prey on fear, and obstruct the reform America needs.
Many of the names are familiar. Maybe you've seen their faces before, or maybe you're hearing about them for the first time. But all of them are obstructing the immigration reform that Americans want, need, and deserve.
- Rep. Steve King (R-IA) -- A man who cites the Bible in his opposition to immigration reform, King favors an electrified wire border fence, arguing "we do that with livestock all the time." King believes that undocumented immigrants can be detected from their clothing and "the type of grooming they might have," and labeled the DREAM Act "amnesty." Alarmingly, King vice chairs the House Immigration Subcommittee -- the first stop for every immigration bill.
Immigration is a fundamental part of America's heritage and is essential to the growth and prosperity of our nation. That's a fact. It's central to our American character.
And it's something these ten have forgotten.
View the Hall of Shame, share with friends, and sign-up for more information at http://immigrantslist.org/en/learn/shame and visit our facebook page.