Updated 03:18 PM EDT, Tue, Apr 16, 2024

Immigration Reform News 2014: Group Backed by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg Attacks Republicans in New Ad [Video]

  • +
  • -
  • Sign up to receive the lastest news from LATINONE

FWD.us, the pro-immigration advocacy group co-founded by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is taking a tough stance on Republican leaders in an effort to push for an overhaul of the nation's broken immigration system.

The group released a 60-second ad on Monday that scolds House Republicans for stalling the process of passing a sweeping immigration bill in Congress.

"No one debates we need to fix our country's broken immigration system," says the narrator while clips of recent news stories and scenes from Capitol Hill flash on the sceen.

"Republican leaders know it. They've even said so time and again. So why are Republicans cooling, retreating and even privately saying they'd rather do nothing this year?" the ad continues.

The $500,000 commercial, entitled "Do Nothing," was paid for through a progressive arm of FWD.us, the Council for American Job Growth. It is scheduled to air in every state for two weeks, according to the Associated Press.

The ad also makes reference to the bipartisan immigration bill that passed in the Senate last summer but stalled in the Republican-controlled House. "Doing nothing puts jobs on ice, forces us to lose out on revenue for roads and schools and infrastructure, and sends a message to millions of Dreamers who study hard and want to serve our country - they might as well dream on," says the narrator of the ad. 

"No, nothing won't do," the commerical concludes. "Call House Republicans today. Tell them we've waited long enough - pass immigration reform."

Last month, for the first time it seemed like the GOP leaders were planning to take action on immigration after House Speaker John Boehner released a set of principles that offered undocumented residents a pathway to legalization. However, less than a week later, the GOP backpedaled on the party's commitment to fixing the immigration system; Boehner said he doesn't trust President Obama to carry out all elements of a new immigration law.

FWD.us hopes that the ad will stir up a sense of urgency and accountablity when it comes to immigration reform.

"The cost of inaction is too great, and it's not enough to pay lip service to the need for immigration reform," said Todd Schulte, president of the Council for American Job Growth, reports the New York Times. "It's time for House Republicans to make good on their words and act."

Although FWD.us has released a report showing that Republican congressmen have rarely lost primaries over immigration, many GOP members are apprehensive to support a reform bill during an election year in fear that they may lose their congressional seat to a more conservative, Tea Party-backed candidate.

© 2015 Latin One. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
  • Sign up to receive the lastest news from LATINONE
Close

Curiosidades

Real Time Analytics