United Church of Christ + Multiple Groups March in Downtown Long Beach, Call For Immigration Reform

(July 2, 2013) -- Organized by the United Church of Christ and as part of its General Synod 2013, about 200 people marched in downtown Long Beach, first to the office of Immigration Customs and Enforcement, then to City Hall, and finally to the office of Congressman Alan Lowenthal on Monday, July 1 calling for just and comprehensive immigration reform.

Photo credit: Barry Saks

The UCC-organized event was endorsed by the Long Beach Immigrants Rights Coalition, Filipino Migrants Center and other local immigration rights groups.

Photo credit: Barry Saks

Marchers remained on the sidewalk along their route while chanting, "We are people. We are not illegal"; "Stop deportations now"; "The people united will never be defeated"; and "Education, not deportations."

To the tune "Down by the Riverside," marchers sang, "We’re all God's children. We ain't going to build that border fence."

Some marchers wore buttons which said, "Jesus was a low-wage worker."

Photo credit: Barry Saks

One marcher was Kirk Laubstein, 32. Laubstein, who is a third-year student at the Chicago Theological Seminary, said, "It says in the Bible God welcomes everyone...that is what we should do in America."

Another marcher, Beverly Travers, 65, who is from Arizona, said she was marching because she opposes deportation of immigrants.

A third marcher was Rev. Dale Parson. Parson said that he was "marching in solidarity with those whose daily lives are impacted by the reality of deportation and discrimination. . . .We’re marching for the rights of all immigrants, their families, for justice, for equality."

Photo credit: Barry Saks

At each of the three stops a religious ritual was performed; at the immigration office, holy water was sprinkled; at City Hall, feet were washed; and at congressional office, bread was broken.

At the office of Congressman Alan Lowenthal, his field representative, Irantzu Pujadas, thanked the marchers for their hard work and read from a statement by the Congressman in the previous week which said in part: "I look forward to supporting the comprehensive immigration reform bill in the House (of Representatives) that not only secure our borders, but protects our workers, reunites families, and offers an earned path to citizenship."