Leading Conservative White, Hispanic Evangelicals Issue Evangelical Call to Action on Comprehensive Immigration Reform

Senator Kennedy to join Richard Land, Samuel Rodriguez at press conference this Thursday

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

(Washington, D.C.) Two of the leading conservative evangelical voices in America for comprehensive immigration reform -- Dr. Richard Land, President of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, and Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, President of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference -- will call on evangelicals to unite in support of comprehensive immigration reform this Thursday at 11:30 AM on Capitol Hill.

While some evangelical leaders remain silent on the immigration crisis, Land and Rodriguez will speak out to urge support for a moral, biblical response -- which combines respect for the rule of law and compassion for immigrants and their families.

Joined by Sen. Edward Kennedy, Land and Rodriguez’s call comes at a critical legislative juncture: following last week’s introduction of a comprehensive immigration reform bill by U.S. Reps. Jeff Flake, R-AZ, and Luis Gutierrez, D-IL in the House and just ahead of Senate consideration of reform legislation in the coming weeks.

Rev. Gilberto Velez, Senior Pastor of one of the largest Hispanic congregations in the U.S. will also explain how evangelical pastors across the country can mobilize congregants to answer this call. Dozens of other influential Hispanic evangelical pastors and leaders will also be present at the press conference.

WHO: Dr. Richard Land, President, Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission and Author of the forthcoming book, The Divided States of America? What Liberals and Conservatives Are Missing in the God-And-Country Shouting Match!
Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, President, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, America's largest Hispanic Evangelical organization, serving 10,700 Hispanic evangelical churches with 15 million members
Rev. Gilberto Velez, Senior Pastor, Mercy Church, one of the largest Hispanic congregations in the U.S., in Laredo, Texas

WHERE: Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room 430

WHEN: Thursday, March 29th, 2007 at 11:30 AM

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