Martin: the enduring symbol of our nation isn't the barbed wire fence

Friend,

Throughout my service as Mayor, as Governor and campaign for president, I never wavered on the need to pass comprehensive immigration reform.

I believe that our outdated and inhumane immigration laws no longer meet our economic needs, our national security imperatives, or most importantly, our values as a people.

I believe that we need to lead with the compassionate message and actions that have made us who we are: a nation of immigrants, bonded together by our diverse beliefs and traditions.

Immigration is what has made America, America.

And while much can be done by bold executive action, it is no substitute for Congressional action. We need leaders in Washington who will tirelessly stand up to the kind of hateful, misguided rhetoric we've seen thrown at the millions of New Americans and fight to forge consensus on an issue that has shaped this country.

I believe Braddock, Pennsylvania Mayor John Fetterman is that kind of leader, and that's why today, I am endorsing his campaign for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania. He really needs our help, so click here to join his progressive campaign.

As Mayor of Braddock, PA for more than ten years, he's taken on the kinds of issues that are now at the forefront of the American conscience: income inequality, green jobs, access to health care and gun violence, to name just a few.

But John's wife Gisele has a remarkable story that is so emblematic of our experience as a country, and the work on immigration that lies before us. Like so many before her, she came to this country with her family from Brazil in search of a better life — fleeing a violent and unstable situation.

Her family overstayed their visa, and for years, she lived in the shadows undocumented while her mother cleaned houses for twelve hours a day. And while Gisele would eventually obtain her green card, it shouldn't have been that hard.

When John is asked about what he thought of Gisele and her family staying here illegally, I love his response: "I’m so glad she did."

It's time we approached the issue of immigration with humanity and an understanding of how we have all been shaped by it, directly or indirectly. Once again, we must remember that the enduring symbol of our nation isn't the barbed wire fence — it's the Statue of Liberty.

Please join me in supporting John's bid for the U.S. Senate. We need more leaders in Washington ready to embrace immigration reform, rather than running away from it.

Thank you,
Martin O'Malley