In December, Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) and 92 cosponsors introduced the Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America's Security and Prosperity Act of 2009 (CIR ASAP) in the House. A press release from his office says the bill "is an answer to too many years of pain — mothers separated from their children, workers exploited and undermined security at the border — all caused at the hands of a broken immigration system.

This bill says 'enough,' and presents a solution to our broken system that we as a nation of immigrants can be proud of."

The bill would help families stay together, address inhumane detention center conditions, protect workers who assert their rights from employer attacks, and provide a realistic pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, while improving border security. CIR ASAP would also keep businesses from violating labor laws and paying undocumented immigrants unfair wages, which has earned it union backing from the AFL CIO, SEIU, and UFCW.

Sign the petition to tell your representatives to support comprehensive immigration reform ASAP!

Photo courtesy of Korean Resource Center 민족학교's Flickr photostream.