Hundreds of North Carolina Hispanic pastors and church congregants gathered on Saturday to call for immigration reform, at an event outside Derita Presbyterian Church in northeast Charlotte.
The attendees said that there hasn’t been proper immigration reform since 1986 when the Immigration Reform and Control Act offered legal status for some undocumented immigrants and increased border control.
Some pastors said they are against mass deportations currently taking place under President Donald Trump’s administration.
“Look at the people that are building up this country and bring them in, bring them in and in a very humane way and know that these people are building America,” pastor Maudia Melendez said.
Other pastors in attendance blamed the Latino community, saying there is no immigration reform because they haven’t united to support Trump.
“You have a president who is going to support you, support the Latinos and support the Hispanic church, but he’s waiting," pastor Luis Cabrera said. "When are we going to come together?”
Attendees signed a petition calling for immigration reform that they’ll soon send to U.S. Congress members and Trump.
