Letter to Cecilia Muñoz at the White House, 05/08/13
Dear Ms MuÑoz;
Thank you for requesting support for President Obama’ Immigration Reform.
At Igualdad we fully support a fair reform.
I am an american citizen by birth, but US Citizens by birth who reside in Puerto Rico, as well as thousands of naturalized citizens do not share the same civil rights as the American Citizens residents in the 50 states.
We believe that our Nation has one Constitution and only one citizenship for all Americans and, therefore, all American citizens of Puero Rico should have the same rights, responsibilities and opportunities as the American citizens who reside in the 50 States.
We support a just and fair immigration reform, but the continued political segregation of a community of 3.7 million American citizens of Hispanic origin is a national problem that deserves prompt attention and expedient action. We hope to find the same support for justice and equality for the US Citizens who reside in Puerto Rico.
Last November the people voted clearly to end this state of affairs which the federal government has maintained for too long. Puerto Rico has been a U.S. possession since 1898 and persons born here have been U.S. citizens since 1917 – second class citizenship, that is.
It is time that you heed our call and do your part to end this state of affairs which not only hinders our economic development as found by the White House Task Force on Puerto Rico’s political Status. It is indignant for both the nation and its natural and naturalizad citizens residing in this territory.
Dr. Hernán Padilla
* Former Mayor of San Juan, President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and Public Delegate of U.S. Mission to the United Nations.