The Murthy Law Firm’s founder and president, Sheela Murthy, was on hand for the American Immigration Council’s (AIC) 19th Annual Immigrant Achievement Awards, held at the Capitol Liaison Hotel in Washington D.C. on April 10th. The event celebrated the accomplishments of several distinguished immigrants and immigrant advocates from around the country. As in past years, the Murthy Law Firm was proud to be a major sponsor of this event, and several attorneys and staff members from the firm attended. This year’s immigrant honorees are:

• Rebecca and Hugo Medrano, who founded the GALA Hispanic Theatre in Washington D.C. nearly three decades ago, which has evolved into the National Center for Latino Performing Arts

• Eliseo Medina, who for almost five decades has been a tireless advocate for the welfare of immigrant farm laborers, and for fundamental reforms to our nation’s immigration laws

• Astrid Silva, winner of this year’s Immigrant Youth Achievement Award, who has become a leading youth advocate for the DREAMers in Nevada, as founder of DREAM Big Vegas

The event’s Master of Ceremonies was Jim Wallis, a bestselling author and public theologian who frequently comments on ethical issues and public affairs. As one of the leading voices in the American faith community, Mr. Wallis has been calling on Congress, for several years, to remedy the injustices present in the current immigration system.

Murthy said, “Immigrants bring so much to this country: they bring brains and drive and the will to succeed, they bring new ideas and new perspectives, and their amazing contributions continue to enrich our culture, our economy, and our political system. One of our country’s greatest strengths is its ability to attract people – people from all over the world – to bring their unique talents here. That diversity is a source of constant renewal for our society, and I think it’s important for us to honor these immigrant advocates and Americans-by-choice, and highlight their achievements. It’s an inspiration to us all!”

The Immigrant Achievement Awards reception was the capstone of the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s (AILA) National Day of Action on Capitol Hill, which each year brings hundreds of AILA members to Washington D.C., from across the United States, to lobby Congress for proactive and pro-immigration reform. Their efforts focused mainly on the House of Representatives, where comprehensive immigration reform legislation remains stalled.

As Murthy commented, “We have waited long enough for immigration reform, and I fully support AILA’s efforts to move this issue to the front burner. We need to make sure that Congress really understands how important – and overwhelmingly positive – immigration is for our country.”

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