Biden: Don’t Let Immigration Die Like Gun Control

Vice President Joe Biden’s message to immigration reform advocates: Don’t let your issue die like gun control did.

Speaking on a conference call of Catholic clergy and other faith leaders, Biden said it will be incumbent upon immigration reformers to be louder and more engaged with Congress than reform opponents.

“Work the districts so these members understand how all their constituents feel, not just the loudest ones,” Biden said. “This kind of reminds me of the gun control kind of fights we had, and gun safety. You know, the people who don’t want anything changed to have a more rational position, they’re the ones who show up in large numbers. The ones who strongly support us, they don’t show up. You guys have to show up.”

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POLITICO obtained an invitation to the call, which was intended to be a private conversation with advocates. The call was organized by the Catholic social justice agency Network, which plans to distribute 11,000 pro-immigration reform postcards to members of Congress Wednesday.

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And Biden asked the faith leaders on the call to encourage friendly Republicans and offered advice on how best to interact with those who remain undecided about including a path to citizenship in an immigration reform package.

“Thank the Representatives when you call who are already in favor of reform, especially the 32 Republicans who have expressed for a path to citizenship,” Biden said. “Give them a little bit of love and appeal to their better angels, the better angels of those who are still on the fence to take a politically courageous decision.”