During his campaign, President Barack Obama promised Latinos that in 2009 there would be comprehensive immigration reform, but Latinos and other immigrants are still waiting.

With this promise to motivate them, activists and 111 Democratic U.S. Representatives have begun to apply pressure on the White House to keep its promise to the thousands of Latinos who went to the polls in November 2008, because, according to them, if the legislative process does not start moving now, it will be almost impossible to do so in 2010.

"It is important to act soon because if we don't, we will come into the mid-term elections cycle, and after that the presidential elections," said Congressman Joseph Crowley of Queens during a telephone press conference about immigration reform. "Time is of the essence."

The press conference included Congressman Crowley, Chung-Wha Hong, executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition, Javier Valdés, deputy director of Make the Road New York, and Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum.

According to Crowley, a letter signed by 111 U.S. Representatives including all Queens Representatives, was presented to the President to serve as a push for action. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is taking the reigns to do the same in the Senate.

But the most important thing, said Crowley, is that Illinois Congressman Luis Gutierrez (D) must present the bill before Congress before November 1 [as of that date, the bill was still being written] to begin the process.

Noorani Hong and Valdés are working at the community level, organizing New Yorkers and collaborating with other organizations across the country.

"We need 279 votes in all," said Noorani. "Sixty from the Senate, 218 from the House of Representatives, and one from the President."