Immigrant rights activists gathered Tuesday afternoon at the Federal Court House in Eugene to call on Representative Peter DeFazio to support comprehensive immigration reform.

Advocates are on a state-wide tour, stopping at the every office of the Oregon’s congressional delegation.   They say comprehensive reform has been put on the back-burner too long.  They want President Obama and Congress to pass legislation that will create a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants currently in the country. 

Francisco Lopez, Executive Director of the Immigrant rights group CAUSA, says at this point Representative DeFazio is not an ally.

“When most of the Oregon Congressional delegation is saying, you know, we’ll support some of this.  Something needs to be done.  He’s very reluctant.  So, he’s one of those that we feel sad that he’s not committed to this.”

As part of immigration reform, activists also hope Congress will move forward on the Dream Act, which would allow children of undocumented immigrants to attend college in the US without fear of deportation.