Across the country, the debate over comprehensive immigration reform has been escalating steadily over the past year and a half. Anti-immigration legislation based off of Arizona’s now-infamous SB1070, which permits aggressive profiling of Latino Americans and strict enforcement of immigration policy, has been adopted or proposed in several states like Alabama and Georgia. In our nation’s capital, however, the city council is moving in the opposite direction.

Last year, council members Jim Graham and Phil Mendelson proposed a new bill that would make it possible for residents of Washington, DC to apply for a driver’s license without requiring the applicant’s social security number. This would benefit the undocumented Latino community of DC tremendously as they could obtain a valid government issued ID regardless of their immigration status.

That bill is now up for a vote, and last month a rally was organized to show support for its passing. The sun was setting over Pennsylvania Avenue when DREAMer Matias Ramos and the Capitol Dream Team organization convened at the steps of city hall. In attendance were members of the CDT, local TV reporters, passersby, and #Occupy DCers, who had relocated that morning to Freedom Plaza after being evicted from McPherson Square. Also in attendance were Councilman Graham and Jai Shankar, an undocumented activist that has been burdened with an ankle bracelet for the past 3 years.

The rally was one of the first activities of the reconvened Capitol Dream Team, a grassroots organization run by young progressive professionals and university students that advocates for immigrant rights. The CDT is working to build alliances with the cross-cultural communities of Washington, DC, including the African-American, collegiate, interfaith, non-profit, and activists.

“People are going to drive if they need to go somewhere,” Graham said about the bill that would prevent undocumented residents from being forced to break the law just to make ends meet.

As the demonstration came to a close, folks formed a picket line, prayed, lit candles and held a vigil while singing “We Shall Overcome.” Rallies like the one in DC are just a small part of national efforts to protect the rights of undocumented people living in the United States, and to roll back the rising tide of anti-immigration legislation. As citizens and American Latinos, we need to be vigilant against unjust policies like Arizona’s SB1070 and support pragmatic and fair legislation such as DC’s driver’s license bill. Apathy on part of the Latino community will only enable the xenophobic opposition; activism is the only road to progress.

Get involved with issues like making it possible for the undocumented community to drive legally, by signing up today. —Michael Saldarriaga

Michael Saldarriaga hails from Orlando, Florida and is based in Washington, D.C. He graduated from Boston College with a BA in International Studies and concentration on Political Science and Latin American affairs. He is a marketing intern at Voto Latino.