Activists protest across the U.S., urge Obama to consider immigration reform

As the number of illegal immigrants deported during the Obama administration nears two million, activists are stepping up their efforts to change President Barack Obama's immigration policy:

More than 40 protests in cities across the United States took place today, but on Friday night, one unique group gathered at a vigil in downtown Los Angeles. Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders in the city took a unified stance, noting that not so long ago, such an event would have focused primarily on the Latino community.

"Times have changed," Shakeel Syed, executive director of the Islamic Shura Council of Southern California, told the Los Angeles Times. "Some have framed the issue as a monolithic issue of a particular denomination. But that is a myth. The immigration issue transcends all creeds, all colors, all languages."

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Activists must remember, though, that the immigration issue also transcends political parties. Even if protesters were to sway the Obama administration from its current policy, they would need cooperation from a Republican-controlled House. Considering a House committee blocked another Republican-backed proposal on Friday, immigration reform — at least this year — appears unlikely.