Breitbart News has obtained emails in which an immigration campaign organizer for the Center for Community Change (CCC), a liberal grassroots organizing group working with a Hispanic advocacy group and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), sent an email this week asking for at least 200 people to to volunteer to get arrested at an immigration rally in Washington, D.C. in acts of civil disobedience. 

This weekend, various groups in support of comprehensive immigration reform will hold over 165 events in 41 states in mass demonstrations for immigration reform, which will culminate in Washington, D.C. on October 8th on the National Mall. Organizers expect more than 10,000 people to rally to pressure Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform on that day.

“October 8th is now just a week and a day away and we REALLY need your help!” the email, sent on September 30, reads. “After the speakers and performances, this rally and concert will culminate in a Civil Disobedience action in front of the capitol!!! This will be the largest civil disobedience ever held by the immigrant rights movement.”

At that rally, organizers from the CCC will work with CASA de Maryland and SEIU 32bj to coordinate acts of civil disobedience and even potentially cheer arrestees who are then released from jail. 

In a previous email that was on the email chain, a CCC executive writes that the rally will be “a powerful and exciting event that will launch us into further escalation efforts across the country to make sure we win this fight. Please help us in making sure it is as powerful a launch as possible.”

“These mobilizations come at a critical moment, in which groups are pushing with full force to make sure the House of Representatives keeps immigration reform at the top of agenda and gives us a vote on citizenship,” the executive writes.

Though Congress is focused on budgetary battles, House Republicans have been working on immigration legislation “beneath the radar” and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and other top Democrats introduced immigration reform legislation on Wednesday. Pelosi said since any bill that would pass the House would go to conference with the Senate, which passed an immigration bill in June that included a pathway to citizenship, she and other Democrats would do “whatever it takes” to ultimately conference with the Senate on immigration reform legislation. 

The CCC email lists four ways supporters can help the the various pro-immigration reform advocacy groups on October 8:

4 Ways to support October 8th Action in DC:

Participate as an arrestee in the Civil Disobedience: October 8th

Civil Disobedience Registration Form.

**Help us reach our Goal of 200 arrestees!!!

Volunteer to staff the Info-Table at the action site

·         Shifts: 11:30am – 3:30pm

Location: In front of the Stage on the National Mall at 19th St. near Smithsonian metro

Volunteer in the action as a “Marshal”

Shifts: 11am – 6pm

Location: In front of the Stage on the National Mall at 19th St. near the Smithsonian metro

4.       Join the Support Squad to cheer the 200 people as they are

released from jail!

·         Shifts: 6-10pm, 10pm-2am, 2-6am*, 6-10am*

*Only if arrestees are not already out.

Location: US Capitol Police, 67 K SW, Washington, DC

CCC staff has historically thrown down for these DC actions in a BIG way and we look forward to working with you all again for this important and powerful event!