Local group not happy with immigration bill

RALEIGH, N.C.

One member of the N.C. Dream team says the bill is a step in the right direction, but it still has a long way to go.

Estephania Mijangos and her family have been in the U.S. since the late 1990's, but they are not citizens.

Mijangos is with the N.C. Dream Team and works for the rights of immigrants illegally. She said she is not happy with the Senate's bipartisan 68-32 vote.

"It's a lot of conflicting emotions, this isn't the bill we wanted," Mijangos said.

One main concern, she said, is the 13 year path to citizenship outlined in the plan.

"That's 10 years too much. My parents have grown old in this country," she said.

Mijangos is also not thrilled with the yes vote that Sen. Kay Hagan, D-N.C. gave.

"Now she is showing that she supports immigration, but every single time we have reached out to her as N.C. Dream Team to help us with cases, she never answers," Mijangos said.

Hagan released this statement about her vote:

"I voted for this bipartisan bill because it will secure our borders, boost our economy, reduce our deficit, and fix the system so that everyone plays by the same rules. After listening to a wide variety of stake holders in North Carolina, it became clear that supporting this bill is the right decision for our state."

Still, Mijangos said the fight for immigration reform feels like a politics game and she will not be satisfied until she sees a plan that does not include things like a 13 year wait or a wall at the border.

"Something that treats us as human beings, something that treats my parents as the people that they are," Mijangos said.

While Hagan is happy with the security measures outlined in the bill, Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C. is not. He voted against the bill.

One of his spokesmen said Burr does not think the bill does enough to secure the border. Fellow conservatives feel that could be the downfall as the bill heads to the Republican-controlled house.

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