On an unseasonably hot and sticky afternoon, members of the community gathered for a heated rally against immigration reform.

The rally was organized in response to U.S. House Resolution 4437, which would make all undocumented immigrants felons.

“The racism and prejudice that has affected this country has continued throughout history and continues to this day,” said Basil Mahayni, graduate student in political science. “We want to show we are united with all immigrants, both documented and undocumented.”

More than 100 people gathered to rally and listen to speakers’ pleas for the rights of undocumented immigrants.

“These people may be here in violation of a law, but the law is unjust,” said John Donaghy, campus minister at St. Thomas Aquinas Church and Catholic Student Center, 2210 Lincoln Way.

Citing undocumented immigrants as the reason for social injustice in the United States is intolerable, Donaghy said.

“Anytime you scapegoat any group for major problems is always wrong,” he said. “This is a question of justice, but it deals with real human beings, so therefore, they should not be scapegoated.”

Martha Garcia, a permanent U.S. resident who immigrated with her family when she was 6 years old, delivered a tearful speech about how her other family members struggled to gain citizenship.

“People do not know why people are here illegally,” she said. “In Mexico, the current system is backed up to 1991. That means that if you applied to come to the U.S. legally in 1991, your documents are finally getting looked at.

“It’s not just Mexicans – there are many people who are here from all over the world.”

Permanent residents can legally live and work in the United States, but cannot vote in elections limited to U.S. citizens, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Garcia, senior in mechanical engineering, said although she is eligible, she has struggled for more than a year to gain full citizenship.

“To become a citizen, you have to live here without a voice for five years,” she said, referring to not having the right to vote. “I am not directly affected [by the proposed legislation] because I am not waiting to become a permanent resident, but many of my friends and people I know are.”

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ed Fallon also spoke at the gathering. Recent rallies attracting thousands of people across the state and country are building on undocumented immigrants’ underrepresented voice, he said.

“It has bothered me to see injustice in our community, injustice in our state and in our nation,” Fallon said, during his speech. “It is an attempt to inflame passions, to take advantage of a constituency that are underrepresented, that have appeared to have no voice in government and to make that constituency the fallout for all the problems that are being ignored and neglected.”

Fallon said he wants lawmakers nationwide to have a fair, educated conversation about immigration.

“Hatred and fear have no place in Iowa – we have always been a welcoming state,” he said. “Anytime people . try to incite fear in legislation that is politically motivated, that needs to be challenged. There is definitely a need for an informed discussion on immigration policy at the federal level.”

Emily Jensen, president of the Government of the Student Body, said students need to be better aware of the immigration debate.

“I think it is important for students to be educated on all sides of the issue,” she said. “Rallies like these help promote diversity and education on campus and help students get involved and activated on these issues.”

William Lincoln, junior in environmental science, said it would be difficult to prosecute millions of undocumented immigrants.

“It’s going to be really hard to kick out millions and millions of people when they are already here,” he said.

“If you take an economics course, you know they are going to have some benefit to the economy,” he said.

“I figured, eh, might as well. I’ve got nothing better to do,” Lincoln said of attending the rally.