Hispanic National Bar Association Joins National Organizations to Oppose the
Vitter-Bennett Amendment As Unconstitutional, Divisive, and Aimed at
Undermining Census 2010





WASHINGTON, - The Hispanic National Bar
Association (HNBA) participated in a press conference on Capitol Hill to
oppose a proposed amendment by U.S. Senators David Vitter (R - LA) and Robert
Bennett (R - UT) that would require a question about the citizenship and
immigration status of every American.  This amendment seeks to undermine
efforts for an accurate Census 2010, and discourage census participation in
minority communities.  


WHAT:  Press Conference to Oppose the Vitter-Bennett Amendment


WHO:  The HNBA will be represented by Liz Lopez, the HNBA Vice President for
External Affairs.


WHEN:Tuesday, October 20th, 2009


WHERE: Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room 406


The HNBA was joined by a broad and diverse group of national and civil
rights organizations including: NDN, The Asian American Justice Center (AAJC),
the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR), the National Association of
Latino Elected & Appointed Officials (NALEO), the Center for American Progress
(CAP), the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the Mexican
American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF), Demos, the NAACP Legal
Defense and Educational Fund (LDF), and People for the American Way (PFAW).


"The amendment being proposed is not only reprehensible, it is
unconstitutional," said Roman Hernandez, HNBA President.  "As an organization
that represents the interests of over 100,000 Hispanic attorneys, judges, law
professors and law students in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, we take great issue
with this amendment on a constitutional basis, and find it offensive to many
in our profession who are immigrants themselves or serve immigrant
communities." 


Please visit the website at www.hnba.com for further information about the
Hispanic National Bar Association.


SOURCE  Hispanic National Bar Association

Zuraya Tapia-Alfaro, HNBA Executive Director, +1-202-223-4777,