Activists Push Immigration Reform At Rep. Wagner's West County Office

Representatives from Organizing for America, a former branch of President Barack Obama's election campaign, were at the Ballwin office of U.S. Representative Ann Wagner Monday in a move designed to put pressure on the freshman lawmaker to vote for immigration reform.

The U.S. Senate passed a bill earlier this summer, which among other things, creates a path to citizenship for millions of undocumented residents, but the measure has not been taken up in the house. 

A little more than a dozen people turned up outside Rep. Wagner's office in a business park located just off Manchester Road.

One backer, Sue Price, spoke of the need to give the Congresswoman "A big welcome home" during the August recess, while pointing out other reports that the Senate version of reform would reduce the budget deficit by $800 billion and create jobs.

Patrick Howell, Rep. Wagner's Press Secretary, said the "Senate passed a bill that most Senators didn't have a chance to read," and that it was "rushed". The House, he said will look at legislation that would be "more decisive" and "more piecemeal" with attention paid to border security issues.

"We feel like this is a political move," Howell said of the demonstrations, which also targeted the Wentzville office of GOP Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer on Monday.