The Immigration Committee has much to celebrate. We successfully led Thursday with the League on March 4, with speaker Polo Morales from CHIRLA providing a presentation addressing President Biden’s plans for immigration policies, and the Committee will continue to follow the new administration’s progress.

LWV-PA is one of the few League chapters to have an immigration committee. Founded in 2017 under Dorothy Keane’s leadership, the Committee was co-chaired initially by Pat Coulter and Karen Robertson. It grew as it began attracting new members, and in 2018 Elsa and Bob Pendleton joined. That proved to be a turning point, as they soon became co-chairs.

Bob and Elsa brought their passion for immigration justice and their skills and competency to building the Committee. They were strong advocates, educating themselves and the Committee members about immigration and migration and how it affects the moral, ethical, legal, and historical aspects of our society. First and foremost, they always related to the human face of immigration. Elsa also took on the job of co-chairing the Education Committee with Hannah MacLaren during this period.

The rise of COVID-19 made 2020 a most difficult year and caused many of us to reevaluate our lives. Bob and Elsa were no exceptions. They realized their desire to be closer to family in Northern California, and so they are saying good-bye to all of us. The Immigration Committee is forever in their debt. Their knowledge, passion, skill, and friendship will be sorely missed, but we wish them good health and a smooth road ahead as they migrate closer to their family up north.

—Mary Ann Lutz, Interim Chair, Immigration Committee