Dems cheer immigration fasters

Activists who are fasting to draw attention to the need for immigration reform appeared in the House chamber late Monday evening, drawing cheers from Democrats as they voted.

The immigration fasters appeared in between two votes, prompting House Democrats to look up and cheer their arrival.

{mosads}Republicans largely ignored them, and the presiding officer called for the next vote as Democrats continued to cheer.

Moments after the vote, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) spoke on the floor to welcome members of the group, loosely known as Fasting 4 Families.

“I’m so proud that our House of Representatives showed its respect to the strength of the message of our guests here today,” she said. “Because immigration is about America. It’s who we are, by and large, a nation of immigrants.”

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) said on the floor that she also met with the fasters and called for a bipartisan immigration proposal.

But the call for immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship for illegal residents has, so far, gone unheeded by House Republican leaders. Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has said the House would not consider the Senate version of the bill and might instead take up smaller pieces, most likely dealing with border enforcement.

Members of Fasting 4 Families have been visited by President Obama and Vice President Biden, as well as first lady Michelle Obama.