Cyber Week Sale! 50% Off All Access

How to 'Virtually' March on Washington for Immigration Reform Technology and innovation leaders spearhead an online movement to push U.S. lawmakers to pass immigration reform.

By Catherine Clifford

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

A group of technology and innovation leaders is expected to stage a virtual demonstration in Washington, D.C., in April to urge U.S. lawmakers pass entrepreneur immigration reform. How can you get on the bus?

The date for the event, called the March for Innovation, hasn't yet been set. But the timing is expected to coincide with the progress of immigration legislation in Congress, according to Jeremy Robbins, a policy advisor and special counsel for New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg. The plan is to simultaneously rush members of Congress with tweets, Facebook messages, phone calls and in-person meetings in Washington on a single day. Organizers partnered with Thunderclap, a tool that coordinates social-media efforts and sends out a unified message, flash-mob style.

Related: Immigration Reform Proposals Hold Promise for Entrepreneurs

Here's a list of suggestions for participating from the organizers:

  • Sign up for updates on the homepage of the March for Innovation, an organizing site to gather supporters, which launched this week.
  • Follow the movement on Twitter by searching the hashtag #iMarch or Tweet about it yourself.
  • Change your Facebook profile picture and cover photo in support.
  • Email employees and co-workers about it.
  • Post a link to MarchforInnovation.com on your company's website.
  • Participate in a "gray out" or partial takeover of your website.

The March is a partnership between a bipartisan group called The Partnership for a New American Economy and a power-packed team of entrepreneurs, investors and industry advocates. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Foundry Group managing director Brad Feld, AOL co-founder Steve Case, and Tumblr founder David Karp are among the leaders joining the movement.

Related: Push for Entrepreneur Immigration Reform Grows on Capitol Hill

The Obama Administration recently released a legislative framework outlining measures it wants included in comprehensive immigration reform. The March for Innovation supports a visa option for entrepreneurs starting businesses in the U.S., similar to those in Canada, the U.K., Australia, Chile and Singapore. Also, the March wants to streamline the process for bringing in highly-skilled workers from other countries and provide more visas. Additionally, the March wants to give permanent residency to the graduates in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) who receive advanced degrees from U.S. universities.

Related: Entrepreneurs Like Obama's Call for Tax Reform, Immigration Overhaul and Deficit Accord -- Minimum-Wage Hike, Not So Much

Will your company participate in the March for Innovation this spring and why or why not? Leave a comment below and let us know.

Catherine Clifford

Senior Entrepreneurship Writer at CNBC

Catherine Clifford is senior entrepreneurship writer at CNBC. She was formerly a senior writer at Entrepreneur.com, the small business reporter at CNNMoney and an assistant in the New York bureau for CNN. Clifford attended Columbia University where she earned a bachelor's degree. She lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. You can follow her on Twitter at @CatClifford.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Growing a Business

This Breakthrough Technology is Poised to Accelerate Your Company's Growth

Discover a breakthrough technology stacked on top of generative AI, now poised to revolutionize businesses across nearly every sector. Unlock unprecedented growth and profitability potential, achieving levels once thought unattainable.

Business News

Google CEO Sundar Pichai Says 'You'll Be Surprised' By How Google Search Changes Next Year

AI has already changed the look of search, but Google's CEO says there are more changes to come.

Business News

'This Is Nuts': TikTok Just Got Closer to Being Banned in the U.S — Here's Why

The TikTok ban could go into effect one day before the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump.

Leadership

How to Master the Art of Delegation — Lessons From Andrew Carnegie's Legacy

Here's what Andrew Carnegie can teach today's entrepreneurs about leadership, teamwork and effective delegation.

Side Hustle

'I Just Hustled': She Earned More Than $300,000 Wrapping Gifts Last Year — and It All Started With a Side Hustle

When Michelle Hensley lost her husband to cancer, she needed to figure out how to earn an income for her family.