Activists Push Congress to Pass Biden's Immigration Reform Along with Economic Recovery | The State

President Joe biden It is fulfilling its promise to send to Congress an immigration reform, but at least 500 civil organizations are seeking that the plan is integrated into the country’s economic recovery project.

This was established in a letter addressed to the Senate Majority Leader, Charles schumer (New York) and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy pelosi (California).

His goal is for Congress to achieve permanent protection and a path to citizenship for dreamers, holders of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and at least five million undocumented workers estimated to have been on the front line for the pandemic of COVID-19.

“For the coronavirus relief and economic recovery package to meet the multiple challenges facing the country… it must include permanent protection and a path to citizenship for essential undocumented workers and their families, as well as’ dreamers. ‘and the holders of TPS ”, considered Tom Jawetz, Vice President for Immigration Policy at the Center for American Progress (CAP).

The activists’ proposal comes a few days after President Biden’s immigration reform bill, which will be led by Senator Bob Menéndez (New Jersey) in the SenateAs it is expected that in the House there will not be too many challenges among Democrats.

The terrain in the United States is, it could be said, prepared to grant citizenship to undocumented persons who have been in the country for several years, as various polls have advanced, including from the conservative press, such as Fox News, which on election day found that 71% of Americans supported naturalization for these non-citizens; the percentage rose to 91% among Biden’s voters, although it fell to just over 50% among the former president’s voters Donald trump, a figure still high despite the ex-president’s anti-immigrant rhetoric.

The bill, which has not yet been fully disclosed, aims to modify the entire immigration system, being the path to citizenship for undocumented persons with 10 years living in the country and without a criminal record one of the most advanced proposals in years .

Felicia Wong, President and CEO of the Roosevelt Institute, made it a priority to focus on essential workers, about five million, who are undocumented, but their futures are at risk.

“We must build an inclusive economy that works for everyone; we must make sure essential workers have legal protection, “he said. “It’s not just the right thing to do … It’s good for the economy.”

Most Latino

A report by the Pew Research Center estimates 10.5 million undocumented immigrants in the country, the majority Latino and with a high predominance of Mexicans, although the number of the latter has decreased since 2007 and currently represents 47 percent.

The number of unauthorized immigrants has increased since 2007 from both Central America (now 1.9 million) and Asia (with 1.5 million), the report indicates.

The Deputy Vice President for Policy and Defense of UnidosUS, Clarissa Martínez de Castro, considered that President Biden should focus “on an inclusive plan.”

“We have the opportunity to do just that, and it includes both citizens and immigrants,” he said. “Immigrant workers have been defending us and now is our time to defend them.”

Montserrat Garibay, secretary-treasurer of the Texas AFL-CIO, made a similar point about the need to strengthen the economic network of immigrants, for the benefit of the country.

“When our country extends rights and protections to more workers, we all benefit. When more people are forced to work in fear and without rights, we are all at greater risk ”, he considered.

First steps stand out

Separately, several organizations have highlighted President Biden’s plans, including his executive orders to modify policies that criminalize undocumented persons.

“The Biden-Harris Administration already took bold action on the first day on numerous immigration issues, including repealing the discriminatory ban on Muslims, refugees and Africans and halting the construction of the former president’s border wall,” noted the Interfaith Coalition. of Immigration.

Stephen Schneck, Executive Director of the Franciscan Action Network, celebrated the change of course in immigration policy.

“The last four years in the United States have seen Franciscans, Franciscan at heart, and people of all faiths stand up for the lives, rights, and dignity of migrants and refugees seeking a better life in the United States,” he said. “The Franciscan Action Network looks to the new administration with great hope that the unfair treatment of migrants and refugees is now over.”