REPS. CORREA, ESPAILLAT, GARCÍA LEAD CALL ON SENATE LEADERSHIP TO PASS MEANINGFUL IMMIGRATION REFORM AS YEAR-END SPENDING NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUE
“The inclusion of permanent protections for immigrants across the nation is a moral, economic, and political imperative that must be addressed.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressmembers Lou Correa (CA-46), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), and Jesús "Chuy" García (IL-04) led 15 of their Democratic colleagues in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell urging that as year-end spending negotiations continue, meaningful immigration reform be considered as top priority for passage as immediately as possible.
“We write to strongly urge you to move forward with immigration reform legislation, including a path to citizenship, a top priority for any year-end package,” the members wrote. “The inclusion of permanent protections for immigrants across the nation is a moral, economic, and political imperative that must be addressed. As we move forward with a narrow majority, the need to pass immigration reform has become increasingly important.”
“With the recent ruling by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals declaring DACA unlawful, it is highly probable that DACA will end soon. DACA recipients will lose their immigration status, work permits and be vulnerable to deportation. We are ready to work with you and across the aisle to move meaningful immigration reform forward.” they concluded.
In addition to Congressmembers Correa, Espaillat, and García, this letter was also signed by Congressmembers Zoe Lofgren (CA-19), Chair of the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship, House Judiciary Committee, Nanette D. Barragán (CA-44), Gwen S. Moore (WI-04), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-At Large), Grace F. Napolitano (CA-32), Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Tony Cárdenas (CA-29), James P. McGovern (MA-02), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), Eric Swalwell (CA-15), Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-03), and Alan Lowenthal (CA-47).
The full text of the letter can be found below:
Dear Leader Schumer and Leader McConnell:
We write to strongly urge you to move forward with immigration reform legislation, including a path to citizenship, a top priority for any year-end package. The inclusion of permanent protections for immigrants across the nation is a moral, economic, and political imperative that must be addressed. As we move forward with a narrow majority, the need to pass immigration reform has become increasingly important.
In the United States, there are currently 10.5 million undocumented immigrants that have deep roots in our communities, serve on the frontlines of the industries that help our nation thrive, attend U.S. colleges and universities, and form the backbone of the U.S. economy. This is made evident as we continue in the ongoing and the devastating COVID-19 pandemic that is simultaneously ravaging immigrant communities.
Many of these immigrants are Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) recipients, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders, essential workers, farmworkers and long-time residents with no clear path to U.S. citizenship. The vast majority of these community members have lived in the U.S. since 2015, and they remain undocumented because they are stuck in the family visa backlogs, while others do not qualify for any other relief. Our immigration system and our country have failed these students, teachers, health care providers and entrepreneurs that enormously contribute daily to our communities.
With the recent ruling by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals declaring DACA unlawful, it is highly probable that DACA will end soon. DACA recipients will lose their immigration status, work permits and be vulnerable to deportation. Even if DACA survives the courts, there are a growing number of undocumented young people who are ineligible for DACA under the outdated rules that require that a person must have lived continuously in the United States from June 15, 2007, or before. Similarly, immigrants with TPS have fled violence, insecurity and the impact of climate change in their countries of origin and continue to face the uncertainty of their temporary status.
Undocumented immigrants play a critical function in our local communities and nationwide. They continue to supply essential services to help keep our communities and country running. They are crucial to the nation’s economic recovery and our future economic growth. In 2016, immigrants added $2 trillion to the U.S. GDP and $458.7 billion in state, local and federal taxes in 2018. Overall, they also have $1.2 trillion in spending power.
According to the Center for American Progress, providing a pathway to citizenship for the approximately 10.5 million undocumented immigrants in the United States would boost U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) by a cumulative total of $1.7 trillion over 10 years and create 438,800 new jobs. The White House Council on Economic Advisers reaches the same conclusion.
· Five years after implementation, those eligible would earn annual wages that are $4,300 higher.
· Ten years after implementation, those annual wages would be $14,000 higher, and all other American workers would see their annual wages increase by $700.
In recent years, the House and the Senate have introduced legislative solutions to fix our immigration system. Some have passed the House but are stalled in the Senate while others that have been introduced in both chambers with growing co-sponsorships and vast community support await further action.
· U.S. Citizenship Act
· Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929
· American Dream and Promise Act
· DREAM Act
· Farmworker Modernization Act
· Citizenship for Essential Workers Act
This is a crucial moment. Millions of immigrants living in the United States are relying on congressional leadership to take a major step towards achieving a pathway to citizenship that is just, inclusive, and fair. As Labor Secretary Marty Walsh puts it, inaction is not an option and could lead to “catastrophe.”
We are ready to work with you and across the aisle to move meaningful immigration reform forward.
Sincerely,
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