Immigrant advocates with Faith in Action urge VP Kamala Harris to override Parliamentarian’s ruling to deny registry option
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 29, 2021
CONTACT:
Alexa Lamanna | 202-320-2766 | alamanna@westendstrategy.com
WASHINGTON – Immigrant advocates with the largest faith-based grassroots organizing network are urging Democrats to deliver on long overdue promises to provide millions of immigrants a pathway to citizenship in the wake of the Senate Parliamentarian’s rejection of including a date change to the immigrant registry in the proposed $3.5 trillion budget resolution.
While the immigrant registry has provided a path to legalization for millions of immigrants based on their long-standing presence in the United States, the existing law and eligibility dates have not been updated since 1986 – excluding most of America’s immigrant community today.
Leaders from Faith in Action are calling on Congress to provide a pathway to citizenship by any means necessary, starting with overriding the Parliamentarian’s assessments on immigration provisions.
In response, Nanci Palacios, Deputy Director of Faith in Florida, a federation of Faith in Action, and DACA recipient, issued the following statement:
“While the Senate Parliamentarian’s ruling is another obstacle in our mission to obtain critical freedoms for America’s immigrant community, Democrats cannot lose sight of the opportunity to provide millions a pathway to legalization through reconciliation. It is imperative that Vice President Harris use her constitutional power to override the Parliamentarian’s assessment and deliver on the promises of freedom and dignity she and President Biden made to millions of immigrants throughout their campaign.
“Like many of my fellow Dreamers, I am committed to advocating for the advancement of freedoms and permanent protections for our immigrant community and working to elect leaders who have sworn to do the same. It is past time for Democrats to deliver on decades-long promises to create a more humane, just immigration system. It is past time for all members of Congress to recognize the vast economic impacts a pathway to citizenship for millions of immigrants will provide to stimulate America’s economy. It is past time for millions of immigrants to finally be granted the humanity they deserve.
“Democrats must stop pretending that we need Republican votes to deliver on these essential permanent protections and seize this opportunity while it is still within reach. They have every moral, political, and economic reason to deliver on citizenship this year.”
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Faith in Action is the largest grassroots, faith-based organizing network in the United States. The nonpartisan organization works with 1,000 religious congregations in more than 200 cities and towns through its 46 local and state federations. For more information, visit www.faithinaction.org.
Faith in Action is a 501c(3). Faith in Action and its affiliates are non-partisan and are not aligned explicitly or implicitly with any candidate or party. We do not endorse or support candidates for office.
