Democrats unveil Biden-backed legislation to overhaul the immigration system Thursday morning, including creating a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. Jemal Countess / Getty Images for UndocuBlack Net hide caption
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Jemal Countess / Getty Images for UndocuBlack Net
Democrats unveil Biden-backed legislation to overhaul the immigration system Thursday morning, including creating a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
Jemal Countess / Getty Images for UndocuBlack Net
Congressional Democrats on Thursday unveiled a comprehensive immigration bill that would provide a route to citizenship for the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States.
The action is supported by President Biden and is closely related to the plan proposed in his report first day in office. His administration and the Democrats in Congress are under pressure from immigration advocates to act quickly to move the bill, but it is unclear how quickly they will pursue the passage.
“We have 11 million undocumented people living, working, and raising families in our illegitimate communities,” Senator Bob Menendez, DN.J., said at a news conference Thursday morning. “These are good and decent people who believe to the bone in America’s promise.”
Menendez was joined by Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., Who shared her family’s story of immigration to the United States
“I am the daughter of immigrant parents from Mexico. They came to this country and work hard. They made sacrifices every day to provide for me and my brothers and sisters,” she said. “Your story is like the story of so many others.”
The Democratic Bill provides an expedited process for immigrants brought into the country at a young age by their parents (also known as “dreamers”), as well as for certain farm workers and former recipients of temporary protection, e.g. B. Individuals who fled wars.
The plan aims to improve the diversity visa program, a marked departure from the Trump administration’s goal of eliminating the program. The bill also replaces the term “foreigner” in US immigration laws with “non-citizen”.
Republicans are expected to oppose many provisions in the legislation that could signal that Democrats will need to take alternative action to get them through the Senate, where under current rules they need 60 votes to proceed.
“The reason we didn’t get immigration reform across the finish line isn’t because of a lack of will,” Menendez said.
“It’s because we’ve made too many compromises and capitulated too quickly to marginal voices who have refused to accept humanity and the contributions of immigrants to our country and dismiss everything, no matter how important it is to them Nation is security as an amnesty. “
During a CNN town hall on Tuesday, Biden stated that while he believes a path to citizenship is essential, he might be open to a gradual approach to immigration.
“There are things that I would do myself, but not at the expense of the statement: ‘I will never do the other,’ he said said. “There is a reasonable path to citizenship.”
Former Presidents, Barack Obama and George W. Bush, tried to make their mark on immigration by revealing proposals that included avenues to citizenship, but both plans were rejected by Congress.
