RECORDING here.
Speakers contrasted common-sense policies that build economy and keep families together with destructive impact of mass deportations
LOS ANGELES — Today, U.S. Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA) and Rep. Jesús “Chuy” Garcia (D-IL) joined local hispanic community and business leaders with American Business Immigration Coalition Action and American Families United and celebrated the Biden-Harris administration’s historic and wildly popular decision to expand work authorization for immigrant spouses and parents of U.S. citizens and highlighted how this action will strengthen the economy, help grow American businesses and create more jobs.
Reps. Correa and García, with Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) led a letter with more than 140 Latino elected officials from 21 U.S. states and territories in support of extending work permits to immigrants, which is estimated to increase annual tax revenue by $13.8 billion while shielding immigrants from exploitation and advancing a strong workforce that matches worker skills to employers’ needs.
At the event, federal and state lawmakers, impacted families, advocates and business leaders praised the Biden-Harris administration for keeping American families together, with speakers showcasing how this action is good policy, good politics, and good for the economy.
Here’s what the speakers had to say about this historic decision:
U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García (D-IL):
“We’re grateful to the president for the recently announced parole in place for spouses of U.S. citizens and streamlined work permits for DACA holders. These are important steps forward. We are ready to partner with the administration to ensure the swift and efficient implementation of these changes for the benefit of our immigrant families and our economy, but we need to do more. […] The president says Congress has to act and pass meaningful and immigration legislation.”
U.S. Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA):
“Immigration reform is not just about immigrants—this is an issue about the American economy. […] You want to keep the American economy strong? We need more workers. […] Let’s use common sense here. Do you want to continue to be the stellar economy of the world? Then let’s move in that direction.”
Ashley DeAzevedo, President of American Families United:
“Too many spouses have already been deported or have left the country and are now stuck outside trying to find a pathway back to their family in their home. This announcement is a significant step forward, but we’re concerned that the policy may not cover everyone it was intended to. Today we’re imploring the administration to ensure that the implementation is generous and broad, that it would include as many families as possible.”
Al Cardenas, Board, American Business Immigration Coalition Action:
“This opportunity, which has been frankly longtime incoming, was signed by the president but still requires the regulatory process to allow for applications to be prepared, signed and delivered. I am personally urging the administration to set up a fast runway for these people who have been waiting for a very long time. […] We are urging the administration to move forward and move forward expeditiously.”
Jaime Contreras, Executive Vice President, SEIU 32BJ:
“For SEIU, the work doesn’t stop here. Our north star continues to be a fair, humane, and orderly reform of our broken—badly broken—immigration system to give a path to citizenship for all immigrants currently living under the shadows; who are in desperate need of relief and who are indispensable to our workforce and their family.”
Al C., impacted AFU member:
“A judicious writing of the immigration reform particulars will finally bring relief to over a million families who have experienced emotional and financial devastation at the hands of the cruel lapses in our current system. Every one of us at AFU would like to acknowledge the courageous and necessary executive orders that President Biden was forced to make a few weeks back due to the inability of Congress to pass overdue immigration reform.”
Adrianna Gutierrez, impacted AFU member:
“We are honest, hardworking, faithful and kind hearted, kind hearted. adjusting my husband’s status or even being given the opportunity to work legally in the United States would affect us in a positive way. This would alleviate anxiety felt by everyone in the family including our children. I want to thank the Biden administration for the opportunity and the glimmer of hope that is being provided to us. I hope we can put this past us and relief can be granted to my family and countless others like ours.”
Gerardo Diaz, impacted AFU member:
“I’d like to urge President Biden and his administration to please consider including families like mine that need to be reunited, and for others to stop them from being separated. [Inclusive implementation of President Biden’s action] would greatly help our people, many that have to hide in the shadows for years because of the fear of being in a situation like the one I’m in and my family is.”
The U.S. is home to 10.6 million U.S. citizens who live in mixed-status households, with hundreds of thousands of impacted U.S. citizens in Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Florida, Texas and Georgia. Long-term undocumented immigrants have lived on average for 15 years in our country working, paying taxes and raising American children. Each year, undocumented immigrants earn $290 billion in household income and contribute over $21.5 and $13.6 billion in state and local taxes with a combined spending power of $254.8 billion.
According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, there are 9.5 million job openings in the U.S., but only 6.5 million unemployed workers. If every unemployed person in the country found a job, there would still be nearly three million open jobs.
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ABIC Action was created to mobilize the power of American businesses and the general public to promote and advocate for sensible immigration solutions. ABIC Action will develop and advocate for legislation, regulations, and government programs that promote common-sense state and federal immigration reform to benefit the people and economy of our country. ABIC Action operates under federal income tax under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC).
American Families United (AFU) is a non-partisan 501(c)(4) non-profit organization established in 2006. AFU proposes practical solutions to Congress and supports efforts to advance legislation that affects U.S. citizens married to foreign nationals.