Recording Available HERE
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, ABIC Action and allied organizations were joined by Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and U.S. Representatives Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), Veronica Escobar (D-TX) and Robin Kelly (D-IL) for the launch of the “Here To Work” initiative, which calls on the Biden administration to quickly provide immediate relief for both businesses and immigrant families.
Amid unprecedented labor shortages and a congressional standstill threatening the wellbeing of our families and local economies, the cohort of legislators, immigrant advocates and business leaders called on President Biden to use his existing legal authority under immigration law to solve pressing problems holding our economy back and burdening immigrant families – specifically, immigrants who have lived in the United States for decades, having paid their fair share of taxes and making invaluable contributions to our local economies, culture and everyday life.
In a show of urgency to strengthen the U.S. economy by making work permits available to immigrant communities, advocates launched #HereToWork, a campaign to deliver relief in the form of work permits through expanded use of parole for long-term immigrant contributors, including for all spouses of U.S. citizens, TPS and DED,. The campaign will lead up to a 5,000 person mobilization on November 14 in Washington, D.C.: The “Here to Work” Day of Action.
“Sanctuary cities, like Chicago, are awaiting federal funding, businesses are struggling with a labor shortage, and Republicans are threatening the paralyzation of federal resources. Given these realities, the time is now to provide the broader immigrant community a safe and legal path to join the workforce, become financially stable, and fully contribute to the vitality of our communities. We applaud President Biden’s executive action to bring relief and opportunity to the Venezuelan community. Now, we urge the Administration to build upon that action with broad parole to keep families and communities together and to expedite work permits that address the labor shortage limiting our economy,” said Congresswoman Ramirez, Vice Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Committee. “While Republicans are pushing our nation towards a shutdown that will hurt our economy and our communities, immigrants are ready to work and to be a solution to our current labor shortages.”
“In Texas, work permits would mean relief and dignity for the long-term undocumented, who already contribute to our state every day,” said Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Tex.) “Expanding work permits would mean doing right by thousands of people who have paid their dues. They’ve worked, played by the rules, contributed to our economy – they’ve raised families here. While the other side walks away giving in to infighting and extreme ideology, it’s time for President Biden to take decisive action and do what’s right. Democrats and the broader public will stand by him.”
“Long term Immigrant contributors have sweated and paid taxes for decades to help sustain our economy and communities,” said Rebecca Shi, Executive Director of ABIC Action. “We call on President Biden to provide work permits and parole for these long-time U.S. residents to strengthen our economy and families.”
The work permits for immigrants would help fill jobs not taken by citizens. Biden can do so by using his current legal authority under the “Significant Public Benefit” provisions of our existing immigration law to expand parole-in-place; through Temporary Protected Status redesignation; Deferred Enforced Departure (DED); and parole for the spouses of U.S. citizens.
“The president can act, and he should, for the sake of maintaining the unity of families, including the more than two million U.S. citizens in mixed-status families who find themselves ensnared in the broken immigration system,” said Ashley De Azevedo, President of American Families United (AFU), whose organization also represents military families with mixed status. “There is a significant moral necessity for the President to enact measures, such as expanding parole to all spouses of U.S. Citizens. For decades, Americans have been forced to choose between their spouse and their country. Through the President’s parole authority he can end the separation of American families,” added De Azevedo, whose organization, AFU, also published a political memo making the case for broad work permits.
“Work permits would bring urgent relief to millions who fight to make a living and contribute to our broader society every day,” said Erendira Rendón, Vice President of The Resurrection Project (TRP). “Our communities have done everything that’s been asked of us. But after decades of waiting, and with millions of unfilled jobs, it’s urgent for President Biden to follow broad political consensus and take swift action to make work permits a reality.”
“Every day, Congressional gridlock on immigration costs our economy dearly,” said Sergio Suárez, President and CEO of Chicago-based North American Institute for Mexican Advancement (NAIMA) and Los Comales Restaurants. “Until Congress gets serious about passing a comprehensive immigration reform bill that fixes the broken system, it’s imperative that President Biden take administrative action to issue work permits for the long-term undocumented immigrant contributors who have helped sustain our economy but never had the benefit or dignity of a work permit. The 6 million Mexicans that are contributing and working across all industries for more than 30 years in this country, should not be overlooked.”
“No parent should live in fear of picking up their children from school because they might be pulled over,” said Emma Lozano, Pastor, Lincoln United Methodist Church. “President Biden is a man of empathy and understands the pain and suffering from missing a loved one. He should lean into his best instincts and bring safety and dignity to these communities.”
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BACKGROUND
The Here To Work campaign, was launched during today’s press conference, is a joint effort by more than 350 businesses, 127 immigrant rights organizations, labor, Republican and Democratic Governors, and Members of Congress, to ask President Biden to use his existing legal authority under the “Significant Public Benefit” provisions of Department of Homeland Security, to expand work permits to long term immigrant contributors including Dreamers without DACA, farm workers and long term workers who have been long-time contributors to the U.S. economy, as well as new arrivals in response to a pressing economic emergency – the labor shortage. A legal memo for his authority is HERE.
Taking bold, humane, common-sense action makes sense on its merits, and it is politically popular. As laid out in an upcoming memo by American Families United, Immigration Voters – U.S. citizen adults living with undocumented immigrants – are a force in swing states, making common-sense, humane action on immigration a political win for Biden. Among the memo’s key points:
Young Latino voters will be vital to the outcome of the 2024 election. A May 2023 report by Brookings Institute found that “37% of young Latino voters reported that the GOP ‘cares a great deal about Latinos’—the highest percentage across all age groups,” showing the need for decisive actions that address the group’s policy preferences.
Latino voter registration is growing–fast–in swing states, driven by younger Latinos. This trend illustrates the reshaping of the electorate as younger Latinos enter the voter rolls, many of whom may be the children of undocumented immigrants. This trend is visible in most swing states.
Key number: Two million. In swing states alone, more than 2 million U.S. citizens live with an undocumented immigrant, and more than 350,000 have an undocumented spouse.
ABOUT
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).
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