Senator Menendez, Latino leaders, Harry Reid and Democratic voters call for immigration reform this year, no excuses
Key voices are affirming the importance of delivering immigration relief to millions this year:
- Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ): At an Axios virtual event yesterday, Senator Menendez reiterated his commitment to delivering on immigration this year. He expressed disagreement with the Senate parliamentarian’s past rulings on immigration, acknowledged that a Plan C is being developed, but he made it crystal clear: “we will not accept no as an answer at the end of the day.” (see approximately 27 minutes into the video).
- Janet Murguía, President and CEO of UnidosUS: At a Capitol press conference yesterday with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and other Latino leaders, Murguía said: “These essential workers responded in the darkest hour of the pandemic. They responded despite the risk to their health and that of their families. When they responded, no one stopped to ask them about their immigration status. We owe a profound debt to these essential workers and it’s time to pay that debt.”
- Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid: Senator Reid issued a statement this week that made the political, economic and moral case for delivering on immigration. He said: “If my 2010 reelection to the Senate proved anything, it was that Democrats can fight and win on immigration. It makes policy sense and political sense and not just with Latino voters, but also with Americans of all backgrounds. However, the operative word is ‘win.’ With Democrats controlling both chambers of Congress and the White House, Americans expect Democrats to deliver this time on sensible immigration policies … I have seen the human and economic consequences of this broken system. The current system rips families apart, destroys otherwise prosperous businesses, and keeps millions of hardworking people fearing deportation. We must fix this. This is the year. The time is now.”
- Senate battleground state polling: 90% of Democratic voters would be “upset” if immigration reform does not pass. In polling released this week from Global Strategy Group for the Immigration Hub, the majority of all voters – and almost all Democratic voters – would be upset if Democrats don’t use their majority to enact reform this year. As Rafael Bernal writes in The Hill, “66 percent of voters — including 90 percent of Democrats and 75 percent of independents — would be ‘upset’ if immigration reform does not pass.” The poll also “found that 13 percent of respondents identified as unmotivated Democrats, who are less likely to vote in 2022. Of those unmotivated Democrats, 86 percent said they would be upset if no citizenship proposal is passed, and 60 percent said they would be less likely to vote for a senator who votes against such legalization.” The poll sampled 1,200 voters in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
According to Frank Sharry, Executive Director of America’s Voice:
For years, Democrats have made promises on immigration reform. Voters delivered for them by electing Democrats to the White House and the majority in Congress. Whether it’s through the parliamentarian or around the parliamentarian, they need to deliver on this promise this year.
The public supports immigration reform, the President supports immigration reform, and every Democrat in Congress supports immigration reform. It’s time to translate this support into a result that transforms the lives of millions of immigrant families.
