Below is a press release from the Alliance for Citizenship:
On a conference call with reporters on Wednesday, national leaders and immigrant advocates outlined expectations for the Senate Judiciary mark-up of S. 744: Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act.
The Alliance for Citizenship, a national campaign working with hundreds of groups around the country to pass immigration reform with a direct and inclusive path to citizenship, hosted the call with Asian and Latino leaders and immigrant advocates to review the best and worst of preliminary amendments proposed to the Senate bill.
Said Marielena Hincapié, Executive Director of the National Immigration Law Center and moderator of the call:
The more than 300 amendments to the immigration reform bill present the Senate Judiciary Committee with two radically different visions for our country’s immigration system. Some amendments will make our communities healthier, promote immigrant integration, protect workers’ rights, and restore due process and fairness. Others will serve only to maintain the status quo by attempting to kill the bill rather than offering solutions to fix the broken immigration system, something voters demanded last November. We will work with legislators on both sides of the aisle to ensure that this bill moves us closer toward the immigration system our country deserves.
A bill that is committed to advancing family reunification is another key priority of immigrant advocates. DREAMer Sagar Patagundi’s father was deported 7 years ago and his mother returned to India to care for his dad when he developed health problems 2 years ago. Co-founder of the Kentucky Dream Coalition, an affiliate organization of United We Dream, Patagundi said:
I want to make sure no other family will go through the same struggle that my family had to face. My father had to miss my high school graduation, he missed my first day of college, and I won’t let him and my mom miss my college graduation. DREAMers are standing together to say: not one more year without seeing our parents. We’re calling for an end to family separation and immigration reform with dignity for all our families and communities.
Director of the Immigration Policy Center Mary Giovagnoli said:
With over 300 amendments filed and publicly available, the mark up of the Senate immigration bill is historic both for the importance of the topic and for the transparency with which debate and amendment will be conducted. The amendments range from honest efforts to improve the bill to deliberate attempts to destroy it, but it is striking how much the impetus is on the committee to get a bill done.
Director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles Angelica Salas said:
All Americans will be watching to ensure what was started by the Senate gets an opportunity to be vetted and voted upon. The stakes remain very high and Democrats and Republicans realize that the time for politicking is very limited when it comes to immigration reform. We hope lawmakers remember that the mark-up process is the people’s process and the purpose is to make our laws be the best they can be.
Mee Moua, president and executive director of the Asian American Justice Center, a member of the Asian American Center ofr Advancing Justice, spoke to the importance of ensuring family unity and reunification:
We are grateful to Sen. Hirono for continuing to fight for families of all ethnic groups and faiths. Sen. Hirono’s amendment to reinstate the visa categories for siblings and adult married children of all ages enhances opportunities for immigrants to start a business, raise and provide for their children, establish roots in our communities and become active participants in our society.
Coming off the heels of more than 100 rallies across the country on May 1, the movement for immigration reform is more powerful, engaged and committed than ever to a broad and inclusive vision of reform. Leaders and advocates throughout the nation are confident the Senate bipartisan bill is a strong starting point are ready to support positive amendments and rally against attacks meant to limit the path to citizenship during the mark-up process.
