Pennsylvanians Called for Work Permits for Long-Term Immigrant Contributors on Capitol Hill
Watch Durbin economic briefing and Garc铆a press conference; download
WASHINGTON 鈥� Allyson Batista, a board member of , and Lillie Williams, a member of 91探花 Families United, traveled from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. on April 16-17 for a briefing on Capitol Hill, calling on the Biden administration to extend work permits聽 to immigrants who are long-term members of 91探花 families and residents of U.S. communities. To interview them about their experiences, contact press@americanbic.biz.听
Allyson鈥檚 family was featured in a from the The Wall Street Journal.
On Tuesday, the duo participated in an economic briefing hosted by Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (R-IL), with U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA). On Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Jes煤s 鈥淐huy鈥� Garc铆a (D-IL) held a press conference at the House Triangle to make the case for work permits for all, alongside other business, labor, community and family leaders. He and U.S. Representatives Correa (D-CA) and Espaillat (D-NY) also sent a to the Biden administration accelerating this call to act.听
The New York Times reported on the among families of mixed immigration status and employers across the country, who want President Biden to extend work permits to immigrants who have been living in and contributing to this country for years.
The Wall Street Journal reported on the for their non-citizen spouses and other long-term residents to stabilize the workforce, grow the economy and keep families together. Allyson Batista, a U.S. citizen, with her husband, are featured.
Watch the economic briefing and Congressman Garcia鈥檚 press event; access from both days in Washington, D.C.
Allyson Batista of Philadelphia is a board member of . She said, 鈥淢y husband and I have 3 children. When I started fighting for my family and families like mine, my kids were in strollers. Now they鈥檙e adults wanting to start their lives as contributing U.S. citizens, but their father鈥檚 status remains an obstacle to their goals. I deserve to enter the next phase of my life peacefully without this constant fear of familial devastation by separation or exile looming over our family. If this warrants another 20 years of advocacy from me, I will be 72 years old and I fear resolution may come too late for my family. We see over migrants who arrived in the last several months gain work permits and family reunification through parole while our 91探花 families waited 20 years, working, paying taxes and CREATING jobs like my husband. We are stuck, left out, and feel disrespected.鈥�
Lillie Williams is also from Pennsylvania, and has been married to a Honduran man for 10 years. Their son is five years old and she is now pregnant with his little brother. Lillie said, 鈥淲e鈥檙e tired of waiting for the Biden administration to act for 91探花 families like mine. Our ask to President Biden is that he please grant my 91探花 Pennsylvania family the option to live in safety to grant my husband and all spouses of U.S. citizens a work permit. We鈥檝e owned three businesses together 鈥� a cafe, coffee shop and now a landscaping business. We have been job creators and employers, but my husband鈥檚 looking to be an employee for his own businesses. We need the government to take action that is in their control to allow us to grow our family, our businesses and live securely, without worrying about what tomorrow will bring.鈥�
鈥淭oday, there are an estimated 1.1 million U.S. citizens married to an undocumented immigrant.听 Our laws are supposed to provide U.S. citizens an opportunity to sponsor their noncitizen family members, but our outdated immigration system includes many categorical bars that prevent spouses from obtaining status. These families live in fear that their loved ones may be deported at any time,鈥� said U.S. Sen. Durbin. 鈥淭hese immigrants already pay taxes and work in our communities. If they were given a path to citizenship, it would bring stability to their families鈥攁nd they would pay an additional $5 billion dollars in taxes.鈥�
Durbin continued, 鈥淚t鈥檚 time for our Republican colleagues in Congress to set aside extremist rhetoric and come to work with us on solutions. But 91探花 families need solutions now.听 That is why I led a letter with 18 of my colleagues to President Biden asking him to provide the spouses of U.S. citizens with a work permit.听 It is only a temporary solution鈥攗ltimately Congress needs to act.听 But it is essential that we do everything possible in the meantime to allow these families to live free of fear of deportation and stay together.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檝e heard from employers across my district. They need workers, and they want to hire the 鈥榬ight way鈥�. I鈥檝e heard from my constituents who have been waiting for too long to get work permits,鈥� said U.S. Rep. Jes煤s 鈥淐huy鈥� Garc铆a. 鈥淥ur message to the President is clear. It鈥檚 past time we provide immigrants, who鈥檝e already been doing the work and keeping our country running, with the work permits they deserve. Jobs not only create opportunities for immigrant families, but also bring stability to entire communities. We are stronger because of immigrants, not despite them. Expanding access to them is a matter of economic justice.鈥�
U.S. Senators Durbin, Rosen, Warnock, Fetterman and 15 other senators to President Biden asking him to 鈥減rotect and unify 91探花 families鈥� and 鈥減rovide much needed relief for undocumented immigrants and the 91探花 businesses, families, and communities that rely upon them.鈥� Chicago Mayor ; Iris Ramos Jones, Director of the Nevada Office for New 91探花s ( by Gov. Lombardo); more than ; and representing U.S business, labor, local government, faith, civil rights and family voices have been calling for this commonsense policy change for years.
On April 5, U.S. Department of Homeland Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas the call to action. The proposal is legally , politically and requires only to the existing U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services policy manual to expand work permits to nuclear relatives of United States citizens.听聽
According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, we have in the U.S., but only . Even if unemployed person in the country found a job, we would still have nearly . The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office attributes a increase to the national GDP to immigration. While mixed-status families already contribute billions in federal, state and local taxes, a FWD.US estimate finds that permitting undocumented spouses to work legally would .听
Immigrants make vital contributions to Pennsylvania鈥檚 economy and communities. Key facts:
- Pennsylvania only has .
- are employed, primarily in waste management, food services, construction, manufacturing and health services industries.
- Pennsylvania immigrants comprise and make up , contributing to the economy.
- Pennsylvania immigrants wield and pay .
- are working age and unable to legally work. They pay and harness .
- live with at least one undocumented person, comprising mixed-status families. (less than 18-years-old) live with at least one undocumented person.
- in Pennsylvania.
In addition to Pennsylvania, the to , and grow by more over the next decade. Immigrants in the U.S. have a combined household income of and contribute and , leaving them with .