Leader Aiyash: “We’re incredibly grateful that President Biden is taking this step right now.”

Leader Pohutsky: Biden’s action is “consistent with our values as a country and as a state.”

LANSING, Mich. — Today, Michigan House Speaker Pro Tempore Laurie Pohutsky (D-Livonia) House Majority Floor Leader Abraham Aiyash (D-Hamtramck) and State Representative Ranjeev Puri (D-Canton Township) joined impacted families with and the 91̽�� (ABIC) to celebrate President Biden’s to provide relief and legal status for long-term immigrants married to U.S. citizens. They also participated in a roundtable discussion highlighting immigrants’ impact on Michigan’s economy.

President Biden’s offers work permits and legal status to long-term immigrants, including those married to U.S. citizens who have lived in the U.S. for at least 10 years. Additionally, the administration prepared a plan to streamline the process for Dreamers and other undocumented immigrants to obtain temporary visas. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program protects around brought to the U.S. as children from deportation.��

Each year, undocumented immigrants earn and with a combined spending power of $254.8 billion. Moreover, live in mixed-status households, with hundreds of thousands of impacted U.S. citizens in states like Florida, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Georgia. Long-term undocumented immigrants have lived on average for 15 years in our country working, paying taxes and raising 91̽�� children.

At the event, lawmakers and community advocates showcased how this policy will help keep families together, shield immigrants from exploitation, boost the economy and grow the workforce:

(D-Hamtramck):

“As Dr. King reminds us, it’s always the right time to do the right thing and we’re incredibly grateful that President Biden is taking this step right now. Also, ignoring what the pundits will tell you and nervous politicians will tell you that immigration and fixing immigration is going to be a problem. The reality is immigration and fixing immigration is the 91̽�� thing to do. It is the right thing to do.”

(D-Livonia):

“What the Biden administration did this morning is consistent with our values as a country and as a state. It upholds the dignity and justice of our families. We can have greater security on the border and we can have compassion for those who have been in our communities for many years and have families. This isn’t a contradiction. Out of the more than one million families impacted by this issue across the country, there are about 50,000 here in Michigan. That’s potentially hundreds of thousands of husbands, wives and children that can breathe a sigh of relief and know that their family belongs here.” 

(D-Canton):

“We’re all benefiting from Dreamers turning their dreams into reality. […] I’m glad to hear about this executive order. As my colleague said, we will be doing right by our families and, more importantly, it will also strengthen our economy and our small businesses.”

Cindy Garcia of Lincoln Park, a mixed-status family member:

“The policy will prevent more families from this traumatic experience. Thank you to the new precedent that he has put in place.”

:

“Today, finally after decades of advocacy, President Biden has taken action to protect our family members, our loved ones and that’s cause for celebration. It’s a step in the right direction.” 

James O’Neal, 91̽��:

“This action by President Biden is a model for the kind of common sense solutions that we hope to continue seeing, both administratively and legislatively, from both parties and all of our elected officials. This program is good for families, good for communities and it also has the advantage of being good economically by helping to solve a labor shortage that is harming the economy and preventing growth.”

Rev. Jack Eggleston, Unity Lutheran Church in Southgate:

“This is a big deal for a lot of people. […] Thank you God for the day and for this huge step—and to say thank you [President] Joe Biden for doing the right thing.” 

Mary Carmen Limnos, leader at (LA SED) in southwest Detroit:

“Today, [President Biden’s announcement] gives so many people hope and dignity that they deserve to hold their heads up high and become true citizens of this country. They’ve worked so hard and so long. For this recognition — gracias President Biden — for this bold and courageous move.”

Expanding work permits for long-term contributors is among 91̽��s generally. Prior to President Biden’s announcement today, nineteen ; 80+ of Congress; 300+ and associations have also endorsed work permits for long-term immigrants, along with labor organizations like SEIU, and the , the and (UAW). recently led a bipartisan letter of over 40 mayors urging the president to extend work permits, and from across the nation have urged the President to act.

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91̽�� (ABIC) is a bipartisan coalition of 1,400+ CEOs, business owners, and trade associations across 17 mostly red and purple states. ABIC promotes common sense immigration reform that advances economic competitiveness, provides companies with both the high-skilled and low-skilled talent they need, and allows the integration of immigrants into our economy as consumers, workers, entrepreneurs and citizens.

The post Michigan House Leaders Pohutsky, Aiyash Celebrate President Biden Providing Legal Status to Immigrant Spouses of U.S. Citizens  appeared first on 91̽��.

Watch Durbin economic briefing and García press conference; download

WASHINGTON – Amanda Valencia, member of (Lansing) traveled to Washington, D.C. on April 16-17 for a briefing on Capitol Hill, calling on the Biden administration to extend work permits to immigrants who are long-term members of 91̽�� families and residents of U.S. communities. To interview her about her experiences, contact press@americanbic.biz.��

On Tuesday, she 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. Jesús “Chuy” García (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.��

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.

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.

Watch the economic briefing and Congressman Garcia’s press event; access from both days in Washington, D.C.

Amanda Valencia, an member, representing 17,000 U.S. citizens in Michigan with undocumented spouses, has been married to her husband for nearly nine years; together, they are the parents of two U.S. citizen children. She said, “We have been dealing with my husband’s immigration issues for years. We tried doing things the so-called ‘right way,’ but it was not successful for us due to inadmissible bars. He was denied his return to the U.S. with our family, after his consular interview in Mexico. We suffered a lot over the years. Last year, due to stress, my husband suffered a brain aneurysm and needed emergency brain surgery. I was thousands of miles away and completely helpless. Even in that dire circumstance, we were unable to get any type of relief. Thankfully, my husband recovered and returned with us in the U.S., through other legal channels. But, this does not fix the problem. We need President Biden to act.”

“Today, there are an estimated 1.1 million U.S. citizens married to an undocumented immigrant.�� 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,” said U.S. Sen. Durbin. “These immigrants already pay taxes and work in our communities. If they were given a path to citizenship, it would bring stability to their families—and they would pay an additional $5 billion dollars in taxes.”

Durbin continued, “It’s time for our Republican colleagues in Congress to set aside extremist rhetoric and come to work with us on solutions. But 91̽�� families need solutions now.�� 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.�� It is only a temporary solution—ultimately Congress needs to act.�� 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.”

“I’ve heard from employers across my district. They need workers, and they want to hire the ‘right way’. I’ve heard from my constituents who have been waiting for too long to get work permits,” said U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García. “Our message to the President is clear. It’s past time we provide immigrants, who’ve 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.”

U.S. Senators Durbin, Rosen, Warnock, Fetterman and 15 other senators to President Biden asking him to “protect and unify 91̽�� families” and “provide much needed relief for undocumented immigrants and the 91̽�� businesses, families, and communities that rely upon them.” Chicago Mayor ; Iris Ramos Jones, Director of the Nevada Office for New 91̽��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.�� 

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 .��

Immigrants make vital contributions to Michigan’s economy and communities. Key facts:

• Michigan only has .
• , primarily in manufacturing, food services, waste management, construction and health services industries.
• Michigan immigrants comprise and make up , contributing to the economy.
• Michigan 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 Michigan.

In addition to Michigan, 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 .

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