Black and Latino Elected Officials Call on President Biden To Take Executive Action Now as Biden and Harris Campaign in PA

PHILADELPHIA — Today, as President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris campaign in the commonwealth, the 91̽�� hosted a press conference urging President Biden to grant legal work permits to long-term immigrants, including undocumented spouses and immediate family of United States citizens, Dreamers ineligible for DACA and long-term workers without a path to legal status. Speakers included Latino elected officials, members of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus, advocates, business leaders and directly impacted voices from across Pennsylvania, urging President Biden to extend work permits for long-term immigrants who have been working and paying taxes for years, even decades.

Pennsylvania State Rep. Danilo Burgos (D-Philadelphia) and Chairman of the Pennsylvania Legislative Latino Caucus was among the speakers at the conference. Rep. Burgos and more than from 21 U.S. states and territories, in support of extending work permits to these groups. The policy is estimated to increase annual tax revenue by while shielding immigrants from exploitation and advancing a strong workforce that matches worker skills to employers’ needs. View the full letter .

Here’s what the speakers had to say:

Pennsylvania State (D-Philadelphia), Chairman of the Pennsylvania Legislative Caucus and a member of the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators:

“There is a massive labor shortage in every industry and in every state. We need to expand access to work permits and protect the workers we already have. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce estimates that if every person on unemployment got a job today, there would still be millions of open jobs. There are simply not enough people to fill our labor needs.

“It is time that we deliver for working-class communities. That would benefit not just just working class families, it would benefit all Pennsylvanians and 91̽��s because it will increase our tax base and strengthen our economy.”

Pennsylvania State (D-Montgomery County) and Chairman of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus:

“This is an important moment for us to make sure that we not only represent and recognize everyone’s humanity, but we do so the way that it allows folks the dignity of work, allows our communities the opportunity to grow, thrive and prosper. Also, it ensures that the nation we build going forward, is able to see everyone, which current policies don’t allow.

“We have a president who ‘gets’ our community. We have a president who gets it . . . Now he needs to act.”

Pennsylvania State (��-�ʳ󾱱���������󾱲�):��

“When somebody is working somewhere and working in these tough industries. This is ripe for folks to be exploited.”

Pennsylvania State (D-Philadelphia):

“We can provide some degree of dignity to people who have been here for so long without it.”

Philadelphia City Council Member At-Large and Former Philadelphia Deputy Mayor:

“Pennsylvania is home to more than 173,000 undocumented immigrants, including 63,000 living in a mixed-status household where a family member is a U.S citizen. Locally, undocumented immigrants make up 18.3 percent of the immigrant population and contribute $196.3 million in state and local taxes.

“I know firsthand how important it is to protect the family unit and keep it intact as you embark on these new lives. When we look out here, in many cases, family is the only thing they have, the only thing sustaining them. Hope lives with anyone’s family and hope must be preserved at all cost. I remember doing that: it was me and my husband and then our children and it was very hard to know who to trust, or what to do. It is critical that we expand that circle of trust and, if we can make push for this agenda and get work permits, this will increase that circle of trust so we can operate like everybody else in this country.”

Allyson Batista, Board Member of (featured in The Wall Street Journal: ):

“I am a fourth-generation U.S. citizen and Pennsylvanian, born in Reading and raised in Wyomissing, its sleepy suburb, both located in Berks County. My Eastern European great-grandparents immigrated to Hazleton, a small coal mining town in central Pennsylvania, in search of a better life, not any different than immigrants today over 100 years later. My husband, my children’s father, is a Brazilian national who faces significant obstacles towards a path to legal status, despite our 20-year marriage. Initially, I believed our legal union would be an easy fix to the problems he faced, but every legal opinion since 2003 has come down to two options: we can either leave the U,S, for a minimum of 10 years, with only a chance of return or stay here in the shadows and cross our fingers the law is going to change. An impossible choice to make as a mother, wife and U.S. citizen; we chose the latter but it’s been over 20 years with no legislative fix for us in sight. We are increasingly exhausted by the empty promises of this administration. President Biden — YOU have the authority to take steps that will be transformative for all of us. As you visit our City today, I pray that you hear our voices and our call to action.”

Patty Torres, Co-Deputy State Director, :

“We know that Pennsylvania is absolutely critical in this year’s presidential election and we know President Biden is counting on us to turn out the vote. Today, as President Joe Biden campaigns once again in Philadelphia, we are urging him to use his executive power to expand work permits.

“Sixty-three percent of undocumented immigrants in Pennsylvania are employed, primarily in waste management, food services, construction, manufacturing and health services industries. All these hard-working individuals and members of our communities deserve the dignity and opportunity of a work permit.

“Our communities want to support a candidate who has done everything he can to keep our families together including providing much needed relief to multi-immigration status families.” 

Luis Ortiz Juarez, impacted Dreamer ineligible for DACA:

“I am proud to have a degree from the University of Pennsylvania. But you know as well as I do that without a work permit, my degree will not allow me to pursue my new passions for veterinary medicine and social work.��

“These Pennsylvania U.S. citizens and the Pennsylvania Latine community are all looking to you to be a leader and extend work permits to all long-term immigrants so that we can pursue our 91̽�� Dreams. You will be revitalizing the economy, protecting families and solidifying communities. What will your move be, President Joe Biden?”

Maria, :

“As a tireless worker in this country, and also as a taxpayer, it is time for the administration to raise awareness that we need a work permit, to get us out of the shadows. Today, I am here to ask President Biden to ensure a work permit for all of us immigrants. Mr. Biden, it is time for dignity and peace of mind.”

Delfina, :

“I was born in Mexico, I have lived in this country since 2002 and my husband has lived here since 1985. He got his permanent residency through amnesty at that time, qualified through his work, then he became an 91̽�� citizen eight years ago and made my petition to immigration seven years ago.” 

“My husband is sick and I am the one who takes care of him. It would be very painful and difficult for our family if they separate us, even if it’s temporarily. President Biden, we ask you to give us work permits, to help the long-term immigrants who need a work permit here, like myself. Mexico has very high crime and many economic needs, and for us this is, and will always be, our home. Gracias.”

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND:

Here are some key facts about how immigrants make vital contributions to Pennsylvania’s economy and communities:

• 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 .

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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 PA Latino Caucus Chair Burgos, Black Caucus Chair Nelson, Philadelphia City Council Member At-Large Nina Ahmad, State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta and Local Leaders Call on President Biden to Extend Work Permits to Long-Term Immigrants appeared first on 91̽��.

Watch Durbin economic briefing and García press conference; download

WASHINGTON – Allyson Batista, a board member of , and Lillie Williams, a member of 91̽�� 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  to immigrants who are long-term members of 91̽�� families and residents of U.S. communities. To interview them about their experiences, contact press@americanbic.biz.��

Allyson’s 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. 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. Allyson Batista, a U.S. citizen, with her husband, are featured.

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

Allyson Batista of Philadelphia is a board member of . She said, “My husband and I have 3 children. When I started fighting for my family and families like mine, my kids were in strollers. Now they’re adults wanting to start their lives as contributing U.S. citizens, but their father’s 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 91̽�� families waited 20 years, working, paying taxes and CREATING jobs like my husband. We are stuck, left out, and feel disrespected.”

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, “We’re tired of waiting for the Biden administration to act for 91̽�� families like mine. Our ask to President Biden is that he please grant my 91̽�� Pennsylvania family the option to live in safety to grant my husband and all spouses of U.S. citizens a work permit. We’ve owned three businesses together — a cafe, coffee shop and now a landscaping business. We have been job creators and employers, but my husband’s 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.”

“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 Pennsylvania’s 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 .

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