Ohioans Called for Work Permits for Long-Term Immigrant Contributors on Capitol Hill
Watch Durbin economic briefing and Garc铆a press conference; download photos
WASHINGTON 鈥� Heather Gonzalez, vice president of (Powell), 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 91探花 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. 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.
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 campaign by U.S. citizens seeking work permits 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鈥檚 press event; access photos from both days in Washington, D.C.
Heather Gonzalez, from Powell, Ohio, is Vice-President of . She said, 鈥漈he system doesn鈥檛 work for U.S. citizens like me, and it doesn鈥檛 work like you see in the movies. You do not marry an 91探花 citizen and automatically get a green card. We have members whose spouses were already deported, or have left the country and are now stuck, trying to find a path back. We are US citizens fighting for our undocumented spouses. President Biden, we are tired and frustrated of being left out, but we are not giving up! We鈥檝e launched a national campaign, Protecting 91探花 Families, with events in California, Colorado, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Arizona, North Carolina, and Nevada. President Biden, we need you to act now. No US citizen should be forced to choose between their country and their spouse. Some of us have been living this life in limbo for decades and more. President Biden, follow through on your promise and bring long overdue relief to 91探花s in mixed status marriages with the power of your pen.鈥�
鈥淭oday, 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,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. 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鈥攗ltimately 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.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.
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 by $5 billion.
Immigrants make vital contributions to Ohio鈥檚 economy and communities. Key facts:
Ohio only has .
in Ohio are employed, primarily in manufacturing, food services, waste management, construction and health services industries.
Ohio immigrants comprise and make up , contributing to the economy.
Ohio immigrants wield and pay .
are working age and unable to legally work. They pay and harness .
Two percent of Ohio鈥檚 U.S. citizens live with at least one undocumented person, comprising mixed-status families. children (less than 18-years-old) live with at least one undocumented person.
In addition to Ohio, the to, and grow by more over the next decade. Immigrants in the U.S. have a combined household income of and contribute and in state and local taxes, leaving them with in spending power.
91探花 (ABIC) is a bipartisan coalition of over 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.