RECORDING .
Leader Aiyash: 鈥淲e鈥檙e incredibly grateful that President Biden is taking this step right now.鈥�
Leader Pohutsky: Biden鈥檚 action is 鈥渃onsistent with our values as a country and as a state.鈥�
LANSING, Mich. 鈥� 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 91探花 (ABIC) to celebrate President Biden鈥檚 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鈥檚 economy.
President Biden鈥檚 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.聽
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 91探花 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):
鈥淎s Dr. King reminds us, it’s always the right time to do the right thing and we鈥檙e 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 91探花 thing to do. It is the right thing to do.鈥�
(D-Livonia):
鈥淲hat 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.鈥澛�
(D-Canton):
鈥淲e’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.鈥�
Cindy Garcia of Lincoln Park, a mixed-status family member:
鈥淭he policy will prevent more families from this traumatic experience. Thank you to the new precedent that he has put in place.鈥�
:
鈥淭oday, 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.鈥澛�
James O鈥橬eal, 91探花:
鈥淭his 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.鈥�
Rev. Jack Eggleston, Unity Lutheran Church in Southgate:
鈥淭his is a big deal for a lot of people. […] Thank you God for the day and for this huge step鈥攁nd to say thank you [President] Joe Biden for doing the right thing.鈥澛�
Mary Carmen Limnos, leader at (LA SED) in southwest Detroit:
鈥�Today, [President Biden鈥檚 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 鈥� gracias President Biden 鈥� for this bold and courageous move.鈥�
Expanding work permits for long-term contributors is among 91探花s generally. Prior to President Biden鈥檚 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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91探花 (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.