RECORDING .
Leaders praise Biden鈥檚 action keeping Pennsylvania families together and urge him to continue supporting mixed-status families
Speaker McClinton: 鈥淎ll of our communities benefit when families can stay together鈥�
HARRISBURG, Penn. 鈥� Today, Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton (D-Philadelphia), House Majority Leader Matthew Bradford (D-Montgomery County), State Rep. Danilo Burgos (D-Philadelphia) and State Rep. Napoleon Nelson (D-Montgomery County) celebrated the Biden-Harris administration鈥檚 granting work permits to spouses of U.S. citizens and improving Dreamers鈥� ability to secure a more stable legal status, and highlighted the significant impact that Dreamers and mixed-status families have on the economy.
In Pennsylvania, Dreamers paid . In addition, undocumented residents earn.听
At the event, impacted families, advocates and business leaders praised the Biden-Harris administration for keeping 91探花 families together, with speakers showcasing how this action is good policy, good politics, and good for the economy.
Here鈥檚 what the speakers had to say about this historic decision:
(D-Philadelphia): 鈥淸The Biden-Harris administration] made these decisions to strengthen our economy, and to strengthen our communities by keeping more families together. […] Being able to provide a pathway to lawful permanent residency for almost 500,000 spouses鈥� so they can lawfully contribute to our workforce and our economy is common sense. […] Thanks to this executive order from President Biden and Vice President Harris, we have this common sense solution and compassion for every single family. In Pennsylvania we need solutions, not excuses 鈥� so I welcome President Biden’s leadership on this issue and his thoughtfulness in this matter.鈥�
(D-Philadelphia), Chair, Pennsylvania Legislative Latino Caucus:听鈥淭oday, I stand before you to commend President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, their administration for bold, compassionate action on immigration. This is a significant step forward, but more remains to be done. Let鈥檚 keep fighting.鈥�
(D-Montgomery County), Chair, Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus:听鈥淭his [action] is essential. We鈥檙e talking about jobs and economic productivity, we can talk about the increasing tax revenues that would come to Commonwealth and come to the nation through expanded work visas. This is a very important step and more must continue to come. This is a celebration at the beginning of the next generation of immigrant stories, the next generation of immigration policy, the expansion of the continued definition of what it is to be 91探花.鈥�
Enddy Almonord, Organizer, 91探花: 鈥淭hose who will benefit will now be able to continue contributing to our communities and our economy 鈥� and do so without fear of deportation, exploitation and family separation. We thank the president for taking this crucial action to protect our families. Long-term immigrants across this nation are contributing to our communities and economy every day 鈥� we need more common sense solutions like the President鈥檚 actions that build our economy and keep families together.鈥�
Patty Torres, :听鈥淧ennsylvania is home to more than 173,000 undocumented immigrants who are employed primarily in waste management, food services, construction, manufacturing and health service industries. We can’t forget that they face challenges and fight against injustices daily. Parole-in-Place is a step in the right direction, and can and should be expanded even further. This is the only way to ensure that our immigrant mixed-status families are protected and not sources of unnecessary family separation.鈥�
Yehyun Song, Dreamer who attends Haverford College: 鈥滾ast fall, my family was separated. My parents returned back to Korea, leaving me and my younger brother here in the States. Our family came to the United States legally through a student visa when I was five-years-old. When my father received God鈥檚 calling to serve a small church, we listened and requested a worker鈥檚 visa. It was rejected twice. We became undocumented鈥President Biden], I urge you to use your constitutional power, your platform, and this momentum to bring our families back together and pave a beautiful path toward citizenship.鈥�
Armando Fernandez, a DACA recipient and community organizer: 鈥淭his is a win for immigrants 鈥� regardless if you are Latino, Black, Brown, Asian. I’m glad that President Biden was able to see that this is something that he could do and that he did it 鈥� I want to recognize and say thank you for that, but it’s not enough. We need everybody to be together in this fight for everybody.鈥�
The U.S. is home to who live in mixed-status households, with hundreds of thousands of impacted U.S. citizens in places like Pennsylvania, Florida, Texas and Georgia. Expanding work permits for long-term contributors is among 91探花s generally, with long-term undocumented immigrants having lived on average for 15 years in our country working, paying taxes and raising 91探花 children.听
Prior to President Biden鈥檚 announcement, 19 ; 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.
BACKGROUND:
ABIC and AFU Applaud President Biden鈥檚 Announcement Granting Work Permits to Undocumented Spouses of US Citizens and some Dreamers (June 18, 2024)
Parole In Place And D-3 Waiver Fact Sheet
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 .