Washington, D.C. – Today, the Biden administration, alongside Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Representative Linda Sanchez (CA-38), unveiled the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021. This bill features a pathway to citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. and does not include funds for detentions, deportations or border wall construction.
Greisa Martinez Rosas, Executive Director of United We Dream, said:
“We celebrate the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 as a testament to the growing power of our movement which has fought for policies that make a clean break from endless enforcement increases in exchange for citizenship. This bill is one of the boldest immigration bills to date, delivered by our movement and made possible by President Biden. Ultimately success will be measured once citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants is made a reality.
Amid mass deportations of Black immigrants, compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic and deliberate exclusion of immigrants from vital pandemic relief, our communities remain committed to winning protections for all immigrants. President Biden, Speaker Pelosi, and Majority Leader Schumer must act with the urgency this moment requires and use every avenue to provide relief to immigrants now!
The introduction of this bill is only the first step. Now, President Biden and Democrats in Congress must use their power to ensure that the vision laid out in this bill is realized, starting with the inclusion of immigrant youth, TPS holders, and essential workers in the next COVID relief package. What Democrats do next will solidify their commitment to immigrant communities, and we at United We Dream will fight with everything we have to ensure they follow through.”
