Washington, D.C. – Today, President-elect Biden reaffirmed his commitment to take action on immigration, telling reporters at a press conference in Delaware that he’ll “introduce an immigration bill immediately” upon taking office.
Sanaa Abrar, Advocacy Director of United We Dream, said:
“The power of immigrant youth is undeniable. Along with our allies, we delivered a clear policy mandate to President-elect Biden, and now he and the new Democratic-controlled Congress, led by Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Schumer, must immediately pass a bill that gives citizenship to all 11 million undocumented people living in the U.S., protects people, and does not grow the deadly deportation force of ICE and CBP.
Trump has spent the last four years viciously attacking immigrants, Black and brown people, and our democracy, allowing – and often inviting – white supremacy to flourish unchecked. The violent attacks at the Capitol building this week being just the latest example of this.
In prioritizing a pathway to citizenship for the over 11 million undocumented people living in this country, President-elect Biden is sending a clear message about the values that the incoming administration will prioritize. This must include a moratorium on enforcement and deportation, swift executive actions to protect immigrant youth and TPS holders as they await permanent relief, the release of immigrants held in ICE and CBP detention, and the right for people to come home who have been deported. In addition, the incoming administration must defund ICE and CBP and hold these agencies accountable for the pain and deaths of immigrants.”
