For Immediate Release
Contact:
John-Michael Torres, 956-784-0086, johnmichael@lupenet.org
RGV delegation votes to advance visionary budget full of popular provisions, including path to Citizenship for farmworkers, Dreamers, TPS holders, and essential workers
SAN JUAN, TX – Momentum is growing toward finally winning new pathways to Citizenship for millions of Dreamers, TPS holders, farmworkers, and essential workers. Today, Rio Grande Valley Democratic Members of Congress voted to pass the Senate-approved budget resolution and, by doing so, advanced the most ambitious expansion of the nation's social safety net in decades. Representatives Henry Cuellar, Vicente Gonzalez and Filemon Vela joined the Democratic majority to clear the way for the visionary budget that modernizes key sectors of our economy, including our immigration system.This comes after the three representatives threatened to block the budget resolution. With their votes, Rio Grande Valley Members of Congress followed the lead of undocumented Valley leaders who are calling on them to deliver a roadmap to Citizenship for undocumented immigrants this year. The budget resolution includes provisions for Citizenship and has already cleared an initial hurdle in the US Senate.
Below are statements from LUPE representatives organizing to win a pathway to Citizenship this year:
“For generations, border communities have welcomed people seeking protection and a dignified life. It is well past time our undocumented family and neighbors have a pathway to Citizenship. We are pleased to see that Rep. Cuellar, Gonzalez, and Vela abandoned political games and voted to pass the budget resolution. We’ve seen the harm that political games can do to our communities, so we will keep a close watch to ensure that our representatives stay on the side of their constituents. We urge our representatives to reject political games and anti-immigrant amendments and include protections and a path to Citizenship for the broadest group of immigrants possible,” said Dani Marrero Hi, Director of Advocacy and Communications for La Unión del Pueblo Entero.
“This is a victory for our undocumented parents, friends, neighbors, and family who want to live, work, and go to school in dignity. We know that immigrants deserve a pathway to Citizenship because they are humans worthy of that relief. And it’s also true that creating this path will undeniably benefit the U.S. economy. Immigrants deserve safety and security knowing that they are able to go out and work, go to school, and receive the basic necessities that any person needs,” said Anna Sanchez, Rapid Response Digital Organizer for LUPE’s #WeAreHome campaign.
What’s Next:
The next vote will happen in the weeks to come, after the Senate Parliamentarian rules. Immigrants and their allies will continue to hold Congress accountable to our expectation that budget reconciliation include a path to Citizenship for the broadest group of immigrants possible without harmful addons, like detention, border militarization or erosion of asylum.