IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

December 16th, 2021

Media Contact: press@luchaaz.org 

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***PRESS STATEMENT***

Response From Members of the We Are Home Arizona Coalition: Unelected Parliamentarian Rules Against Including Immigration Reform (Parole Program) In Build Back Better Plan (BBB)

 

Phoenix, AZ –  After nearly a year of negotiating and failed promises the unelected staffer known as the Parliamentarian has once again sided against protecting millions of immigrants from deportation and family separation. The stakes for our immigrant community couldn’t be higher, the Parliamentarian’s opinion will leave millions of undocumented people in limbo. While the inevitable passage of the BBB plan will be historic, excluding immigration reform in BBB goes directly against what President Biden set out to accomplish. 

 

Stephanie Maldonado, Organizing Director of LUCHA said:

“If Democrats fail to ignore the opinion of an unelected staffer, the BBB plan will leave behind millions of immigrants who kept this country running throughout a deadly pandemic. It is the responsibility of Democrats to deliver and pass immigration reform. As we enter the midterm election cycle in 2022 failure to deliver on promises made will have dire political consequences.”

 

Ricardo Zamudio, Organizing Director of CORAZON said:

“Millions of immigrant families need a permanent solution and a clear pathway to citizenship. President Biden and Democrats in Congress ran on delivering a pathway to citizenship for immigrant communities if elected into office. We expect Democrats to deliver and not shift the blame to the Parliamentarian. We call on Senators Kelly and Sinema to unequivocally support citizenship for millions of immigrants.”

 

DACA, work permits, parole, and other tools offer protection from deportation, but this is temporary and can be struck down in the courts, or ended by a hostile administration. These protections are limited in scope and will leave many millions vulnerable to deportation. Our families are exhausted from all the excuses. Democrats must actually wield the power we gave them and pursuing every means to achieve a path for immigration reform must be the priority. 

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