5 FEBRUARY 2021
Hickenlooper Turns His Back on Immigrant Families, Latinos and Triggers Flashbacks of Cory Gardner
Senate Democrats, Biden-Harris Show Leadership by Providing Desperately Needed COVID-19 Relief Package.
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Last night the Senate passed legislation, thanks to Senate Democrats and President Biden, that provides much needed resources to help America in the midst of a historic pandemic. Senate Republicans introduced a poison pill to deny stimulus payments to many immigrant families and this anti-immigrant amendment gained support from several Democratic Senators, including Senator John Hickenlooper. In response, Sergio Gonzales, Interim Executive Director of the Immigration Hub, issued the following statement:
“Senate Democrats and the Biden-Harris Administration showed desperately needed leadership by passing a robust COVID-19 relief package to help get our country on the path to recovery. This legislation is a lifeline to millions across the country who are hurting, especially disproportionately impacted communities of color. A clear message was also sent with this bill that Congress and the White House are now on the side of working people, choosing solutions over the cruelty and division of the past four years. Unfortunately this was not true for Senator John Hickenlooper (D-CO) and a handful of other Democratic senators who voted in favor of a Trump era, anti-immigrant poison pill amendment that attacks immigrant communities.
“Senator Hickelooper’s vote to deny stimulus payments to immigrant families is a complete slap in the face to voters, especially Latinos. Sen. Hickenlooper owes an apology to Latino voters who turned out in record numbers to get him elected. He also owes an apology to immigrant families and workers who are on the front lines in critical industries such as agriculture, health care and food processing helping to get Colorado through the pandemic.
“It is completely unacceptable that the newly elected senator would align himself with the likes of anti-immigrant Senators Todd Young and Tom Cotton over the hundreds of thousands of Coloradans who support and value the contributions of our immigrant neighbors and Colorado’s senior Senator Michael Bennet who voted in favor of compassion and commonsense. Let this be the one and only time Senator Hickenlooper sells out his constituents.”
Colorado’s essential workers include over 62,000 undocumented immigrants in the healthcare, food supply, construction and care economy who contribute millions to the state economy, social security and Medicare.
A survey conducted by Civisqs and the Immigration Hub of 1,007 registered voters in Colorado found that large majorities of the electorate overwhelmingly support a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and fair and humane reforms to the immigration system:
57% of Colorado voters agree that immigrants work hard and fill critical industries like farming, eldercare, teaching and nursing.
61% of voters in Colorado agree that the government should create a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants instead of deporting them.
60% of Colorado voters surveyed agree that as part of an economic recovery bill, undocumented immigrant workers who have been essential to the pandemic response should be provided a path to legal status and citizenship.
59% of the Colorado electorate polled support President Biden adopting administrative measures temporarily protecting undocumented workers who perform essential services from deportation and allowing them to work lawfully.
60% of voters in Colorado support DACA and TPS, while 71% support a fair and humane asylum process.
63% of Colorado voters want more accountability at ICE, while there is 2-to-1 support for ending jailing of families seeking asylum, with 59% in Colorado.
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The Immigration Hub is a national organization dedicated to advancing fair and just immigration policies through strategic leadership, innovative communications strategies, legislative advocacy and collaborative partnerships.