9 NOV 2023

Immigration Hub: Representation Matters to Ensure Effective Bipartisan Legislation on Immigration

WASHINGTON – Recent reporting indicates that a bipartisan group of Senators is working on a proposal to limit asylum at the Southern border. As aid for Ukraine hangs in the balance, Republicans have made clear that their support is contingent on changes to U.S. immigration policy. At this time, there are no Hispanic, Black, or AAPI U.S. Senators with notable immigrant constituencies involved in the discussions.

In response, Lia Parada, Chief Advocacy Officer for the Immigration Hub, issued the following statement:

“It is concerning that this working group, while bipartisan, is attempting to negotiate immigration policy without the input of any U.S. Senators of color who largely represent directly-impacted immigrant communities. Representation matters, especially when the policies being discussed could negatively harm communities of color for decades to come and exacerbate our broken immigration system.

“This working group should ensure the appropriate representation if they are to continue moving forward and, equally, center policies that include humane and orderly border security and a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and long-settled immigrant families. What Republican Senators James Lankford (R-LA) and Tom Cotton (R-AR) proposed earlier this week is not only extreme and impractical, but should be ultimately dismissed.

“Any legislative deal should speak to the moment: delivering a path to legal status for Dreamers and families who have waited too long for Congress to act, investing in our asylum system to process claims effectively, and resourcing the communities receiving newly-arrived asylum seekers and migrants. The American public overwhelmingly supports offering a path to legal status and a humane and orderly process at the border. It is unacceptable to see the wellbeing of millions kicked down the road year after year while vital programs like Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) face an imminent end.

“Our immigration system must be fixed, but not with harmful eleventh-hour policies that end access to asylum, separate families, and keep long-term communities invisible. Any legislative path forward on immigration must draw on the will of the people and center investments that both bolster order at the southern border and provide pathways to legal status.”

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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.