This legislative ask is designed to be shared with your members of Congress and their staff.
In the United States, nearly 11.7 million undocumented people — friends, parents, neighbors, colleagues, and leaders — comprise 4.8% of the total workforce, hold a spending power of $250 billion annually, and contribute billions every year in federal, state, and local taxes. The undocumented community, including farmworkers, essential workers, Dreamers, as well as Deferred Enforced Departure and Temporary Protected Status holders, are integral and loved members of our communities, woven into the fabric of this country. Yet communities suffer as immigrants live in fear of separation from their mixed-status families, loss of work authorization and income, or a forcible return to life-threatening situations. Moreover, a United States without undocumented immigrants means a loss of nearly $2 trillion to the economy, 1.5 million workers from the construction industry, 1 million employees from hospitality, and 224,700 people from the agriculture workforce, damaging key industries.
Congress has the power to provide permanent solutions for our undocumented communities. Provisions of pathway to citizenship legislation have support from the majority of federal legislators, 1,200 faith leaders, over 100 of the nation’s top businesses, and 70% of voters across party lines. Notably, 58% of Republicans and Democrats nationwide favor a pathway to citizenship opposed to only 26% favoring the mass deportation of undocumented immigrants.
Publicly support and pass legislation to provide a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants this session.
We urge Congress to act now to establish permanent protections for undocumented immigrants by passing legislation that includes:
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All undocumented immigrants, including Dreamers, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients, essential workers, and farmworkers.
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An equitable, safe vetting process that does not categorically exclude people due to an interaction with the criminal legal system.
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A permanent status with the ability to apply for citizenship after 8 years and a rolling registry date.
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Fair and humane solutions without harmful trade-offs for heightened investments in overfunded enforcement systems.
