With Senate Vote on Budget Reconciliation, Decades-long Fight for Immigrant Rights One Step Closer to Victory

New York, NY-Today, Senate Democrats passed the first step towards a $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation infrastructure package. The ambitious legislation earmarks $107 billion to provide a pathway to citizenship for millions of Dreamers, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients, and immigrant essential workers, including hundreds of thousands of immigrant New Yorkers. 

In order to bypass a Senate Republican filibuster of the legislation, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer opted to pass the bill via budget reconciliation. A parliamentary procedure, budget reconciliation allows bills that change spending, revenues, and the federal debt limit to pass in the Senate with a simple majority. Legalization is expected to result in $149 billion in GDP and $39 billion in federal, state, and local taxes, according to a recently released FWD.us reportNow, the spending plan moves to the House of Representatives, which will likely vote on the legislation the week of August 22. 

Murad Awawdeh, Executive Director, New York Immigration Coalition:

“Today’s vote marked an enormous step forward in our decades-long battle for a pathway to citizenship for millions of hard-working immigrant families. Essential workers, Dreamers, and TPS holders have been living in limbo for far too long, threatened by court rulings that can throw their lives in turmoil at a moment’s notice and the whims of politicians, who can with the sweep of a signature on an executive order rip them from their families and the safety of the only place they have known as home. We thank Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and President Joe Biden for heeding the will of American voters and doing the smart thing to hasten America's economic recovery. But the fight is far from finished. Congress must now pass the final budget reconciliation package that includes a path to citizenship for essential workers and others. It’s what Americans want and need to rebuild their communities and secure a future for their families.”  

Background:

In July, the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) and Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM)  members led one thousand immigrant essential workers, elected officials, and immigrant rights advocates to demand the inclusion of a pathway to citizenship in the Democrats’ budget reconciliation infrastructure bill. A few weeks before the inauguration of President Biden, the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) launched an aggressive campaign targeted at key members of New York’s Democratic congressional delegation, demanding an unequivocal commitment to achieving a pathway to citizenship. 

The NYIC’s work is part of a multi-organizational and national effort spearheaded by FIRM to transform America’s immigration system. A July FWD.us report revealed a clear majority of Americans support legalization for Dreamers, TPS recipients, and essential workers. The report also outlined that legalization would provide $149 billion in GDP and $39 billion in federal, state, and local taxes. 

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