Hispanic Federation Calls on Senate to Deliver Immigration Reform Promises Despite Flawed Process Decisions

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 17, 2021

Contact:
Fernanda Duran
214-402-0186 
fernanda@communicationsshop.us

WASHINGTON — Yesterday, life-changing immigration provisions included in the House-passed Build Back Better Act were not approved for inclusion in the final bill by a Senate staffer through an archaic set of rules and processes that are robbing the American people of much needed and popular immigration reforms. Hispanic Federation calls on Senate members to follow through on their decades-long promises to the American people and specifically to Latino and immigrant communities, to fix our nation’s severely broken immigration system.

Below is a statement from Frankie Miranda, President and CEO of Hispanic Federation, on the Senate parliamentarian’s decision and the path ahead for the Build Back Better Act:

“Hispanic Federation is deeply disappointed by the latest decision from the Senate Parliamentarian, which yet again attempts to strip immigration provisions from the Build Back Better Act that would provide work authorization and protections for more than 7 million undocumented immigrants.

The truth is a majority of Americans support provisions to provide work permits to undocumented immigrants, including 93% of Democrats, 81% of Independents, and 65% of Republicans. Decisions by non-elected officials should not dictate the behavior of our elected representatives or determine the future of hundreds of thousands of hardworking immigrants who worked through the pandemic and who continue to contribute to the recovery of the nation.

Democrats in the Senate must not repeat their past mistakes and use this flawed reasoning from the Parliamentarian as an excuse to cut life-changing immigration provisions from the Build Back Better Act again. Hispanic Federation will continue to work with the champions of this proposal - Senators Schumer, Durbin, Menendez, Cortez Masto, Luján, Padilla - and will work with them to pursue every means to achieve a path to citizenship in the Build Back Better Act.

Hispanic Federation calls on Senators to stand up for Latino and immigrant communities. And for those who will not stand up for our communities, they should not obstruct our efforts to take action to implement these critical immigration policy changes that will support a desperately needed economic recovery. The Build Back Better Act is just a starting point as we work together to create a pathway to citizenship for all the undocumented, and advance policies that prioritize building safer, healthier, and more prosperous communities for the future.”

To urge your Senator to support Build Back Better, go to the Take Action page for Latinos for a Better Future.