Open Letter to Hispanic Lawmakers: Exert Leadership on Immigration

Latino Community, Business Leaders Call On Hispanic Lawmakers To Exert Fierce Leadership On Immigration

 

WASHINGTON, DC – A full-page ad scheduled to appear Wednesday in The Hill reprints a letter signed by Latino community and business leaders, calling on the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) to exert its “fierce leadership” and win passage this year of pathways to citizenship for the undocumented, after failing to pass immigration solutions in 2021.

The letter-signing campaign, led by Angelica Salas, President for the CHIRLA Action Fund, and Gustavo Torres, President, CASA in Action and joined by 29 Latino community and business leaders displays the frustration among immigration advocates over the CHC’s inability to champion the 2021 legislative fight for immigration solutions.

“We remain greatly disappointed that, during the last year, as various interests sought inclusion in President Biden’s Build Back Better plan — legislation that was proposed as a budget reconciliation bill that would not require a 60-vote, filibuster-proof majority in the Senate — champions for immigration solutions were few,” the letter stated.

“Indeed, while your colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus were heroically battling for passage of voting rights legislation, in memory of the great Rep. John Lewis, who also fought for immigrants’ rights, we were dismayed by the lack of leadership from most of the 38 members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus,” the Latino leaders wrote.

The ad, a reprint of the full letter, was funded by CHIRLA Action Fund, CASA in Action, and ABIC-Action.

“The moment we have been waiting for is here and we must leave a historic mark that bends justice the way of the immigrant community,” said Angelica Salas, President of the CHIRLA Action Fund. “During the havoc wrought by the previous administration we imagined how much passion, energy, and will we would exert to truly improve the lives of immigrant families. The immigrant community is playing their part. We remain optimistic that the moment of fierce representation by our leaders in Congress and that delivery on their promises for change is yet to come. We will stand with them until we get the job done. This is the year.”

In addition to the two leaders, others who endorsed the letter to the CHC included: Sol Trujillo, Chairman, Latino Donors Collaborative; Mike Fernandez, ABIC-Action Co-Chairman and CEO, MBF Healthcare Partners; Eliseo Medina, Latino Leader; Enrique Fernández, Vice President for Immigration, Diversity and Civil Rights, UNITE HERE; Greisa Martínez Rosa, Executive Director, United We Dream; Fernando Garcia, Founder and Executive Director, Border Network for Human Rights; Marielena Hincapié, Executive Director, National Immigration Law Center; Michelle Tremillo, Co-Executive Director, Texas Organizing Project; Tessa Petit, Co Executive Director, Florida Immigrant Coalition; and Jose Lopez, Co-Executive Director at Make the Road New York.

“The Congressional Hispanic Caucus, regardless of the specific districts individual members represent, is the voice for Latinos across the country,” said Gustavo Torres, President of CASA in Action. “We come to you from a place of deep love and respect for your leadership to underscore that we need you, day and night, to be the champions for undocumented farmworkers in Delmarva, poultry workers in Georgia, domestic workers in Seattle and their families and communities.”

The letter noted lack of anger or passion over the Senate stalemate that has blocked a Build Back Better plan that included a watered-down version of what immigration advocates had hoped to win at the start of the Biden presidency.

“We recognize your efforts since the start of the Biden-Harris Administration, but they have not resulted in the passage of any permanent protections. What we now ask is for your fierce leadership to complete action this year on legislation to create pathways to citizenship for the undocumented,” the letter concluded.

 

The letter follows:

OPEN LETTER TO THE U.S. CONGRESSIONAL HISPANIC CAUCUS

Dear U.S. Congressional Hispanic Caucus Members,

As leaders of Latino and advocacy groups seeking immigration solutions, we respectfully urge you to represent Latino and immigrant communities in your districts, and safeguarded by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, by fiercely advancing enactment of pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

We remain greatly disappointed that, during the last year, as various interests sought inclusion in President Biden’s Build Back Better plan — legislation that was proposed as a budget reconciliation bill that would not require a 60-vote, filibuster-proof majority in the Senate — champions for immigration solutions were few.

Indeed, while your colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus were heroically battling for passage of voting rights legislation, in memory of the great Rep. John Lewis, who also fought for immigrants’ rights, we were dismayed by the lack of leadership from most of the 38 members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. At a critical point in the negotiations, specifically when a registry update was included in the bill by the House Judiciary Committee only to be removed, just a few caucus members from the House joined our Hispanic senators in fighting for permanent protections for the seven million immigrants who could, with more political will, benefit within the limits set by the reconciliation process.

Where is your anger over the Senate stalemate? Where is your passion for people you represent as residents of your districts — millions in mixed status households — who will forever be a permanent underclass of Latinos unless Congress acts?

We need your leadership! We need you to represent all of your constituents.

History is on our side of the issue, and so are the facts.

As we’ve mentioned before, 74% of undocumented workers (compared to 65% of native born workers) have been employed in essential critical infrastructure categories from farming and food, to construction and healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. Undocumented workers also placed themselves on the frontlines of the pandemic while facing limited access to healthcare and benefits.

Even now, business leaders from across the nation, spanning all industries, are imploring Congress to pass legalization and citizenship for immigrants so that they can fill jobs to ease the labor shortage — an economic condition that is contributing to rising inflation and consumer prices, and also provide relief to their immigrant employees.

We and our allies in your districts stand ready to work with you, inform voters of the consequences if no action is taken, and urge other lawmakers outside of the Hispanic Caucus to join our cause that is supported by a strong majority of voters across battleground states. Action is needed immediately, for the sake of our economy and for keeping immigrant families together to build stronger communities.

We recognize your efforts since the start of the Biden-Harris Administration, but they have not resulted in the passage of any permanent protections. What we now ask is for your fierce leadership to complete action this year on legislation to create pathways to citizenship for the undocumented.

Signatories:

Angelica Salas, President, CHIRLA Action Fund
Gustavo Torres, President, CASA in Action
Mike Fernandez, Board Member, ABIC-Action
Ana Valdez, Member, ABIC-Action
Becky Beauchamp, Executive Director Justice for Our Neighbors Michigan
Ben Monterroso, Integrated Voter Engagement Director, Poder Latinx
Christine Neumann-Ortiz, Executive Director, Voces de la Frontera
Eliseo Medina, Latino Leader
Enrique Fernández, Vice President for Immigration, Diversity and Civil Rights, UNITE HERE
Erica Johnson, Executive Director, Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice
Erika Andiola, Chief Advocacy Officer, RAICES
Erin McKenney, Executive Director, Just Neighbors
Fernando Garcia, Founder and Executive Director, Border Network for Human Rights
Greisa Martínez Rosa, Executive Director, United We Dream
Isabel Vincent, Co Executive Director, Florida Immigrant Coalition
Jose Lopez, Co-Executive Director at Make the Road New York
Juan Ochoa, President, National Federation of Latino Chambers of Commerce and Associations
L. Mireya Reith, Founding Executive Director, Arkansas United
Marcela Diaz, Executive Director, Somos un Pueblo Unido
Maricela Gutiérrez, Executive Director, Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network (SIREN)
Marielena Hincapié, Executive Director, National Immigration Law Center
Michelle Tremillo, Co-Executive Director, Texas Organizing Project
Monica Sarmiento, Executive Director, Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights
Pablo DeJesus, Executive Director, Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice
Raul Raymundo, President and CEO, The Resurrection Project
Rev. Elizabeth Wright, Executive Director, Austin Region Justice for Our Neighbors
Rigoberto Valdez, President, United Latinos of the UFCW
Sol Trujillo, Member, ABIC-Action
Tessa Petit, Co Executive Director, Florida Immigrant Coalition
Vanessa Garcia Polanco, Co-Policy Director, National Young Farmers Coalition
Yadira Sanchez, Executive Director, Poder Latinx