President Biden Recommits to Immigration Reform in First Address to Congress

Washington D.C. – In his first-ever handle to a joint session of Congress this night, President Biden recommitted his administration to pursuing long-overdue reforms to immigration coverage. Notably, Biden referred to as for the passage of his sweeping immigration proposal, the U.S. Citizenship Act, whereas signaling openness to focused, piecemeal immigration coverage that may provide a pathway to citizenship to Dreamers and farmworkers, and everlasting safety to Short-term Protected Standing (TPS) holders.

The presidential handle additionally highlighted the essential function immigrants play in sustaining a wholesome and aggressive economic system and praised Vice President Kamala Harris for her engagement with El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala in an effort to work in direction of improved stability and alternative within the Northern Triangle.

The next is an announcement by Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, President and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service:

By means of a direct attraction in his very first handle to Congress, President Biden has signaled that reforming our immigration system is a urgent precedence for this administration. We be a part of the President in his name to Congress for common sense options, together with a pathway to citizenship.
 
The U.S. Citizenship Act would hold households collectively, develop financial alternative, handle root causes by stabilizing Central America, and restore U.S. management as a refuge for the persecuted and oppressed. It’s encouraging to see a sitting president make that argument to lawmakers—and voters—in a extremely anticipated primetime speech.

The administration’s first 100 days have been a heartening reminder that the USA is stronger after we embrace immigrants—and that New Individuals enrich our tradition, our economic system, and our communities. The following 100 days will likely be essential to advancing immigration coverage that’s each honest and useful. Individuals are prepared for Congress to get previous partisan gridlock – beginning with restoring welcome for refugees and constructing a transparent pathway for citizenship for tens of millions of our neighbors, colleagues, and fellow congregation members.

If we’re to revive the soul of the nation, this bold agenda should additionally embody elevating the refugee admissions cap to 62,500. There are too many lives on the road to postpone this lifesaving work any longer.