MEDIA ADVISORY FOR Tuesday, September 21, 2021
Contact: Megan Fountain, megan@ulanewhaven.org, 203-479-2959
Immigrants Rally for Congress to Deliver on Citizenship for Essential Workers
As Congress returns to Washington DC, thousands will rally in the nation’s capital and in New Haven today
Despite a setback on Sunday by Senate parliamentarian, immigrants vow to win reform this year
What: Rally to Welcome Back Congress
When: Tuesday, September 21, 2021 at 5:15 pm
Where: Office of Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, 59 Elm Street, New Haven, CT 06510
Who: Unidad Latina en Accion (ULA), Connecticut Domestic Worker Justice Campaign, Connecticut TPS Committee, CT Shoreline Indivisible, New Sanctuary CT, Black and Brown United in Action.
Visuals: Chanting, banners
New Haven, CT — As Congress returns to Washington DC this week, immigrants will march in Washington and in New Haven to demand that Congress deliver on immigration reform for millions of undocumented immigrants who are essential workers, “Dreamers,” and TPS holders. The Washington DC rally will stream live from noon to 3:00 pm at https://facebook.com/MaketheRoadNY and the Connecticut rally will begin at 5:15 pm outside the office of Rep. Rosa DeLauro on 59 Elm Street, New Haven, streaming live at https://facebook.com/ULANewHaven/
On Sunday, the Senate parliamentarian issued a preliminary decision that questioned the viability of including a path to citizenship in the Build Back Better budget bill. Today, hundreds of immigrant advocacy groups and Democrats will vow to continue pursuing immigration reform, both in the Build Back Better budget, and through stand-alone legislation.
“Senate Democrats have prepared an alternative proposal for the Parliamentarian’s consideration in the coming days,” said U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, and U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, Chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety in a statement Sunday.
“The nation’s economic recovery must include citizenship and full labor rights for the immigrants whose labor is essential,” said Hermelinda Gutierrez, a building cleaner from West Haven and member of Unidad Latina en Accion. “We have been on the frontlines, sacrificing everything to keep this country safe, healthy, and fed, but we are subject to wage theft and exploitation.”
Multiple polls show that a large majority of bipartisan voters support a path to citizenship for essential workers, Dreamers, and TPS holders. [1] Such a measure would raise wages for approximately 8 million undocumented immigrants and produce trillions of dollars in economic growth, according to the Center for American Progress. [2]
[1] Poll: Voters Across Parties Support A Path to Citizenship
https://www.dataforprogress.org/blog/2021/6/14/voters-support-path-to-citizenship
[2] Study: Citizenship for Undocumented Immigrants Would Boost U.S. Economic Growth