For immediate release
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Press contacts:
Milan Bhatt, Worker Justice Center of NY: (609) 947-9532
Kat Fisher, Citizen Action of New York: (845) 637-0174
Betsy Palmieri, Hudson Valley Community Coalition: (914)
329-1588
Jessica Ramos, 32BJ Service Employees International Union: (347) 837-1547
*Press Release*
Hudson Valley groups respond to
Senate introduction of bipartisan immigration reform bill.
The introduction today of a bipartisan immigration reform
bill by the Senate Gang of Eight is an historic step towards creating real and
humane comprehensive immigration reform. The Senate bill represents not only
the bipartisan Congressional support for reform, but also the years of organizing,
voter registration and community building undertaken by countless individuals
and groups all over the country, including many here in the Hudson Valley. Our groups are members of the New Yorkers for
Real Immigration Reform Campaign, the largest and most diverse statewide
coalition of immigrant groups in the nation.
Immigrant, labor and community leaders from across the
Hudson Valley also responded to the bill:
“We believe today’s introduction of a Senate bill is a
critical step toward the passage of a meaningful immigration reform
deal. We will continue to fight hard to ensure that the final
package provides fair and sensible legalization provisions, strong workplace
protections, and adequate wage levels for all workers” said Milan Bhatt, co-executive director of the
Worker Justice Center of New York.”
"This bill is a positive step in the fight to provide
11 million aspiring Americans with a path to citizenship," said Kat Fisher, community organizer with
Citizen Action of New York. "It is encouraging that the bill includes
provisions to ensure due process, human and civil rights, and family
unification. Our community will continue to mobilize until a strong immigration
reform bill is signed into law."
“The Senate bill is a good start, and we respect the hard
work put into it by the Gang of Eight including our own Senator Schumer, who
faced heavy pressure from both sides to come out with a bipartisan bill,” said Betsy Palmieri, executive director of the
Hudson Valley Community Coalition.
“There is no doubt today’s immigrants are tomorrow’s
voters,” said John Santos, vice president and 32BJ Hudson Valley director.
“They’re also tomorrow’s professionals and entrepreneurs if we help them get
this bill passed. It can mean the end of the second class workforce that is
bringing wages down for everyone, and the beginning of a stronger economy.”
Summary Overview of Bill Provisions (not comprehensive):
The bill provides for:
· A path to
citizenship for the undocumented. For most immigrants, the path will take
thirteen years—ten years under the new status of “Registered Provisional
Immigrant” (RPI), after which they can apply for lawful permanent resident
status (LPR, or a “green card”); after three years as an LPR, they can apply
for US citizenship.
· Certain
immigrants (namely, farm workers and many of those who came to the U.S. before
the age of 16) will have an accelerated path. These individuals will only have
to stay in RPI status for five years before applying for LPR status, at which
time they will be immediately eligible for US citizenship.
· Work
authorization and travel outside the US. Under RPI status, immigrants will be
authorized to work and allowed to travel outside the U.S.
· “Border
Triggers.” Certain conditions pertaining
to border security must be met before RPI’s can apply for LPR status.
·
Eligibility requirements to apply for legalization. These include
passing background checks, establishing continuous physical presence in the
U.S.; and arrival in the US no later than December 31, 2011. Immigrants who
have final orders of removal, or who have previously reentered the U.S. after
deportation, are eligible to apply for RPI status.
· Bars to
legalization. Individuals with certain criminal convictions may be ineligible
for legalization.
· Fines and
fees. Applicants must pay $2000 in fines
and additional processing fees.
· Family
unification for certain deportees.
Certain immigrants previously deported for non-criminal grounds and who
have a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident spouse, parent, or child, as
well as DREAM-Act eligible individuals, are eligible to apply for a waiver to
reenter the United States in order to apply for legal status.
· Creation
of a merit-based visa system in the fifth year after enactment. This system
will award points to individuals based on their education, employment, length
of residence in the U.S. and other considerations.
The bill includes provisions of concern to the New
Yorkers for Real Immigration Reform campaign, including:
· Border
triggers as a condition for a path to citizenship.
· Prolonged
period of provisional status.
· Arbitrary
cut-off dates, other obstacles, and further limitations on who will be eligible
for legalization and a path to citizenship.
· Eventual
elimination of the U.S. citizen sibling visa category and diversity visas.
· Shift
away from a family-based immigration system to a new merit-based visa system.
· Cap on
age for adult married children visa category. Adult married children can only
be sponsored by their parents if they are under age 31.
· No
provision for family visas for same-sex partners. The campaign is calling for
an amendment to include this provision.
· Billions
of additional enforcement dollars.
· Mandatory
electronic employment verification program. The program would be phased in over
a period of five years until it includes all U.S employers. It would include
new due process and privacy protections.
There are aspects of this bill that
need improvement in order to be called truly comprehensive and to uphold our
country’s founding principles. And families in the Hudson Valley are still
being torn apart by deportations. We urge
the President to invoke a moratorium on deportations while this legislation is
being debated. But we look forward to
working with our elected officials here in New York to keep moving this bill
forward. We won’t stop until we pass a
compassionate, comprehensive immigration bill that keeps families together and
protects civil and human rights for all Americans.
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