FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 19, 2021
CONTACT:
Hundreds Participate in Nationwide Lobby Day, Tell Congress “Citizenship Now, This Is The Year”
Speaker Pelosi, Leader Schumer and members of Congress joined events with advocates calling for Congress to pass a pathway to citizenship
WASHINGTON, DC— On Tuesday, May 18, the We Are Home campaign and the Immigration Hub hosted Spring Lobby Day 2021, a virtual fly-in event with hundreds of participants and over 160 advocacy organizations to urge Congress to pass legislation that would provide a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, TPS holders, farmworkers and essential undocumented immigrants. Participants included directly impacted individuals; DACA recipients, TPS and DED holders, farmworkers, essential workers and their allies in faith, labor and the pro-immigrant movement.
Meetings were conducted with nearly 90 congressional offices from both sides of the aisle in both the House and the Senate. The day also included a Citizenship for Essential Workers Virtual Luncheon program with Members of Congress, including Speaker Pelosi, faith leaders, community leaders, and essential workers on the need to pass a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, TPS holders, farm workers and other essential workers. The lobby day concluded with a virtual rally and community celebration, where participants heard from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) about their commitment to passing immigration reform this year.
See a recap video featuring remarks by Members of Congress and Democratic Leadership.
The Lobby Day highlights the continued escalation of the public support necessary to win transformative immigration reform – including a path to citizenship – this year in this Congress.
Cristina Medina, a member of the United Farm Workers, shared her testimony of working as a farmworker over the last 15 years, including the daily fear she faces due to her lack of legal status. Cristina’s own daughter’s status as a DACA recipient underscores the impact that these bills would make for her family as well as mixed-status families across the country.
Bridgette Gomez, Campaign Director for the We Are Home Campaign said, “Yesterday, over 500 people representing 160 organizations brought a straightforward and powerful message to Congress: the time is now, the clock is ticking, and we won’t accept any excuses. After decades of struggle and building people power, the immigrant rights movement is committed to seeing citizenship enacted this year. We are grateful for the commitment shown by our Congressional leaders and for the support of so many Americans who understand the essential role immigrants, Dreamers, DACA, TPS, DED recipients play in our economy and way of life. This is just the beginning, we are ready and committed for the long haul.”
See below for images taken throughout the day’s events:
Participants meet with Majority Leader Steny Hoyer as part of the We Are Home campaign’s Spring Lobby Day 2021.
Participants meet with the Office of Congressman Raul Ruiz as part of the We Are Home campaign’s Spring Lobby Day 2021.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi delivers remarks as part of the We Are Home campaign Spring Lobby Day 2021. See video here.
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