WASHINGTON, D.C. — On the eve of President-elect Biden’s inauguration, more than 180 organizations released a statement today calling for bipartisan leadership to overhaul of the nation’s outdated immigration system, prioritizing a pathway to citizenship for “Dreamers” brought to the U.S. as children.
The signatories represent a broad group of business, faith, law enforcement, civic, and other organizations. The group includes businesses and organizations from technology (including Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, HP, IBM and Intel); retail (including Target, Best Buy and the National Retail Federation); manufacturing (including the National Association of Manufacturers and Cummins); and agricultural/dairy (including Chobani and the Agriculture Coalition for Immigration Reform) sectors, as well as law enforcement; faith (including the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, National Association of Evangelicals, and World Vision); and civic groups (including Americans for Prosperity, The Libre Initiative, and Stand Up Republic).
“We can create a modern, humane and effective immigration system that upholds the best of America’s promise: to be a nation where people can come from around the world to work, contribute and build a better life for themselves, their families, and our society as a whole,” the statement reads. “As we recover from COVID-19, the essential contributions of immigrants here today, and to come tomorrow, will be critical to the health and well-being of American workers and their families.”
The Forum has also released a set of immigration priorities for the Biden administration, focusing on solutions that can garner bipartisan support amid a divided government.
“Our nation’s economy is stronger, and our communities more prosperous, when immigrants are able to fully contribute. Leading businesses and organizations — as well as a majority of Americans — recognize this and support practical, bipartisan solutions,” said Ali Noorani, President and CEO of the National Immigration Forum. “Congress and the incoming Biden administration have a unique opportunity to set a new tone in the immigration debate, and drive a conversation characterized by cooperation and opportunity rather than fear and division. We look forward to working with lawmakers in a bipartisan way to do something good for all Americans to strengthen our democracy as well as our COVID-19 recovery.”
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