Texan Called for Work Permits for Long-Term Immigrant Contributors on Capitol Hill
Watch Durbin economic briefing and García press conference; download photos
WASHINGTON – Sonia Gamez, a farmer and member of American Families United (Bastrop), traveled to Washington, D.C. on April 16-17 for a briefing on Capitol Hill, calling on the Biden administration to extend work permits to immigrants who are long-term members of American families and residents of U.S. communities. To interview her about her experiences, contact press@americanbic.biz.
On Tuesday, she participated in an economic briefing hosted by Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (R-IL), with U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA). On Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García (D-IL) held a press conference at the House Triangle to make the case for work permits for all, alongside other business, labor, community and family leaders. He and U.S. Representatives Correa (D-CA) and Espaillat (D-NY) also sent a letter to the Biden administration accelerating this call to act.
The New York Times reported on the growing frustration among families of mixed immigration status and employers across the country, who want President Biden to extend work permits to immigrants who have been living in and contributing to this country for years. The Wall Street Journal reported on the campaign by U.S. citizens seeking work permits for their non-citizen spouses and other long-term residents to stabilize the workforce, grow the economy and keep families together.
The Wall Street Journal reported on the campaign by U.S. citizens seeking work permits for their non-citizen spouses and other long-term residents to stabilize the workforce, grow the economy and keep families together.
Watch the economic briefing and Congressman Garcia’s press event; access photos from both days in Washington, D.C.
Sonia Gamez is an engineer, owns a farm and is a member of American Families United. She is a U.S. citizen married to her husband for seven years. Due to immigration bars, there is no pathway for her husband’s adjustment of status. “Hardship to U.S. citizens isn’t considered under U.S. immigration laws. We have missed out on major life events. I couldn’t buy a home on my income alone; children were postponed and finally foregone. The possibility of deportation was always present,” she said. Sonia’s husband was deported and then the victim of extortion at gunpoint. Due to his deportation, Sonia has been forced to deal with major health problems alone, including countless doctor and emergency room visits and surgery. “I could have died without ever living together as husband and wife. We don’t have time. We urge President Biden to grant parole to our spouses,’ Sonia stated.
“Today, there are an estimated 1.1 million U.S. citizens married to an undocumented immigrant. Our laws are supposed to provide U.S. citizens an opportunity to sponsor their noncitizen family members, but our outdated immigration system includes many categorical bars that prevent spouses from obtaining status. These families live in fear that their loved ones may be deported at any time,” said U.S. Sen. Durbin. “These immigrants already pay taxes and work in our communities. If they were given a path to citizenship, it would bring stability to their families—and they would pay an additional $5 billion dollars in taxes.”
Durbin continued, “It’s time for our Republican colleagues in Congress to set aside extremist rhetoric and come to work with us on solutions. But American families need solutions now. That is why I led a letter with 18 of my colleagues to President Biden asking him to provide the spouses of U.S. citizens with a work permit. It is only a temporary solution—ultimately Congress needs to act. But it is essential that we do everything possible in the meantime to allow these families to live free of fear of deportation and stay together.”
“I’ve heard from employers across my district. They need workers, and they want to hire the ‘right way’. I’ve heard from my constituents who have been waiting for too long to get work permits,” said U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García. “Our message to the President is clear. It’s past time we provide immigrants, who’ve already been doing the work and keeping our country running, with the work permits they deserve. Jobs not only create opportunities for immigrant families, but also bring stability to entire communities. We are stronger because of immigrants, not despite them. Expanding access to them is a matter of economic justice.”
U.S. Senators Durbin, Rosen, Warnock, Fetterman and 15 other senators recently sent a letter to President Biden asking him to “protect and unify American families” and “provide much needed relief for undocumented immigrants and the American businesses, families, and communities that rely upon them.” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson; Iris Ramos Jones, Director of the Nevada Office for New Americans (appointed by Gov. Lombardo); more than 80 Members of Congress; and hundreds of leaders representing U.S business, labor, local government, faith, civil rights and family voices have been calling for this commonsense policy change for years.
On April 5, U.S. Department of Homeland Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas acknowledged the call to action. The proposal is legally sound, politically smart and requires only discreet updates to the existing U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services policy manual to expand work permits to nuclear relatives of United States citizens.
According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, we have 9.5 million job openings in the U.S., but only 6.5 million unemployed workers. Even if unemployed person in the country found a job, we would still have nearly 2.4 million vacancies. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office attributes a $7 trillion increase to the national GDP to immigration. While mixed-status families already contribute billions in federal, state and local taxes, a FWD.US estimate finds that permitting undocumented spouses to work legally would increase their tax contributions by $5 billion.
Immigrants make vital contributions to Texas’ economy and communities. Key facts:
- Texas only has 80 available workers for every 100 open jobs.
- 64 percent of unauthorized immigrants in Texas are employed, primarily in construction, food services, waste management and manufacturing industries.
- Texas immigrants comprise 17.3 percent of the population and make up more than one-fifth of Texas’ labor force, contributing to the economy.
- Texas immigrants wield $142 billion in spending power and pay $45.4 billion in taxes.
- 87.5 percent of Texas’ undocumented immigrants are working age and unable to legally work. They pay $4 billion in federal, state and local taxes and harness $33.9 billion in spending power.
- 11 percent of Texas’ U.S. citizens live with at least one undocumented person, comprising mixed-status families. Thirteen percent of New Texas’ U.S.-citizen children (less than 18-years-old) live with at least one undocumented person.
- 92 percent of Texas’ DACA-eligible population is employed, contributing $847.7 million in taxes and wielding $3 billion in spending power.
In addition to Texas, the U.S. economy depends upon a foreign-born labor force to alleviate national labor shortages, reduce inflation and grow by $7 trillion more over the next decade. Immigrants in the U.S. have a combined household income of $2.1 trillion and contribute $382.9 billion to federal taxes and $196.3 billion in state and local taxes, leaving them with $1.6 trillion in spending power.