Business Leaders Applaud Sens. Sinema, Kelly and Democrats for Strengthening Economic Recovery by Rejecting Sen Cruz’s Harmful Amendment
All 8 moderate Democrats rejected amendment to deny Covid relief to 5 million U.S. Citizen spouses and children in mixed-status families, including 135,000 Americans in Arizona
PHOENIX, AZ — Arizona Senators Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly joined moderate Democrats and the rest of the Democratic conference in rejecting Sen. Ted Cruz’s Amendment #968 during the senate’s vote-a-rama. Cruz’s amendment would have denied COVID-19 stimulus relief to more than 5 million U.S. citizens married to or parented by an undocumented immigrant.
Bob Worsley, Arizona Republican State Senator (retired) SkyMall Founder and Co-Chair of the American Business Immigration Coalition (ABIC), said:
“We are grateful to Senators Sinema and Kelly for standing up for the 135,000 U.S. citizens in Arizona — and millions more across the country — who would have been denied COVID-19 stimulus checks because they had the bad luck of falling in love with or being born to an undocumented immigrant. Their votes are critical as Congress begins to debate standalone bills that would legalize millions of undocumented immigrants, including Dreamers, TPS holders and agricultural workers, who are essential to the recovery of Arizona and the rest of the nation. Immigration reform is good for the economy, the right thing to do for families, and good politics.”
Lisa Urias, President & CEO, Urías communications. and Board Member of ABIC Arizona, said:
“We applaud Senators Sinema and Kelly for supporting Arizona’s economy and immigrant families. Immigrant workers are contributors and taxpayers. Their work is strengthening our state’s recovery from the Pandemic.”
John Rowe, Exelon Chairman Emeritus and ABIC Co-Chair, said:
“We thank Sen. Young for recognizing that all Americans should receive COVID-19 relief regardless of whether they married an immigrant or have immigrant parents. We are also thankful to Leader Schumer and so many others for their work to ensure that all Americans get relief. Like Sen. Rubio once said: ‘If you can vote and you can fight for your country, then that should also entitle you to the same rights and obligations that citizens at large have.’”
Rebecca Shi, Executive Director of ABIC, said:
“We thank all Democrats, Majority Leader Schumer and Leader Durbin for voting down the Cruz amendment. Now is the time to push forward common sense, bipartisan immigration solutions that the majority of Americans support. For our economic recovery depends on it, and for the millions of immigrant workers rebuilding and recovering our nation from the pandemic.”
Direct payment to 5 million US Citizens in mixed-status families will inject more than $7 billion dollars in economic stimulus to local economies across the country.
The American Business Immigration Coalition thanks Sen. Todd Young of Indiana for not filing his original amendment, and applauds the leadership of Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Majority Whip Dick Durbin, along with the 8 democrats who voted against the Cruz amendment: Sens. Sinema, Kelly, Hassan, Hickenlooper, Stabenow, Tester, Machin and Peters.
ABIC thanks the leadership of key coalition partners New York Immigration Coalition, The National Immigrant Law Center, The Immigration Hub, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, SEIU, UNITE HERE, CHIRLA, MIRA, FLIC, FIRM/CCC, Unite Oregon, NPNA, CASA, LUCHA, NIF, FWD.us, UWD, UnidosUS, CAP, CASA, CIRC, Arkansas United, AFP/LIBRE among many others.
Contribution of immigrants to Arizona economy
Arizona’s essential workers include over 161,600 undocumented immigrants in the healthcare, food supply, construction and care economy who contribute millions to the state economy, social security and Medicare. Immigrants:
- Contribute $21.1 billion in spending power
- Pay more than $228.5 million in state taxes annually
- Generate $1.6 billion in business income annually
- Compromise almost 25% of Arizona small businesses employing American workers
About
The American Business Immigration Coalition (ABIC) promotes commonsense immigration reform that advances economic competitiveness, provides companies with both the high-skilled and low-skilled talent they need, and allows the integration of immigrants into our economy as consumers, workers, entrepreneurs, and citizens.