Washington, DC – This week, the House is expected to vote on the “Build Back Better” budget reconciliation bill. Because of the relentless advocacy of immigrants, faith groups, and allies for a path to citizenship, House negotiations resulted in a package that currently includes work permits and protection from deportation for 7 million undocumented people.
In continuing to center the demands of directly-impacted immigrants, people of faith come together to boldly state that immigrants deserve nothing less than a path to citizenship. The provisions currently in the Build Back Better bill must only be a temporary first step towards long overdue reforms. It is long past time for Congress to use its authority to recognize the humanity of immigrants by building a full path to citizenship. With this as our “North Star,” people of faith persist in demanding that Congress keep its promise to deliver on citizenship this year.
“The House’s plan to include immigration protections in the Build Back Better spending bill is a step forward, but it falls short of the pathway to citizenship that was promised,” said Elissa Diaz, co-chair of the Interfaith Immigration Coalition and Policy and Advocacy Manager, Church World Service. “Immigrants have waited for lasting reforms for too long. Temporary protections are not enough, and we will not stop pushing until Congress reaches the ‘North Star’ of citizenship for all.”
“It is terrible enough that immigrant communities have to put their bodies on the line to remind Congress to keep a promise delayed by decades of inaction,” stated Peniel Ibe, IIC co-chair and Policy Engagement Coordinator at the American Friends Service Committee. “Leaders in Congress and the Biden administration promised citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrants in this country – nothing less. The time is now to make good on that promise. The urgency is real; with each passing day, our communities are separated, caught in the web of cruel and unjust detention and deportation policies. Congress must create permanent protections that are inclusive and accessible. The Bible reminds us to let our ‘yes’ be ‘yes.’ And as people of faith, we are calling on Congress to do the right thing and say ‘yes’ now.”
“It is long overdue for Congress to ensure permanent protections for our immigrant neighbors,” said Barbara Weinstein, Director, Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism. “As a community descended from immigrants and refugees, with a long history of persecution and sojourning in foreign lands, American Jews are particularly sensitive to the plight of today’s immigrants. We are also inspired by the Torah’s demand to justly treat and support the ger – the so-called ‘stranger’ whose legal status was similar to that of the immigrant in the United States today. We must not miss the opportunity to include essential and permanent immigration reforms in the Build Back Better Act.”
“During the pandemic, countless numbers of undocumented immigrants have risked their lives to advance and protect the health, safety, and well-being of all Americans,” said Giovana Oaxaca, Program Director for Migration Policy, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. “Permanent protections and a pathway to citizenship for these individuals is long-overdue and is absolutely essential for the country’s continued health response and economic recovery. As people of faith, we will continue to stand alongside our immigrant sisters and brothers to demand that their dignity be honored by the country they’ve supported so faithfully. Consistent with the ELCA Social Message on Immigration, we support flexible ways for undocumented immigrants and their families to adjust their status.”
“Including permanent protections in the Build Back Better bill would meet human needs in ways the God of scripture – who ‘is a refuge for the oppressed’ (Psalm 9:9) and who intends ‘to set the captives free’ (Luke 4:19) – has called us all to emulate: offering justice, lifting up the vulnerable, strengthening the fainthearted,” said Rev. Dr. Sharon Stanley-Rea, Disciples Refugee & Immigration Ministries. “Americans of all political perspectives, in and beyond our congregations, have long supported immigration reform and a pathway to citizenship for immigrants that can offer relief to families who have faithfully contributed to our nation even while living in fear of family separation and being held back from full opportunities. We urge Congress to support the prayers of our nation to finally provide undocumented immigrants with long-awaited permanent protections and a path to citizenship.”
“Securing permanent protections for undocumented immigrants is not simply a budgetary issue, but one of morality,” said Elket Rodriguez, Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy and Missions Specialist for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and Fellowship Southwest. “Our 11 million immigrant neighbors are part of our communities. They own homes and businesses, attend school, worship in our congregations, and are vital to the economic strength of our nation. We urge Congress to create a path to citizenship, and we are grateful to the tireless advocacy and leadership of directly impacted communities who have worked to get Congress to this point.”
“It is long past time we heeded God’s call to welcome the newcomer and paid tribute to our own national values,” said Ann Scholz, SSND, Associate Director for Social Mission, Leadership Conference of Women Religious. “We urge our elected leaders to persist in the quest for justice for immigrants, to seize this historic moment and put an end to the uncertainty and fear that plague our immigrant neighbors by including strong permanent protections for immigrants in the Build Back Better Act of 2021.”
The Interfaith Immigration Coalition is made up of over 55 national, faith-based organizations brought together across many theological traditions with a common call to seek just policies that lift up the God-given dignity of every individual. In partnership, we work to protect the rights, dignity, and safety of all refugees and migrants. Follow us on Twitter @interfaithimm
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