UnidosUS President and CEO: We Must Not Let an Unelected Official Dictate How We Strengthen Our Economy and Protect Millions of American Families with Immigrant Members

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Congress must disregard the Senate Parliamentarian’s opinion and continue its push to include immigration reform in the Build Back Better Act.

WASHINGTON, DC—In response to the U.S. Senate Parliamentarian’s opinion this week on including immigration reform in the Build Back Better Act, UnidosUS President and CEO Janet Murguía issued the following statement:

“It’s outrageous that we have a system that allows an unelected staff attorney to disregard a proposal that meets reconciliation criteria and deny an investment in our nation’s economic future and the futures and freedom of millions of undocumented immigrants, many of whom continue to risk their lives to keep America safe, fed, and healthy.

The budgetary impact, and its fit for reconciliation, is clear. Stabilizing our immigrant workforce and the millions of American families they are members of, is not only an important component of how the nation builds back better—it’s an immense economic windfall for the United States. These lasting protections for approximately 7 million undocumented immigrants—including many on the front lines of the pandemic response—who have lived in the United States for nearly 20 years would bolster our economy, raise tax revenue, help relieve the current worker shortage, raise wages for all Americans, and strengthen the nation’s competitiveness. The question now is, ‘What will the Senate do?’ Unlike the Parliamentarian, Democrats were elected to deliver relief to immigrant families, and we will continue to hold them accountable. They are in the majority in both chambers of Congress, they hold the White House, and have every tool at their disposal—including the support of the American public—to get this done. And Senate Republicans must be called to account on why they are refusing to support policies that will benefit our nation’s economy for decades to come.

Our charge is clear: deliver protections for as many people as possible this year. The House has done its part, and now the Senate must leave no stone unturned.”

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