Although our #AllOfUS Campaign Week of Action is officially over, participants are still organizing prayer vigils, submitting letters to their local media outlets, and meeting with their members of Congress.
“As legal practitioners and people of faith,” states NJFON Acting Director Melissa Bowe, “we believe in the inherent dignity of every human being, worthy of justice and inclusion. Every person without permanent immigration status deserves a lasting solution to keep their families and communities together. But today, there are 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. without a viable roadmap to permanent residency and citizenship.
“We want our elected officials to take bold action,” Melissa continues, “The American people want solutions, and we are energized more than ever to fight for a breakthrough that legalizes millions.”
Melissa’s words were a rallying cry for our team! So far, 67 people from 21 different states have scheduled legislative meetings. Senator Schumer (NY-D) himself met with the New York delegation!
“Senator Schumer’s passion for immigration justice is palpable,” relates NY JFON Executive Director Paul Fleck. “In fact, he shared with us that his middle name is Ellis—for Ellis Island— and that his daughter’s middle name is Emma—for Emma Lazarus, the poet whose words are inscribed on the base of the Statue of Liberty.
“Senator Schumer, ” Paul reminds us, “is a co-sponsor of President Biden’s U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021, a bill that would create paths to citizenship for all 11million undocumented immigrants in this country. The Senator does not underestimate the magnitude of the challenges to passing this bill or, for that matter, passing other less comprehensive bills that are already pending.”
To read Paul’s complete blog post about their memorable visit with New York’s senior senator, please click HERE.
Of course, not all of the legislative visits were with immigration-friendly elected officials, but all of our #AllOfUS teams remained positive. Pictured below, our Great Plains (Nebraska/Kansas) delegation—including members of the Micah Corps—share their own immigration stories with Senator Moran’s (KS-R) legislative assistant for immigration issues.
In Arizona, after Senator Kirsten Sinema’s (AZ-D) representative expressed a vague desire to “fix” the immigration systems as best they can, our mighty 8-person advocacy team pressed back and declared:
“We look to our senators in leadership for this bill (U.S. Citizenship Act). We support other immigration bills, too. But we don’t believe there should be a subset of immigrants. All have an equal right, and not just the people who have our ‘sympathy.” Arizona is key to the leadership of passing this bill.”
Bravo to everyone who participated in our #AllOfUs Week of Action!
We encourage you to keep contacting your elected representatives. Meanwhile, our friends at American Friends Service Committee have created a sign-on letter demanding citizenship for all undocumented immigrants through reconciliation— including essential workers, people with DACA, TPS, and DED, and their families.
Please join us in signing now!
