(MILWAUKEE, WI) – On Sunday evening the Senate Parliamentarian issued an opinion excluding a pathway to citizenship for essential workers, farmworkers, Dreamers and TPS recipients in the Build Back Better reconciliation bill.

Statement from Christine Neumann-Ortiz, Executive Director of Voces de la Frontera:

“It’s important to know that the Parliamentarian’s decision to not include citizenship for essential workers, Dreamers, TPS holders and farmworkers in the reconciliation bill is not a done deal. The Senate Parliamentarian is an attorney and not an elected member of Congress. This opinion is wrong because three out of four immigrants in this country are essential workers in this pandemic. A path to citizenship is needed to not just protect them but to ensure all of us are safe and fed, and to keep our economy running.

Democrats in Congress can choose to disregard this erroneous opinion or find a different path through the reconciliation process. All Democrats in Congress voted to support this already in August. Senator Schumer will be engaging the Parliamentarian to explore other proposals to deliver on citizenship.

As we organize a national action in DC, the timing couldn’t be better. It’s a mass movement that’s got us this far and it is a mass movement that is going to deliver citizenship this year. We’ve voted, we’ve protested, and we’ve gone on strike to have our humanity recognized and we will continue to do whatever’s necessary to win citizenship this year. Democrats were elected to use their majority power to deliver on citizenship and that’s what they have to do.”

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