Comprehensive Immigration Reform
The United States is a nation of immigrants, and we recognize the contributions made by Americans who came to this country from all over the world to make a new home and pursue the American Dream. That’s why House Democrats continue to work for common sense, comprehensive, and balanced immigration reform: reform that secures our borders, respects the rule of law, and provides immigrants with a fair chance of achieving the American Dream. We believe that if you work hard and play by the rules, you should have a chance at building a future here in America. Comprehensive immigration reform would be good for the American economy and help our fiscal outlook. House Democrats have worked to establish a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and T.P.S. and D.E.D. status holders by twice-passing the bipartisan American Dream and Promise Act, which Republicans continue to obstruct in the Senate. House Democrats also passed the Farm Workforce Modernization Act to reform the H-2A guestworker program to allow those contributing to our agricultural economy to remain in America. President Biden has taken action to restore the DACA program, end wasteful spending on an ineffective border wall, and reaffirm America’s values. Democrats will continue to partner with the Biden Administration to help Dreamers, fix American’s broken immigration system and ensure that it strengthens America and grows our economy.
Yesterday, the House finally acted to fund the Department of Homeland Security for the rest of the year and provide the agency with the resources it needs to keep Americans safe. Sounds like a great thing, right? Well, not to Republicans. Take a look at their continued infighting:
New York Times: House Approves Homeland Security Budget, Without Strings
There is a time to debate, and there is a time to decide. Today it was a time to decide.
The Senate has now voted to reject House Republicans’ approach of making funding for the Department of Homeland Security contingent on partisan immigration amendments.
After Republicans nearly shut down the Department of Homeland Security on Friday, a seven-day continuing resolution is in place to give Congress time to pass legislation funding DHS for the entire fiscal year.
In less than 48 hours, the Department of Homeland Security will run out of funding and shut down, putting our national security at risk at a time when we face threats at home and abroad.
Today, former Republican DHS Secretaries Tom Ridge and Michael Chertoff had some choice words for House Republicans about playing politics with national security. Both former agency heads urged the GOP to pass a clean measure to fund DHS and then debate immigration policy separately. Our Republican friends have heard it from us over and over again, but maybe this time it will finally resonate.
As we get closer to a Republican shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, Members of the GOP conference are increasingly “sounding the alarms.” Add these Republicans to the list of Members who would join Democrats in acting responsibly to prevent a shutdown of DHS by voting for a clean bill:
I am extraordinarily proud to be associated with Rep. Luis Gutiérrez.
The Republicans pledged to America that they would not join together very controversial issues with non-controversial issues.
Which one of these did House Republicans promise to do in their Pledge to America:
A. Advance legislative issues one at a time
B. Package must-pass legislation with partisan poison pills
C. Threaten to shut down the government (or parts of it) on a regular basis
