MIRA Urges Support For Pathway to Citizenship in Spite of the U.S. Senate’s Ruling

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BOSTON – The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) issued the following statement urging Congress to keep working toward a pathway to citizenship for all 11 million people living without legal status in the U.S

“Like many advocates for immigrant communities, we were dismayed to hear the news late Sunday evening that the Senate Parliamentarian ruled to reject the pathway to legal status proposed in the ongoing reconciliation process,” said Daniel Pereira, Communications Director for the MIRA Coalition. “Nevertheless, we are only at the beginning of a long and complex effort, and we are evaluating our strategic, political, and organizing options with allies across the country.”

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“The ability of a single, unelected Senate staff attorney to block a widely-supported proposal benefiting Dreamers, essential workers, TPS holders, farmworkers, and others is a frustrating reflection of the dysfunction in our political system. MIRA has long pointed to both the moral imperative and the direct economic benefits of such a plan, including a projected $1.5 trillion in GDP growth over the next decade. This makes it particularly galling that the Senate would rule this out of bounds for a budget debate.”

“We’re not giving up this fight – the stakes are just too high. There are still many ways forward to achieve justice for immigrants through this political process. We are assessing all strategies and avenues forward as we continue working toward a pathway to citizenship. 11 million people are counting on us, our allies, and on Congress to make this happen.”

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