Washington, D.C. – The Value Our Families campaign condemns the decision by members of Congress to take existing language that could reunite thousands of families out of the budget compromise bill that should fund the government through next year.

Republican senators, including Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, have long preached family values in their politics. But when presented with language in existing legislation that would fix the family visa formula, recapture unused family and employment visas from recent decades, and let diversity visa grantees banned by Trump come to the U.S., they chose to abandon families.

This solution could have allowed about 400,000 people to rejoin their families, and it required no heavy lift. As the new Congress convenes in January, these families will have to continue their years-long wait for a way to rejoin their loved ones.

Alaide Vilchis Ibarra, campaign director, expressed disappointment but pledged solidarity with these and other immigrant families, including those of DACA holders, left out of the deal.

“This month, many of us will be gathering around the table with our families,” Vilchis Ibarra said. “Yet because some lawmakers chose to put some families ahead of others, denying them equal protection, immigrant families miss out on that very opportunity.”

“Letting these proposals stay in the budget deal would have been an easy fix that in the end benefits all families. It would bring peace of mind to our community members yearning to reunite with their families, including essential workers who power our industries and our economy and have petitioned to have their family members join them.

“This decision does not live up to anyone’s values. We stand in solidarity with asylum seekers, DACA holders, undocumented youth, adoptees from other countries, undocumented farm workers, and Afghan evacuees, all of whom will continue suffering because of this decision to exclude them from the budget bill.”