Efforts to clear family-based visa backlogs, modernize the system, and reunite families would restore humanity to our immigration system and re-prioritize families

Nationwide – Today, Congresswoman Linda Sanchez introduced the U.S. Citizenship Act in the house, a bill aimed at transforming the immigration system and enacting progressive and humane changes for immigrants across the country. Senator Menendez plans to introduce the bill in the Senate on Monday. The bill would offer the 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. a path to citizenship with a faster path for DACA recipients and Temporary Protected Status holders. A cornerstone of the bill is Congresswoman Judy Chu’s Reuniting Families Act, aimed at modernizing and improving the family-based immigration system.

The Value Our Families Coalition is heartened by the introduction of the U.S. Citizenship Act and is appreciative of the leadership of Congresswoman Sanchez, Congresswoman Chu, and the additional original cosponsors of this important legislation.

John C. Yang, president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice - AAJC*: “Modernization of family-based immigration and legalization of undocumented immigrants are top priorities for Asian Americans, who turned out in record numbers in the last election. We note that there are provisions in the bill that are not ideal, which we will continue to examine in consultation with our allies. Still, the inclusion of the Congresswoman Chu’s Reuniting Families Act in the U.S. Citizenship Act is a significant victory for the Value Our Families campaign and Asian Americans. It moves us one step closer to the positive immigration reforms that this country so desperately needs. We applaud the White House and the bill’s sponsors and thank Congresswoman Chu for her long championship of family-based immigration and immigrants’ rights.”

Angelica Salas, Executive Director of CHIRLA*:

"After 35 years of patient work, our golden goal is in sight," said Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) We are close to achieving the broad legalization we sought when we founded CHIRLA in the wake of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. We know we face a hard struggle to pass the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021, but we are buoyed by the fact that this administration has put the wind at our backs to bring this ship into safe harbor. President Biden and Vice-President Harris, as well as congressional leaders, have worked shoulder-to-shoulder with us to arrive at this historic measure."

*Available for comment.

The COVID-19 pandemic has illustrated our reliance on immigrants and refugees, who serve as essential workers, and their contributions to our nation’s economy, food system, healthcare workforce, and other frontline roles. This country depends on these communities and we must affirm the value and dignity of these heroes. This legislation is a bold first step in correcting multi-generational damage that a broken U.S. immigration system has wrought on families, and which has been exacerbated by the last four years of hate-filled leadership by the previous administration.

The Value Our Families coalition is committed to strengthening and expanding the U.S. family immigration system and working with the Biden-Harris Administration as well as Congressional leaders to ensure no immigrant families are left behind.