Undocumented important staff deserve greater than gratitude, they deserve citizenship, says Padilla

Notably, the hearing has increased the massive toll the pandemic has caused, particularly on undocumented workers, one of whom According to the Center for American Progress (CAP), nearly 3 in 4 are key workers. Rose, a nurse protected from deportation by the TPS (Temporary Protected Status) program, told Padilla: “The pandemic has definitely affected my sanity, to say the least. “

“When the pandemic started last year, I was working in a nursing home and our patients were dying in large numbers.” She said. “There was a fear of not knowing what was going to happen. Will we sign COVID? And what do we do for patients whose help depended on us? Often times, we have to hold their hands while family members were unable to visit them due to our isolation policy, knowing that this was their last breath. “Other frontline workers like the nurse and the recipient of deferred action on the arrival of children Javier previously described her entire family getting sick.

During the hearing, Padilla stressed the deep roots undocumented key workers like Rose and Javier already have in the US, saying, “[o]On average, these major migrant workers have lived in the United States for 18 years. “While legislation would provide much-needed stability to these workers and their families, Dr. Tom Wong, aThe associate professor of political science and founding director of the US Immigration Policy Center at the University of California at San Diego told Padilla That lasting relief would indeed be key to the nation’s economic recovery. The Citizenship Act for Essential WorkersThe program, launched by Padilla and Democratic colleagues last February, would protect up to 5 million undocumented immigrants.

“Business owner census data also shows that foreign-born people open about a quarter of new businesses, immigrants are also innovative, and make up about a quarter of all US patents,” Wong said. “According to the new American economy, the country’s 3 million immigrant entrepreneurs employ approximately 8 million American workers. Indeed, their entrepreneurship makes them vital to long-term growth and our post-pandemic economic recovery. “

“Legalization, followed by a route to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, will have far-reaching benefits for the US economy,” the CAP said. “Such reforms would increase the income and productivity of undocumented workers, and ultimately lead to higher tax contributions and local spending, along with job creation, US-born worker wages and gross domestic product (GDP).” Research into the sweeping immigration reform bill, passed by the Democratic Senate in 2013 but blocked by House Republicans, has found that Legislation would “[r]increase GDP by more than 5.4 percent over the next 20 years and cut the deficit by 832 billion US dollars. “

“Padilla has too advocates so that the bill will be included in President Biden’s infrastructure package, ”his office said. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has told members of the Hispanic Caucus in Congress that he is “actively investigating” the passage of immigration laws as part of the reconciliation process should Republicans remain on their hands, The New York Times recently reported. Since the move requires Senate MP’s approval, researchers have reportedly been working on a case to bring it up. “Democrats need to act,” said Sergio Gonzales, director of the Immigration Hub Times. “Now is the time. This year is the time. We must have citizenship this year.”

Wednesday’s Senate hearing was also historic – it was the first time a Latino Senator chaired that committee. “It is a great personal honor for me to convene this hearing here in the United States Senate on the essential role of migrant workers in America, ”said Padilla during his opening address. “I am the proud son of two immigrants and I know firsthand the value immigrants bring to this country.”