This week, members of Congress, incl. Democrat Congressman Suozzi (D-NY03) and Allred (D- TX 32), and Republican Congressman Fitzpatrick (R-PA01), employers, and families called on President Biden to take action to extend work permits for spouses of US citizens and mixed status families, which could grow the economy by $16 billion and generate an additional $5 billion in tax revenue.
Extending work permits for US Citizen spouses and mixed status families is a common-sense solution supported by Democrats and Republicans. Recent polling shows 76% of battleground state voters support providing work permits to Dreamers, undocumented spouses of US Citizens, and other long term undocumented immigrants who have lived, worked, paid taxes for many years.
Here’s just a sample of what members of Congress, businesses, and families are saying about the need for President Biden to extend work permits for spouses of US citizens and mixed status families:
MSNBC, Rep. Allred: “We’re a nation of immigrants. We’re also a nation of laws, and we need to make our laws work better. And one simple way to do that is for us to expand work permits, which is a simple, bipartisan solution that would be a win-win for Texas because it would help keep families together while also bringing in critical workers into our economy.”
Punchbowl, Reps. Suozzi and Fitzpatrick: Specifically, Suozzi and Fitzpatrick want Biden to give work permits to undocumented migrants who are married to U.S. citizens and mixed status families, and bring order to the border. “We know what we need to do to fix the immigration system,” Fitzpatrick said at a press conference Thursday. “The question is, are there enough people with enough courage to get it done?”
Nexstar, Reps. Suozzi and Fitzpatrick: “Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Penn.) support a scaled-down approach: work permits for spouses. “It makes sense across the board,” Fitzpatrick said. “We need the President to take executive action to address what is a very real, growing concern of the American people,” Suozzi said.
New York Post, Reps. Suozzi and Fitzpatrick: “Additionally, 1.1 million undocumented people living here for decades and married to US citizens need a work permit to allow them to pay taxes and come out from the shadows,” the lawmaker continued.
Dallas Morning News, Rep. Allred and El Paso business leader Woody Hunt: “Across the country, at least 5.5 million U.S. citizens under the age of 18, and 5.8 million adult U.S. citizens live with an undocumented spouse, parent or other loved one. These are already American families. They just need the federal government to let them live like families. It’s good for our economy and reflects who we are as Americans and as Texans.”
Austin American-Statesman, Rep. Allred and El Paso business leader Woody Hunt: “The right thing to do by Texas families is also the right thing to do by Texas businesses, and neither can afford to wait any longer,” they wrote. “Allowing someone who has worked and paid taxes here for decades — someone who is raising a family here — to legally work, earn a living and help our economy is a boon for their family and for employers.”
U.S. Senator and Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin “Our hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee made clear: Dreamers are American in every way but their paperwork. They contribute to our economy and are foundational to our communities. While Republicans peddle extremist anti-immigrant rhetoric and block bipartisan reform, we need solutions now. That’s why I’m urging President Biden to use his executive authority to provide relief for long-term undocumented immigrants and ensure that families can stay together and live free of fear of deportation,” said Senator Durbin.
U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV): “There are hundreds of thousands of Nevadans who live with at least one family member who is an undocumented, long-term resident of the U.S. The President must help protect these hardworking families through executive action so they don’t pay the price for Republicans’ political games,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “The time to act is now, and I’ll keep fighting to fix our immigration system and strengthen our border security—we have to do both.”
