Immigrant rights organizations around the country are calling on Democrats to deliver on their long-held promise to enact a path to citizenship and lasting protections for undocumented immigrants. From Dec. 13 to Dec. 15 several groups from the Bay Area Coalition for Citizenship and Economic Rights traveled to Washington, D.C.
Papeles Para Todos, Human Agenda, Amigos De Guadalupe, Party for Socialism and Liberation and the Central American Resource Center held actions in D.C. amplifying the demand of citizenship for all, no exceptions! The coalition started its visit by making signs reflecting a series of demands, from including a pathway to citizenship (or registry) into the Build Back Better bill to keeping meaningful provisions like paid family leave and free pre-K in the already watered-down bill.
On Dec. 13 the coalition joined a rally with the Poor People’s Campaign at the Capitol, calling for a fight on poverty, not on the poor. The next day followed with a press conference, coordinated with the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights and the We are Home campaign, as well as a march headed by faith leaders and Faith in Action. Dec. 15 the “March on Washington for Justice, Equality and Due Process” demanded an end to Title 42 and the deportation of Haitian migrants. Currently, Title 42 allows the government to indiscriminately deport migrants under the guise of “stopping the spread of COVID.”
On Dec. 16, Elizabeth MacDonough, the senate parliamentarian, rejected the third and most recent proposal for including immigration reform in the Build Back Better bill, telling senators that it doesn’t meet the rules for what can be included in the reconciliation budget process.
The parliamentarian’s ruling isn’t binding and has fueled calls for Democrats to sidestep her guidance. They likely will not, given the opposition from senators Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.). For over 30 years, the Democratic Party has won elections by promising Latinos and immigration advocates they will fight, but their promises fall short every single year. This most recent failure by the Democrats could see tremendous losses for them in the 2022 elections, something they will have only themselves to blame for.
Featured image: Participants in the March on Washington for Justice, Equality and Due Process. Liberation photo
