Citizenship As Coronavirus Relief | African Communities Together

January 22, 2021

The Honorable Chuck Schumer Majority Leader
United States Senate
U.S. Capitol Building Washington, D.C. 20510

The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Speaker of the House
United States House of Representatives U.S. Capitol Building
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Majority Leader Schumer and Speaker Pelosi,

As the country remains mired in a public health and economic catastrophe that has claimed the lives of more than 400,000 Americans and worsened racial and economic inequality, a primary responsibility of the Biden administration and of the 117th Congress must be to swiftly enact a long delayed comprehensive national relief package to help the country defeat the coronavirus pandemic and put the nation’s economy and struggling American families on the path to recovery.

For those efforts to be successful and for the recovery to be as bold, dynamic, inclusive, and equitable as it must be to meet the multiple challenges before us, we, the undersigned 513 national, state, and local civil and human rights, labor, racial, gender, and economic justice, LGBT, national security, faith, education, and immigrants’ rights and allied organizations call on the Senate and House of Representatives to include in such legislation permanent protection and a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who have long contributed to this country in myriad ways, particularly Dreamers, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders, and those essential workers who have been on the frontlines during this pandemic and their families.

An estimated 5 million undocumented individuals—nearly 3 in 4 of all undocumented immigrants in the workforce—are working every day alongside other Americans in essential roles. They are providing health care as doctors, nurses, and home health aides, and keeping health care settings safe and open as custodians, food servers, and administrative workers. They are protecting the nation’s food security, from farms and food processing facilities all the way to grocery stores and restaurants. They are first responders, and they are teachers. And they are the backbone of the nation’s care workforce, which is itself the foundation upon which nearly everything else is built.

These workers have stepped up for our country and put their lives—and the lives of their loved ones—on the line when we needed them most and they will play an equally critical role in rebuilding our economy and our country in the years ahead. But even as undocumented workers have continued to perform essential work they have too often been treated as disposable. From being left out of most aspects of the relief packages that have been signed into law to most

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recently being treated as an afterthought in some vaccine distribution plans, the country has failed to live up to what should be the most fundamental lesson of this national public health nightmare: that we can only beat this virus, and rebuild our economy, if we work together.

Last year, House Democrats recognized the important contributions and sacrifices of undocumented essential workers by including in both versions of the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act a provision offering temporary protection from deportation and work authorization to these individuals. The 117th Congress can and must do better by instead offering permanent protection and a path to citizenship to all undocumented essential workers and delivering this provision to the president’s desk for his signature.

As Congress develops a governing agenda to meet the greatest challenges of our times, providing a path to citizenship for undocumented essential workers and their families should be a primary tool to protect the workers who are working to protect us and rebuild the economy in a way that advances racial and gender equity and strengthens worker justice, including by reducing people’s vulnerability to exploitation and abuse. As you assemble a recovery package, we urge you to use all necessary legislative tools to deliver meaningful relief that the country so badly needs and include permanent protection and a path to citizenship for Dreamers, TPS holders, and these essential workers and their families.

Sincerely,

National

A Better Balance
ACCESS
Advocating Opportunity
African American Ministers In Action
African Bureau for Immigration and Social Affairs
African Communities Together
African Public Affairs Committee
Alianza Americas
Alianza Nacional de Campesinas
ALIENTO
All Our Kin
America's Voice
American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education
American Association of People with Disabilities
American Federation of Teachers (AFT)
American Friends Service Committee
American Immigration Lawyers Association
Americans for Democratic Action (ADA)
Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF)
Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC
Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO

22. Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence
23. ASISTA
24. Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS)
25. Asylum-seekers Sponsorship Project
26. AsylumConnect
27. Athlete Ally
28. Autistic Self Advocacy Network
29. Be A Hero
30. Bend the Arc Jewish Action
31. Black Alliance for Just Immigration
32. Border Network for Human Rights
33. Brave New Films
34. Bridges Faith Initiative
35. Casa de Esperanza: National Latin@ Network for Healthy Families and Communities 36. Center for American Progress
37. Center for Gender & Refugee Studies
38. Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP)
39. Center for Popular Democracy
40. CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers
41. Centro de los Derechos del Migrante, Inc.
42. Children's HealthWatch
43. Church World Service
44. Clearinghouse on Women's Issues
45. Coalition for Prisoners' Rights
46. Coalition of Labor Union Women
47. Columbia Law School Immigrants' Rights Clinic
48. Community Catalyst
49. Community Change Action
50. Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, U.S. Provinces
51. Council for Global Equality
52. Council of Administrators of Special Education
53. Daily Kos
54. Demos
55. Detention Watch Network
56. Disciples Refugee & Immigration Ministries
57. Doctors for America, Immigrant Health Justice Working Group
58. Earthjustice
59. EDGE Consulting Partners
60. Education Reform Now
61. Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
62. Faith in Action
63. FaithAction International House
64. FAREHD(Federation des Associations Regionales Haitiennes de la Diaspora)
65. Farmworker Justice
66. FORGE, Inc.
67. Freedom Network USA

68. Futures Without Violence 69. FWD.us
70. Generation Progress
71. Girls Inc.

72. GLSEN
73. GreenLatinos
74. Haitian Bridge Alliance
75. HIAS
76. Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities
77. Hispanic Federation
78. Human Rights Campaign
79. Immigrant Defense Project
80. Immigration Advocates Network
81. Immigration Equality Action Fund
82. Immigration Hub
83. ImmSchools
84. In Our Own Voice: National Black Women's Reproductive Justice Agenda 85. Indivisible
86. International League of Advocates
87. Japanese American Citizens League
88. Jobs With Justice
89. Justice for Migrant Women
90. Justice in Motion
91. Kids in Need of Defense
92. Labor Council for Latin American Advancement
93. Lambda Legal
94. Latin America Working Group (LAWG)
95. Lawyers for Good Government (L4GG)
96. Leadership Conference of Women Religious
97. League of United Latin American Citizens
98. League of Women Voters of the United States
99. MALDEF

Marked By COVID
Medical Mission Sisters
Mi Familia V ota
MomsRising
MoveOn
NAACP
NARAL
National
National
National
National
National
National
National

Pro-Choice America
Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF) Association for Latino Community Asset Builders Association of Secondary School Principals
Black Justice Coalition
Center for Lesbian Rights
Council of Jewish Women

National Domestic Workers Alliance
National Education Association
National Employment Law Project
National Employment Lawyers Association
National Equality Action Team (NEAT)
National Farm Worker Ministry
National Health Law Program
National Hispanic Media Coalition
National Immigrant Justice Center
National Immigration Forum
National Immigration Law Center
National Immigration Litigation Alliance
National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild (NIPNLG)
National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice
National Latinx Psychological Association
National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund
National Network for Arab American Communities
National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
National Organization for Women
National Partnership for New Americans
National Resource Center on Domestic Violence
National Skills Coalition
Natural Resources Defense Council
Network Lobby
New American Economy
New American Leaders
New American Leaders Action Fund
Next100
NMAC
Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights (NMCIR)
Oil Change U.S.
Our Revolution
Oxfam America
People For the American Way
People's Action
PFLAG National
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
Poder Latinx
Positive Women's Network-USA
Presente.org
Prevention Institute
RAICES
Resilience Force
Service Employees International Union
SEIU 105
SEIU 32BJ

Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF)
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas Justice Team
South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT)
SparkAction
SPLC Action Fund
Stand for Children
Stand Up America
Tahirih Justice Center
Teach Plus
The Advocates for Human Rights
The Committee of Interns and Residents/SEIU
The Education Trust
The Frontline
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
The Mami Chelo Foundation
The National Domestic Violence Hotline
The People's Bailout
TIME'S UP
TNTP
UFW Foundation
Ujima Inc.: The National Center on Violence Against Women in the Black

Community

UltraViolet
UndocuBlack Network
UnidosUS
Union for Reform Judaism
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
UNITE HERE
UNITEHERE International Union
United Farm Workers
United We Dream
URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity
Veterans for American Ideals
Voices for Progress
Walking Together
Welcoming America
Working Families United
Workplace Fairness
World Education Services
World Education, Inc.
Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights

State and Local

1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East
Academy of Medical & Public Health Services (AMPHS)

ACLU People Power Fairfax
Adhikaar
Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc. (ABLE)
Affirmations
AIDS Project Rhode Island
American Friends Service Committee, Colorado
Americans for Immigrant Justice
Apna Ghar, Inc.
Arab American Association of NY
Arab-American Family Support Center
Arizona Dream Act Coalition
Arkansas United
Arlington LULAC Council 22320
Asian American Arts Alliance
Asian American Federation
Asian Americans United
Asian Community Development Corporation
Asian Counseling and Referral Service
Asian Law Alliance
Asian Pacific Community in Action
Asian Services In Action (ASIA)
Austin Sanctuary Network
Bay Area Asylum Support Coalition (BAASC)
Beacon Unitarian Universalist Congregation
Bhutanese Community Association of Pittsburgh (BCAP)
Billy DeFrank LGBTQ+ Community Center
Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center
Bridge Church
Brooklyn Community Pride Center
Bruno Soares of Nashua
Cabrini Immigrant Services of NYC
California Partnership to End Domestic Violence
Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association
CAMP Rehoboth
Capital Area Private Defender Service
CAPIUSA
Carter Community AME Church
Casa de la Cultura
Casa San Jose
Cascade AIDS Project
Catalyst Miami
Center for Community Alternatives
Center for Health Progress
Center for Immigrant Progress
Central American Resource Center
Central American Resource Center of Northern California-CARECENSF

Centro de Trabajadores Unidos - IWP
Centro Legal de la Raza
Chinatown Manpower Project
Chinese Community Center
Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC)
Christ Temple of the Apostolic Faith, Inc.
Church of Our Saviour/La Iglesia de Nuestro Salvador
Citizen Action of Wisconsin
Cleveland Jobs with Justice
CLUE- Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice
Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA)
Coalition for Immigrant Health
Coalition of African Communities
Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans of Virginia
Colorado Consumer Health Initiative
Colors+
Columban Mission Center
Columbia Legal Services
Comite TPS Massachusetts
Compass Immigration Legal Services
Compass LGBTQ Community Center
Congregation Action Network
CRECEN
DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Dream Project Inc.
Dreamers Mothers In Action (DMIA)
Episcopal Diocese of Long Island
Equal Justice Center
Equality California
Equality Nevada
Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project
Ethnic Minorities of Burma Advocacy and Resource Center
Faith in Action Alabama
Faith in Action Nevada
Faith in Florida
Faith in Indiana
Faith in New Jersey
Faith in New York
Faith in Texas
Family Action Network Movement
Farmworker Association of Florida
First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin Social Action Committee
FLIC
Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project
Florida Asian Services
Florida Asian Women Alliance

Florida Immigrant Coalition
Forefront NYC Church
For Our Future Virginia
Fourth Universalist Society in the City of New York
GA Familias Unidas
Gay City: Seattle's LGBTQ Center
Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials (GALEO)
Georgia Equality
Grand Rapids Pride Center
Granite State Organizing Project
Greater Erie Alliance for Equality
Grupo de Apoyo e Integración Hispanoamericano
Hamilton-Madison House
Hanover Friends Meeting Peace and Social Concerns
Henderson Equality Center
Her Justice
HIAS Pennsylvania
Hispanic Family Cousneling
Hometown Action
HoPe (Hispanic Organization Promoting Education), Inc.
Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative
Houston Migrant Outreach Coalition
Howard Brown Health
Hudson Pride Center
Human Rights Initiative of North Texas
iCountNM.gov
Iglesia de la Santa Cruz + Bushwick Abbey
Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling
Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
IMANI'S QUEST MINISTRIES
Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota
Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project
Immigrant Rights Action
Immigration Action Coalition, UUAA
Indivisible Vashon Immigrant/Refugee Rights Group
Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice
Inland Empire Immigrant Youth Collective
Inside Out Youth Services
Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center
Interfaith Council for Peace & Justice
Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence
ISLA: Immigration Services and Legal Advocacy
Jefferson County Immigration Rights Advocates
Jewish Activists for Immigration Justice of Western MA
Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice NW
Juntos

Justice and Outreach Commission, Christ Our Light Church
Korean Community Services of Metropolitan New York, Inc.
La Conexion
Laredo Carnalismo Brown Berets
Laredo Immigrant Alliance
Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center
Latino Community Center
Latino Community Fund Inc. (LCF Georgia)
Latino LinQ
Legal Aid Justice Center
LGBT Life Center
LGBTQ Center of Bay County
Life Changers Global Nation Ministries. Inc.
Lighthouse Foundation
Long Beach Immigrant Rights Coalition
Los Angeles LGBT Center
Louisiana Advocates for Immigrants in Detention
Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition
Maine People's Alliance
Make the Road Nevada
Make the Road New York
Make the Road Pennsylvania
Mano Amiga
Memphis United Methodist Immigration Committee
Meriden Congregational Church, UCC
Migrant Center for Human Rights
Ministers' Alliance Of Ulster County
MinKwon Center for Community Action
Minnesota Interfaith Coalition on Immigration
Missouri Faith Voices
Mixteca Organization, Inc.
Mothers and Others, Justice and Mercy for Immigrants
Motivation Motivates
Movement Alliance Project
National Association of Social Workers - Florida Chapter
NCAP
Nebraska Appleseed
Neighbors Link Community Law Practice
New Hampshire Alliance for Immigrants and Refugees
New Hampshire Youth Movement
New Haven Pride Center
New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice
New Jersey Citizen Action
New Mexico Immigrant Law Center
New Sanctuary Coalition
New Sanctuary Movement of Atlanta

New York Immigration Coalition
Niagara Organizing Alliance for Hope
NM CAFe
NMIC
Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson
North Carolina Justice Center
North County LGBTQ Resource Center
Northwest Immigrant Rights Project
NW Ohio Immigrant Rights Network
NYC Coalition for Educational Justice
NYCC
Oasis Legal Services
OCA South Florida Chapter
Ohio Immigrant Alliance
Ohio Organizing Collaborative
OLA of Eastern Long Island
one-n-ten
OneAmerica
OutCenter of Southwest Michigan
OutNebraska
PEER/NYPAN: Progressive East End Reformers
Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition
PICO California
Pride Center San Antonio
Pride Community Center, Inc
Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada
Prosperity Works
QWELL Community Foundation
Rainbow Center
Reform Immigration for Texas Alliance (RITA)
Reformed Church of Highland Park
Resource Center
RITA - Reform Immigration for Texas Alliance
Sacramento Area Congregations Together
Sacramento LGBT Community Center
Sacred Heart Parish
Safe Passage Project
Sakhi for South Asian Women
Sampreshan Inc
San Diego Organizing Project (SDOP)
Sanctuary DMV
Sant La Haitian Neighborhood Center
Santa Isabel Lutheran Church
SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center
School Service Employees SEIU Local 284
Seattle Immigrant Rights Action Group

Second Presbyterian Church
SEIU - United Healthcare Workers West
SEIU Healthcare Minnesota
SEIU Local 1
SEIU Local 105
SEIU Local 2015
SEIU Local 26
SEIU Local 500
SEPA Mujer Inc.
Ser Familia, Inc.
Shoals Diversity Center
Silver State Equality-Nevada
SIREN (Services, Immigrant Rights & Education Network)
Sisterhood of Salam Shalom Silver Spring
Sisters of Mercy NH NE
Sisters of St. Joseph
Snohomish Immigration Advocacy
South Asian Fund For Education Scholarship and Training INC
South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center
Southwest Center
St. Louis Inter-Faith Committee on Latin America (IFCLA)
St. Stephan's Grace Community
Stand In For Nebraska
Still Waters Anti-trafficking Program
Still Waters Anti-trafficking Program of RCHP-AHC
Takoma Park Mobilization
Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition
Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors
Texas AFL-CIO
Texas Unitarian Universalist Justice Ministry
The Children's Partnership
The DC Center for the LGBT Community
The Legal Clinic, Hawai‘i
The LGBTQ Center, South Bend, IN
The LGBTQ Community Center of Southern Nevada
The Migrant Center of New York
The Montrose Center
The Person Center
The Pride Center at Equality Park
The Source LGBT+ Center
Tikkun Olam Chavurah
TIRRC
Together Colorado
Trans Queer Pueblo
Transformations CDC
Transgender Resource Center of New Mexico

True North
UCLA Labor Center
United Food and Commercial Workers, Local 400
Unidad Latina en Acción
Unitarian Universalist Church of Concord, NH
United Valley Interfaith Project
UnLocal
Upper Valley Jewish Community
Uptown Gay and Lesbian Alliance (UGLA)
Valley Insight Meditation Society
Vermont Interfaith Action
Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence
VIDA Legal Assistance INC
Virginia Civic Engagement Table
Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights
Virginia Coalition of Latino Organizations (VACOLAO)
Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy
V oces de la Frontera Action
Volunteers of Legal Service
Wallingford Indivisible
Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network
Washington National Cathedral Sanctuary Ministry
Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Waves Ahead & SAGE Puerto Rico
We Love BuHi, Inc.
WeCount!
Wind of the Spirit Immigrant Resource Center
Womankind
Women Employed
Women Who Never Give Up, Inc
Women's Law Project
Woori Center
Worker Justice Center of New York
Workers Defense Action Fund
Wyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
Young Invincibles

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