A PRAISEWORTHY EFFORT BY BIPARTISAN SENATORS OFFERS PROMISING START FOR IMMIGRATION REFORM

April 17, 2013 – Americans for Immigrant Justice is thrilled to see a promising bipartisan bill aimed at reforming our nation’s sorely dysfunctional immigration system. We applaud the eight Senators who worked to reach bipartisan compromise and, thus, craft the bill now introduced. We are particularly pleased that Florida Senator Marco Rubio was one of the “Gang of Eight.”

While AI Justice has not yet fully analyzed the bill, we know that it includes a provision that may provide a pathway to citizenship for 11 million individuals. Other provisions would give Dreamers an expedited path to citizenship. Yet others deal with border security, family reunification visas, and many other important issues.

“What seemed politically impossible now appears within our reach. We must seize this historic moment to finally achieve immigration reform that is comprehensive, practical to implement, and enjoys enough political and public support to be lasting,” said Cheryl Little, Esq., Executive Director, Americans for Immigrant Justice.

“For too long, we have seen families forcibly torn apart and Dreamers deported. We’ve seen abuses in immigration detention centers and abuses on the border. As the legislative process unfolds, AI Justice will tirelessly advocate to protect and unify families, and to ensure that immigrants, regardless of status, are afforded due process under the law.”

This is just the beginning of the legislative process. We know that there are provisions that we will applaud and others that we will tirelessly work to improve. For example, we will push to reform harsh detention and deportation polices. Why should American taxpayers foot the bill to detain immigrants at the average cost of $164 a day per when they pose no security threat or flight risk and could contribute to our economy?

AI Justice looks forward to engaging in the immigration reform process.