Campaign News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  Thursday, February 18, 2021

CONTACT: Amanda Ebrahim cpd@fenton.com  (516) 492-9757 

“Today we celebrate the introduction of the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021, a bill that lays out President Biden’s vision for reforming our broken and inhumane immigration system. This bill represents not only a departure from Trump’s white-supremacist immigration policies, but most importantly, it represents a new direction for reforming our immigration system grounded in a vision of an inclusive society. The introduction of such a progressive legislation is a testament of the power and tenacity of immigrant communities and allies that have organized for decades to protect our families and to demand an end to the deportation machine.

But the introduction of this bill is only the first step. Now, President Biden and Democrats in congress must use their power to ensure that the vision laid out in this bill is realized, starting with inclusion of immigrant youth, TPS holders and essential workers in the next COVID relief package. 

We look forward to working with the White House, and our champions in Congress, to use every opportunity to make sure that we are advancing  policies that prioritize the safety and dignity of all immigrants, and significantly shift away from the punitive and harmful detention and deportation system” 

Below please find additional quotes from leaders in Center for Popular Democracy’s network: 

"I have called the United States home for nearly two decades. I've worked hard to raise my two kids—one a DACA recipient and the other, a U.S. citizen—here in New Jersey. Today's introduction of the Citizenship Act of 2021 demonstrates the strength of our movement— we won't stop fighting until all 11 million undocumented people are on a pathway to citizenship. I am also filled with hope that I won't fear being separated from my children for the first time since I came to this country. I thank Senator Menendez and President Biden for their leadership and urge our representatives to pass this legislation as soon as possible."  Angeles Barranco, Make the Road NJ member, Union City, N.J.

“My family is happy. Our two oldest daughters and youngest two sons are U.S. citizens. My husband finally achieved permanent residency. Now, our middle daughter and I are next! After so many years, living with uncertainty, especially after this past administration, we are hopeful about all of us finally having the same status together. We are so happy that many other families in our situation will have an opportunity to do the same. Now, it is up to North Carolina Senators Burr and Tillis and North Carolina’s congressional delegates to do the right thing and support our president.” Silvia Sanchez, Action NC board member

“For decades, immigrants like me have worked in farms all over the country with fear that one day we would be deported. During COVID-19, we have stayed in the fields exposing ourselves to the virus so that others could be able to stay home protected. We did this knowing that if anything happened to us, we would get no support. I know that my work is essential and that I deserve dignity. For this reason, I look forward to the passage of this bill so all immigrants can live in peace in the place they call home.” Martha Lopez, PCUN Member and Community Organizer in Oregon

Clara Cortes, member of Make the Road New York, said, “This bill brings me hope for a better future. For over twenty years, I have waited for Congress to pass legislation like this. Immigrants like me have built our lives and our families here. This country is our home. Over the last year, while facing the constant risk of being torn from our loved ones, immigrants like me have also been trying to survive the COVID-19 pandemic. My husband has been hospitalized for almost a year after contracting the virus, and every time I see him, he worries about me since because of my lack of immigration status, I could be separated from my family. Today, I am happy to see that fixing our immigration system is a priority for the current administration, and it is crucial that Congress quickly acts to make a pathway to citizenship a reality.”

“In Arizona, immigrant communities raised from the ashes of racist law SB1070 to fight back against white supremacist policies, agencies and individuals. Since then, we are committed to push bold and permanent protection for all immigrant communities. We support a plan that provides a pathway for citizenship without the growing deportation forces of ICE and CBP.” Genesis Renteria member of Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  Thursday, January 21, 2021

MEDIA CONTACT: Center for Popular Democracy press@populardemocracy.org

New York, NY — The new Biden Administration released a first-ever order to institute a moratorium on deportations.  This policy was unimaginable in previous years, and it is the result of many years of organizing by immigrant communities who made visible to the country the inhumanity of our detention and deportation systems.  So today, we celebrate this victory, while also calling attention to the fact that detention and some ICE arrests will continue during this moratorium.  We look forward to working with the administration and Congress to address the longstanding and ongoing harms of ICE raids, mass detention, and deportations and to transform our ineffective and inhumane immigration enforcement system from one focused on punishment to one focused on facilitating compliance and safeguarding dignity.

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The Center for Popular Democracy is a national network of more than 50 community organizations dedicated to achieving racial and economic justice through local grassroots organizing. CPD trains and supports leadership, staff, and members to grow base-building organizations to scale and leverage that strength to win cutting-edge policy victories at the federal, state and local level. www.populardemocracy.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  Wednesday, January 20, 2021 

MEDIA CONTACT: Center for Popular Democracy press@populardemocracy.org

New York, NY — “Today, we usher in a new, brighter moment for our people and for our future with a series of executive orders issued and proposed by President Joe Biden. After four years of attacks on Black, Brown and Native communities, we are relieved that the new president’s first action has been to issue orders intended to undo several of the countless harms imposed by the Trump administration. 

The executive orders that the president has issued today are necessary first steps, but they are not enough. We urge the Biden-Harris administration to continue to act aggressively and swiftly to put this country on a true course to freedom and justice — and we will hold the administration accountable to make sure our communities get the resources we need. We need policies that ensure we can access the care we need to stay healthy and well; that guarantee our children can learn in schools that keep them safe and help them grow; that provide a pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants; that protect our ability to stay in the homes we know and love; and that begin to restore the centuries of harm we’ve inflicted on the planet that we all call home.  

A principal aim of the Trump administration was to target immigrants with cruel and dehumanizing policies and practices — including family separation, SWAT-like ICE raids, mass detentions and border militarization — all while denying any pathway to citizenship. It’s a testament to the advocacy and organizing work of the immigrant community that President Biden’s first actions include sending an immigration bill to Congress that will provide a path to citizenship, rescinding the Muslim Ban, preserving DACA and creating a family reunification task force. Now, we call on the administration to enact a moratorium on ICE arrests and deportations — without carve outs — to provide a respite from the harms that detentions and deportations cause immigrant communities. 

In the past year, over 400,000 people have died and millions more have fallen into poverty due to COVID-19 and the government’s dangerous inaction and indifference. We are relieved that President Biden’s actions extend the eviction and foreclosure moratoriums, which will help millions of people keep a roof over their heads. However, our communities are in great need of housing security. We call on the president to work with Congress to immediately institute a comprehensive national eviction moratorium that bars all evictions and foreclosures, and to implement rent forgiveness to help all renters stay in their homes.

As we look to combat the spiraling climate crisis, we welcome the initial steps set forth in the executive orders, including revoking the Keystone XL permit, rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement and elevating climate change as a national security priority. Now, we urge President Biden and Congress to fully divest from systems like fossil fuels, and ensure economic recovery by investing in the pillars outlined in the Green New Deal THRIVE Agenda.

After the damage caused by the Trump administration, President Biden’s executive orders to advance equity are a welcome change, but not nearly enough to address white supremacy and the pervasive anti-Blackness that permeates every aspect of our society. The president must both work with Congress and take independent action toward establishing a transformed criminal legal system, investing in the health of Black and Brown young people, committing resources that support safety initiatives outside of policing and work to reduce the prison population. 

Finally, we welcome other significant executive orders signed and proposed, including extending the moratorium on student loans during the pandemic, a federal mask mandate, reversing the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization, a commitment to swiftly and equitably distributing COVID-19 treatment, reducing the undue influence of corporate lobbyists going through the revolving door, ensuring Census appointment data includes undocumented immigrants and strengthening efforts to advance the human rights of LGBTQ+ persons overseas.

This historic day must be credited to the Black, Brown and Native communities who delivered this win by turning out to vote in record numbers, overcoming all adversity and obstacles placed in our path. We are relieved to see President Biden acting to undo several of the policies that target these communities on his first day in office, and we hope to see additional bold reforms going forward.”   

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The Center for Popular Democracy is a national network of more than 50 community organizations dedicated to achieving racial and economic justice through local grassroots organizing. CPD trains and supports leadership, staff, and members to grow base-building organizations to scale and leverage that strength to win cutting-edge policy victories at the federal, state and local level. www.populardemocracy.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Thursday, January 14, 2021 

CONTACT: Amanda Ebrahim press@populardemocracy.org (516) 492-9757 

"President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris have reminded us what leadership looks like with their American Rescue Plan. We, at the Center for Popular Democracy, imagine how many lives could have been saved if we had this kind of bold response to the COVID-19 pandemic months earlier. 

The American Rescue Plan is a critical step forward for providing Black and Brown communities, who have been most impacted by the pandemic, with necessary relief and a path toward recovery. Its essential provisions include giving families a $1,400 check that will help them pay their bills and stay afloat. The plan also acknowledges that a lack of paid leave is not only threatening the financial security of working families, but increasing the spread of COVID-19 and calls for emergency paid leave for 106 million more people to reduce the spread of the virus. The plan further acknowledges that millions of workers – especially the 40% of frontline workers who are people of color – are putting themselves and their families at risk and calls for raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour to ensure they can make ends meet. 

COVID-19 has also laid bare the deep racial disparities in our healthcare system and the need for a comprehensive government response. The American Rescue Plan includes dedicated resources to begin that work. It provides a meaningful first investment in funding to states and localities so that they can immediately start hiring for well-paid jobs to roll out the vaccine, engage testers and contact tracers and connect people to healthcare. Additionally, the plan significantly expands access to healthcare by covering COBRA for the tens of millions who have lost their jobs and limits the cost of insurance premiums to 8.5% of income. 

While we support swift implementation of this plan, we urge Congress to ensure that relief is fully equitable and inclusive for immigrant families who represent a disproportionate share of essential workers yet face disproportionate harms. At present, the plan’s provisions for a $1,400 check to help keep families afloat excludes many immigrant workers and families, including ITIN holders. As we look toward recovery, we must also work to ensure that the millions of immigrant workers providing essential work are given a path to citizenship that honors their contributions. 

We look forward to working with the administration and Congress to make this plan an immediate reality. With additional provisions to ensure immigrant communities are included in the relief, we are confident that this plan will put our communities on the path toward recovery.”

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The Center for Popular Democracy is a national network of more than 50 community organizations dedicated to achieving racial and economic justice through local grassroots organizing. CPD trains and supports leadership, staff, and members to grow base-building organizations to scale and leverage that strength to win cutting-edge policy victories at the federal, state and local level.