Let your Member of Congress know you want to celebrate immigrants this month and always! *When you click, you’ll automatically sign on if we already have your information. TAKE ACTION

Dear Friend,

This Immigrant Heritage Month we must speak up for our immigrant family members, co-workers, friends, and neighbors! Right now, immigrants are under attack across the nation.  

Can we count on you to support immigrant families and children this month and always? Sign on to let your Members of Congress know you want permanent protections for immigrant families! *When you click, you’ll automatically sign on if we already have your information.

Have you ever thought what would happen to our country, our communities, and our families without the incredible support, relationships, and friendships immigrant parents and children enrich our country with? Moms especially know how important our immigrant community members are in keeping our families and kids healthy. Immigrants make up 17% of the nation's healthcare workers, 18% of childcare workers, 38% of home health aides and 12% of the education workforce  – caregivers in every sense of the word! [1] [2] [3] [4] So how do we thank our amazing caregivers and the entire immigrant community this Immigrant Heritage Month? 

SIGN ON! Tell your Members of Congress it’s time to celebrate Immigrant Heritage Month with permanent protections! *When you click, you’ll automatically sign on if we already have your information.

There are multiple legislative proposals for immigrant parents and children to be protected and we break it down easily for you! Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is in danger while it faces judicial challenges. Legislators need to protect DACA recipients – immigrant children who only recognized our nation as home. The Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929 (Registry Bill) is one way to protect DACA recipients and other undocumented immigrants. This doesn’t require any new law, just an update to a current law!  This simple update could unlock permanent residence for 8 million people and more going forward. 

We can also support our immigrant neighbors this month, and always, by improving access to healthcare and public programs! The Lifting Immigrant Families Through Benefits Access Restoration Act of 2021 (LIFT the BAR Act) will remove barriers and a five-year-ban to families and children who are lawfully in the country like victims of crime, DACA recipients, and green card holders. Years of policies that target people because of their immigration status have deterred immigrant families, which include millions of U.S. citizen children, from health care and other basics. 

Every child deserves to live in peace and free from danger. When parents and children come here seeking asylum we can welcome them with dignity and respect. One way to do that is by supporting the Asylum Seeker Worker Authorization Act of 2023. This important piece of legislation significantly reduces the time that asylum seekers must wait for a work permit and eliminates renewal requirements for the duration of their asylum case. Not only will this help asylum seekers support themselves and their families but it will also help boost local economies! 

It is a human right to seek asylum and placing cruel barriers to the process that discriminate on the basis of race and financial wealth, only puts the lives of vulnerable parents and children in danger. We need to protect the asylum process and ensure that those seeking safety at our border are treated with dignity, compassion, and respect.

Don’t forget to add your name! When you click, you’ll automatically sign on to our letter that reads: 

Dear Congress,

We urge you to vote YES on protections for immigrant parents and children. There are several pieces of legislation that could help boost families and create a better future for our children. Specifically, we support:

• H.R. 1511 Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929 (Registry Bill) 
• Lifting Immigrant Families Through Benefits Access Restoration Act of 2021 (LIFT the BAR Act)
• H.R. 1325 Asylum Seeker Worker Authorization Act of 2023

We also urge you to defend the right to seek asylum at our border, treating all with dignity and respect, as well as,reject proposed amendments that target immigrants—who are critical to our care infrastructure, economy, and communities—or amendments that weaken the above-mentioned legislation in any way.

**Make sure to sign our letter now calling on Congress to protect immigrant parents and children! *When you click, you’ll automatically sign on if we already have your information. 

The more people who speak out, the bigger our impact. Please take a moment to forward our action link to your friends and family and share it on social media: [https://action.momsrising.org/sign/Immigrant_heritage_month_2023/]?t=25&akid=18585%2E2840598%2E9wn-n6

Together we are a powerful voice for the wellbeing of immigrant children and parents. Thank you for raising your voice! 

- Claudia, Donna, Xochitl and the whole MomsRising / MamásConPoder team

P.S. Please take a minute to share a story of an immigrant family member or community member, neighbor, co-worker, caregiver, or other immigrant in your life. 

References: 

[1] FWD.US: Estimates Show Immigrant Essential Workers are Crucial to America’s COVID-19 Recovery

[2] MPI: Immigrant and Refugee Workers in the Early Childhood Field 

[3] MPI: Immigrant Health-Care Workers in the United States 

[4] New American Economy: Immigrants and the U.S. Educational System 

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