Press Release

 

 

For Immediate Release
Contact: Dan Gordon , 617-651-0841
Nov. 20, 2020                      
                                

**Convening Points to Post-2020 Immigration Opportunities**Recordings of
Leading the Way conversations available here.

**WASHINGTON, D.C.** - As the nation looks beyond 2020 to a new
administration in a divided nation, immigration presents a unique
opportunity for bipartisan compromise and national unity.

That was the driving theme of the National Immigration Forum's Leading
the Way convening
this week, where a diverse range of speakers from government, faith,
business, higher education, policy and media focused on the need - and
opportunities - for reform under a Biden administration and likely
divided Congress. More than 1,000 moderates and conservatives registered
to attend the virtual event.

**Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-California)** and

**Mike Simpson (R-Idaho)**, who received the Forum's Courage to Lead
Award, emphasized the nation's rich immigrant history and common
values.

"Think about the characteristics of immigrants: risk-taking,
family-oriented, entrepreneurial, patriotic," said

**Rep. Lofgren**. "It's all the things that we like to think of that
are the best of America."

"[Immigrants are] good people, they just want to work, they just want to
improve their lives, their families' lives," added

**Rep. Simpson**. "What's wrong with that? Isn't that the reason all
of us came to America at some point in time?"

Other speakers urged the incoming administration and Congress to make
immigration a priority, including expanding refugee resettlement and
legislating permanent solutions for Deferred Action for Childhood
Arrivals (DACA) recipients.

"In this moment, coming out of what we have been experiencing under the
Trump era, it is our job to ensure that both the incoming Democratic
administration and the Congress act on immigration," said

**Lorella Praeli, President of Community Change**.

"This should be a win-win for both parties," said

**author and Republican political strategist Stuart Stevens**. "You have
to make immigration a referendum on decency. You have to make it a
referendum on who we are as Americans."

On the issue of refugee admissions, "America is a country that
historically has had bipartisan support," said

**David Miliband, CEO of the International Rescue Committee**. "It would
be great if we could get back to a day when America's commitment to
refugees becomes a source of bipartisan problem-solving." 

"We've tried to figure out how to be the warm and welcoming democracy
built on immigration and in particular," said

**Dr. Michael Crow, President of Arizona State University**. "Relative
to these [DACA recipient] students, we're talking about people who are
children, whose lives have to move forward, who need to be treated
justly, and that's what we have decided to do." 

The Forum also honored

**Chef Christian Irabién** of Muchas Gracias;

**Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon**, executive producers of Little
America;

**Aleja "Lee" Plaza**, a home caregiver with the Filipino Worker Center,
an affiliate of the National Domestic Workers Alliance;

**Postmates**;

****and

**Dr. Amit Vashist**, Chief Clinical Officer at Ballad Health, with its
annual Keepers of the American Dream award, recognizing those who work
to keep our nation safe and welcoming for all - particularly amid the
COVID-19 pandemic.

"As we look ahead to the next four years, this week's convening put
forward a clear vision for how the incoming Biden administration and
Congress can forge immigration solutions that work for all of us,"

**Ali Noorani, President and CEO of the National Immigration Forum**,
said of the four-day event.

****"The strong bipartisan spirit from our diverse range of speakers
makes it clear: Immigration is a win-win issue, and both parties have an
opportunity to build consensus and drive positive change for all
Americans."  

Full recordings of Leading the Way conversations available via YouTube.

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Washington, DC 20001

www.immigrationforum.org

 

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