Immigration Reform

Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi hosts an AAPI roundtable discussion on the census, comprehensive immigration reform, and healthcare, joined by members of the San Francisco Asian Pacific Islander Council.

Our nation’s immigrants are the constant reinvigoration of America.  Each wave of newcomers brings their patriotism, bravery and determination to succeed to our shores – and in doing so, makes America more American.  As students and servicemembers, entrepreneurs and public servants, parents and neighbors, these new Americans affirm our country’s fundamental, founding truth: our diversity is our strength.  In San Francisco, we are blessed by the beautiful diversity of races, religions, backgrounds and creeds that strengthen and enrich our community and reaffirm what San Franciscans always say, that the beauty is in the mix.  

Cruelly, throughout the Trump Administration, Republicans pushed a relentless anti-immigrant agenda designed to instill fear in our most vulnerable communities, weaken our country and violate our American values.  Instead of respecting the hard-working men and women who contribute to our nation, the last Administration unleashed a heartless campaign of cruelty with terrorizing raids, an appalling child separation and detention policy, and an un-American attack on the fair and accurate Census required by the Constitution, which sought to ensure that historically underserved and undercounted communities are further left out and left behind.

House Democrats rejected these dangerous, destructive and deeply disrespectful policies, fighting in Congress, in the Courts and in the court of public opinion to end the Trump Administration’s attacks on immigrant families and hold them accountable for this inhumanity.  During the 116th Congress, in response to the Trump cruelty, our Majority took action, including by passing critical emergency funding and strong humanitarian standards to defend children and families at the border are respected and to ensure they have food, clothing, sanitary items, safe shelter, medical care and legal assistance.  And as one of our top priorities, we passed H.R. 6, the Dream and Promise Act, to create an earned pathway to citizenship for our proud, patriotic Dreamers as well as brave TPS and DED recipients.  

Now, working with the new Biden-Harris Administration and new Senate Democratic Majority, the Democratic House is building on this progress by introducing President Biden’s U.S. Citizenship Act, transformative legislation to modernize and make our immigration system more fair, orderly and humane and our nation safer, stronger and more prosperous.  This landmark legislation provides an earned path to citizenship for our nation’s undocumented community, with qualifying Dreamers, TPS holders and essential farmworkers that feed America eligible for green cards immediately.  The legislation also addresses the root causes of migration, reduces immigration court backlogs, reforms our asylum system, cracks down on smuggling and human trafficking criminal organizations and restores common sense to managing our borders with smart, sensible technology and infrastructure investments.
Democrats remain committed to building on this progress with further reform that recognizes and embraces the talents and contributions of our immigrant communities.  We will never stop fighting to ensure that the American Dream remains within reach for all.  

Learn more about Immigration Reform>>