More than 80 mayors, including Los Angeles and New York, pressure Biden to grant citizenship to undocumented immigrants

More than 80 mayors from 28 states, including those with high migrant populations, sent a letter to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to pressure Congress for immigration reform that opens the way to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants.

"We, the undersigned mayors, respectfully ask you to prioritize the inclusion of a path to citizenship," begins the letter signed by 84 leaders.

The mayors ask to prioritize naturalization for 'dreamers', holders of Temporary Protected Status (TPS), essential workers and their families in any economic legislation and, if necessary, through the Reconciliation process.

"We want to make sure we don't leave 2021 without passing this critical legislation," Sergio Gonzales, executive director of the Immigration Hub, said in a conference call, noting that Texas Judge Andrew Hanen's decision against DACA makes protection more urgent. of these and other immigrants.

Among the signers are Robert Garcia, of Long Beach; Eric Garcetti, from Los Angeles; Todd Gloria, from San Diego, Libby Schaaf, from Oakland, all California cities; Regina Romero, from Tucson, Arizona, and Paige Cognetti, from Scranton, Pennsylvania.

"Arizona passed one of the worst immigration laws in 2010," recalled Romero. “It is (a matter) personal for me to take a position on immigration, my parents are immigrants; I am the first generation of my family with an American citizen ”.

The letter was also signed by Michael B. Hancock , of Denver, Colorado; Daniella Levine Cava, from Miami-Dade, Florida; Lori E. Lightfoot , of Chicago, Illinois; Steven M. Fulop , of Jersey City, NJ; Bill de Blasio, from New York City; Eric Johnson of Dallas and Sylvester Turner of Houston, both Texas cities.

"We all believed in the need to deliver this right to citizenship, as a nation, before the COVID-19 pandemic, but now it is much clearer that we must do this for our country and their families," Cognetti said.

The urgency of the mayors includes at least five million undocumented people who work in construction, agriculture, services and food production, transportation, medical care and other industries that have been essential during the COVID-19 pandemic, they point out.

"(They) have risked their lives and the lives of their families to keep our nation running during one of its most challenging periods , " they noted.

Like Democratic lawmakers pushing economic arguments, mayors saw minimal immigration reform as a way to "lay the groundwork for a fair economic recovery for all communities across the country."

"Providing a path to citizenship for these individuals and their families not only recognizes the sacrifices they have made for all Americans," they say. "The important role they continue to play in the US economic recovery and long-term global competitiveness would also (be recognized)."

President Biden announced on Sunday that it remains "to be seen" if the congresswoman allows the integration of immigration reform in the budget package .