The relay car caravan ‘Relay Across America’ left Los Angeles for Phoenix with a stop in San Bernardino to pressure the Biden administration and to Congress for an immigration reform for the 11 millions of undocumented immigrants in the country. ” and immigration relief for dreamers , farm workers and essentials.
“We already got the House of Representatives to pass the Dream and Promise Act and the Farmworker Act. Now they need to be voted on in the Senate, “said Angélica Salas, leader of the Coalition for Human Rights of Immigrants of Los Angeles (CHIRLA), one of the organizations that leads the national relay campaign throughout the country.
Salas explained that Senator Alex’s citizenship proposal for essential workers also needs to be voted on in both houses of Washington, DC. Padilla, and President Biden’s immigration reform for the papers.
“For all these bills, we are going to need 10 Republicans to fill in votes. There are several ways to achieve this, the first is to get the support of moderate Republicans; and if we have it, the safest thing is that it will come with some modifications proposed by the Republicans in exchange for their vote, which would make the laws less generous with immigrants ”, explained the leader.
He added that the second path is eliminate any attempt by the Senate to block or delay the bills, which in English is known as ‘filibuster’. If it is achieved, they would only occupy 51 votes that already have them; And the third option is that in a third economic stimulus package, President Biden includes the immigration bills so as not to depend on Republican votes.
“Officially we have up to 2 years to pass a law, but the ideal is to end this year and we are preparing to achieve it in the fall.”
The leader pointed out that because many states voted for Biden because they wanted immigration reform, they expect the president to demonstrate concrete results.
CHIRLA in alliance with the FIRM Action and We are home campaigns launched the California version of the march to victory with the ‘Relay Across America’ caravan of cars. UU.), Which started on 22 March Sacramento. Made stops in Visalia, Bakersfield, Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino, but goes all over the country in 30 states.
They seek to unify the communities across the nation and call for a humane immigration system that protects millions of undocumented immigrants, including essential workers, DACA, TPS recipients and those without a path to citizenship .
Hope by dreamers
Leticia Zarazúa said, holding back her tears, that the years she realized that she was undocumented, but it was in the degree when her reality hit her. “I understood how difficult my life was going to be. That is why I got involved in the fight and I have been participating in COFEM (Council of Mexican Federations) for 8 years. ”
In 2013 was able to benefit from Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which allowed him to acquire a work permit and not be subject to deportation. And although she is grateful, she lives worried because she can only plan her life for the two years that the permit lasts.
“I ask the Congress that let us feel part of this country. We have already suffered and lost a lot with separated and deported families, and so many attacks on our community. ”
Rita Espino who in 2003 emigrated with his family to the country, he said that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals was an opening doors, but they need the president to hear their voices.
“DACA brought new opportunities to my children, but at the same time it created a lot of uncertainty with work permits to be renewed every 2 years. We are from this country, we are not thieves and we do not harm anyone. I ask Congress to support us. ”
Carolina Morán, mother of children benefiting from DACA, said it is time to join and have a migration relief. “Fighting, we are going to achieve immigration reform.”
Ana Barragán, who works as a driver and is part of the Mobile Workers Alliance Union , asked Biden to fulfill his promise to give relief to 11 millions of undocumented this country. “We ask for citizenship for all and an end to deportations and separations.”