Senator Alex Padilla remains optimistic about achieving immigration relief, through the reconciliation budget, that gives protection to dreamers , workers essentials and peasants.
“We are with the candles on and the clock on top, but I hope we will achieve it. We have good arguments and it is a historic opportunity to pass only with the majority of the Democratic votes, and there is already a precedent of 2005 when the increase in visas per year was approved in the Senate, only with the Republican majority ”, said the senator from California during an interview with Real America News .
The also president of the immigration panel of the Senate Judicial Committee, specified that they expect this month August, finish the language of the second part of the budget reconciliation package migratory, to vote and approve in September.
Last week, Along with other senators and congressmen, Padilla met with President Biden and Vice President Harris where they shared their support for the dreamers , the actions to protect them and that they can remain in the country .
“The board was positive because the president pledged to include immigration reform in the draft law on reconciliation that will give Dreamers, TPSians, farm workers and essentials the long-awaited path to citizenship. ”
They had the support since Biden released his immigration reform proposal for more than 10. 5 million undocumented immigrants shortly after assume the position in January, what was missing was that he approved that it was by way of budgetary reconciliation.
Immigration relief is included in the second part of the infrastructure package, and through the reconciliation process it only requires votes from Democrats.
“For months we tried to reach a bipartisan agreement on immigration reform, but the Republicans did not want to participate in this effort. They say they support the dreamers , but when it comes to voting, there are no Republican votes. That is why we decided to go the path of reconciliation with only 50 Democratic votes and with the vice president’s vote we break the tie. ”
The Senate is divided in 50 Republicans and 37 Democrats.
To approve the budget reconciliation package, a simple majority vote is required, and they do not need a single Republican vote.
After the recent ruling by a Texas federal judge that stopped new applications for childhood arrivals (DACA), it became more urgent to find a solution and we look forward to a few months give them good news, said the senator.
“There is the commitment of the president, the vice president, the Chamber, only the Senate is missing. I want to tell DACAs, TPS recipients, essential workers, that we see and hear you. It is not a fact, but we continue fighting. ”
And he stressed that they are in this difficult process of reconciliation, just because the Republicans refuse to support. “Unfortunately they are still influenced by Trump’s policies, but the immigrant community and the dreamers cannot wait any longer.”
DACA has allowed since 2012 than more than 800, 000 dreamers have a work permit that is renewed every two years and blocks any attempted deportation.
As soon as he took office, Senator Padilla, along with other Democrats, proposed a bill to give citizenship to 2 million essential workers, which would include between 1.2 and 1.7 million undocumented farmers.
By months, the leaders of immigrants have lobbied Democrats to use reconciliation to pass immigration reform, after proposals to legalize dreamers and workers were passed in the House of Representatives early in anus.
Reconciliation is considered the only viable strategy for Democrats to pass immigration reform this year.