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Due to the number of proposals that your office is reviewing from the Build Back Better (BBB – Rebuild Better) agenda, the parliamentarian of the Senate Elizabeth MacDonough has been delayed in deciding on a plan to protect undocumented immigrants .
Sources consulted by this newspaper confirmed that when the expert made a decision on the first two immigration plans, she was not pressured by other proposals, such as environmental or social spending, which should be reviewed to avoid breaking the rules of the Reconciliation process.
Sources added that this week there has to be an answer both in immigration matters , as in other issues, in order to give senators time to discuss and approve the $ 1 bill “in parts”. 75 billions of dollars.
Over one possible negative, u none of the sources pointed out that there are at least two avenues on the table , one that the parliamentary ask for minimal changes and another that the senators decide not to take your opinion into account and move forward with some protection.
“It is possible that you ask for minimal changes … if so, those adjustments would be made, “said the source who is aware of the process in the Senate. He added that those adjustments should be “minimal”, that is, they should not modify the center of the plan.
MacDonough reviews the feasibility of granting a protection to the deportation of undocumented or ‘parole’ , Employment Authorization by 10 years, travel permits and the ability to apply for a REAL ID.
President Joe Biden’s social package includes $ 100, 000 millions of dollars in immigration, including protection for the undocumented.
The plan has already been approved by the House, but at least 90 representatives and several civil organizations pressure the Senate so that this temporary protection is discarded and a path to citizenship for the undocumented is opened, but other groups trust that the parliamentarian at least endorses the so-called ‘parole’.
An “eternal” wait
Millions of immigrants are still waiting for a Senate vote that seems “eternal” to be considered.
“We have to wait for this to complete (the process). It’s going to take a little longer, “said White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki at her press conference on Monday when asked about the social plan and the date the Senate would vote on it.
Miguel Tinker Salas, Professor of History and Latino Studies at Pomona College, described the delay as “regrettable” of the Democrats of the Senate in deciding to vote.
The professor considers that the Democrats are hiding behind the McDonough figure not to respond to immigrants and groups that have advocated for immigration reform for decades.
Ignore the parliamentarian
McDonough has already dampened hopes for immigration reform by rejecting two proposals this year. His refusals prompted various groups to call on Senate Democrats to ignore his opinion.
A group of congressmen led by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez joined this request arguing that McDonough was not elected by popular vote . It has also been stressed that Republicans have ignored the decisions of this figure in the past.
The idea has already begun to permeate among some senators. Senate Deputy Democratic Majority Coordinator Richard Durbin, a longtime immigration reform advocate, said last week that he would support invalidating the parliamentarian if she speaks against the latest proposal.
In this regard, Tinker Salas he doubts that Democrats can really make that decision because “there is no evidence” that they want to take the risk. He adds that this would provide an excuse for moderate senators like Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin to break the “fragile unity of the Democrats.”
It’s now or never
Democrats continue to face pressure from various fronts, including from the members of his party in the states. Renee Gasch, president of the Democratic Party of Brown County, Wisconsin, joined the call of the organization Voces de la Frontera.
“ Immigration reform belongs to the Build Back Better Bill and we stand in solidarity with all the organizers and Democrats who will make it this happens this year, so let’s do it! ”said Gash.
Employers are also urging approval of a path to citizenship for immigrants. Steve Stivers, executive director of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, said in an op-ed in the “Dayton Daily News” that the Ohio business community advocates “policies that grow the workforce and help us fill job openings. ”
If the temporary permit is approved, approximately 6.5 million people would benefit directly , according to an analysis by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Although the projection of the FWD.us organization estimates that 6.8 million would be favored.
But Tinker Salas points out that work permits will only perpetuate the problems those faced by the undocumented, such as wage theft and lack of job security and benefits.
“Not giving the undocumented a path to citizenship is a failure for the United States,” said the professor.
With information from EFE