Photo: ALLISON DINNER/AFP/Getty Images
In the midst of the immigration crisis facing the United States, Senators have resumed the dialogue on a possible reform on immigration issues that includes increased surveillance at the border.
However, the group of senators that includes the independent kyrsten sinema (Arizona) and Republican john cornyn (Texas), as well as Thom Tillis (North Carolina), does not include key Democratic senators.
Because of this, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) welcomed the dialogue efforts, but demanded that members of this group be brought into the behind-the-scenes dialogue.
Sinema and Cornyn went to the border in Texas and Arizona with a bipartisan group, but none from the CHC. Other senators included Republicans Tillis, James Lankford (Oklahoma) and Jerry Moran (Kansas), as well as Democrats Chris Coons (Delaware) and Chris Murphy (Connecticut).
“The Congressional Hispanic Caucus, including our CHC Senators, should not be excluded from future discussions on how to handle the immigration challenges on the southern border and create new legal avenues for immigration,” the Caucus said in a statement.
The CHC is currently led by the representative Nanette Diaz Barragan (California), but the position is on the part of the entire leadership of the panel.
“We are ready to work with our colleagues on both sides of the aisle in the House and the Senate to draft and negotiate legislative proposals on immigration reform,” the message narrows. “We welcome anyone who is willing to work with us to get something done.”
In late 2022, Sinema and Tillis sought to integrate some kind of immigration reform into budget negotiations, but failed to reach an agreement that included the regularization of two million undocumented immigrants and increased border security.
And Alex Padilla?
Most of the CHC’s 42 members sit in the House of Representatives, but there are four members in the Senate, including Alex Padilla (California), Chairman of the Immigration Subcommittee.
“The Congressional Hispanic Caucus is bigger and stronger than ever, as is our willingness to reach an agreement on comprehensive immigration reform during Congress 118,” the message added.
The position of the congressmen recalls that a large number of the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the country are of Hispanic origin, even several members of the CHC have family or own immigration histories.
“Our members know firsthand what it’s like to live in the shadow of a broken immigration system,” he reminded himself. “Many of us are children of immigrants, we ourselves are immigrants or have friends, family and neighbors who have waited a long time for an opportunity to achieve the American Dream.”
The CHC adds that it is ready to work on a serious plan on immigration.
“There are millions of families who are counting on us to get things done in this Congress, and we are ready to lead serious and constructive discussions on border security and a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants,” he said.