We Have a Bill!
The Senate’s immigration reform bill is finally out, all 844 pages of it. The “Gang of Eight” introduced the bill early Wednesday morning, and we’re still busy poring over the details of the bill, but Janet Murguía, President and CEO of the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), offered some initial reactions to the bipartisan group’s reform package.
“This distinguished group of senators has shown extraordinary perseverance, thoughtfulness, and courage in their months-long effort to bring about a solution to a national concern too long neglected,” said Murguía in a statement. “Their unity and ability to work together to find common ground in the face of an increasingly polarized political atmosphere should be a model for addressing our country’s challenges.”
The bill is anything but perfect, but it is a critical step forward in our journey toward creating a fair, humane, and effective 21st-century immigration policy.
We’re still going over the lengthy document, but the centerpiece of the bill is its roadmap to citizenship, a provision we have been advocating for since legislators began crafting the legislation. Eleven million people would first gain legal status and then eventually the opportunity to earn citizenship. We’re confident the bill would strengthen the economy and increase wages for American workers. Our immigration team is thoroughly analyzing the bill, and we’ll be sure to update you with reactions and analysis as we learn more. If you’re feeling ambitious, we’ve included the full text of the bill below to do your own analysis.
Now that the bill is out, the real work begins. Congress needs to hear from you. As legislators begin to think about how they will cast their vote, it’s vital that they hear your stories and experiences with our broken immigration system, and we’re ready to help you do that. Click on any of the pushpins above to read such stories from across the country. Visit our website to share your own story and have it appear on our site. We’ll also be featuring some of the stories here on our blog. Together, we can send the message to Congress that the time is now to pass immigration reform!
Full text of the bill:
