Washington, D.C. – Today, Senate Democrats are preparing to bring their $3.5 trillion budget resolution, which includes funding for a pathway to citizenship for millions of immigrants, to the Senate floor for a vote-a-rama. During the vote-a-rama, Republicans are expected to try to advance their anti-immigrant agenda by proposing to add several harmful amendments, which may include funding for the racist border wall and for increased detention and deportation by ICE and CBP, to the reconciliation package.
Juliana Macedo do Nascimento, Senior Advocacy Manager of United We Dream Action, said:
“Inclusion of a pathway to citizenship for millions in Senate Democrats’ budget resolution has always been a testament to the power of our movement. Now it’s time to make citizenship a reality. We know the reconciliation process ahead will be extensive, but our communities are ready to continue the momentum to win permanent protections this year. For decades, Republicans have doubled-down on alarmist narratives about immigrants at the border as a way to deny what the vast majority of voters support: citizenship for millions. It’s no surprise that today Republicans will use the vote-a-rama as an opportunity to try to force through a slew of anti-immigrant trade-offs that will only result in more pain, trauma and cruelties inflicted against our communities.
Last week, our communities watched as Democrats, including Senators Manchin, Kelly, Warnock, Ossoff, Kaine, and Hassan voted in support of Republicans’ anti-immigrant amendments in the bipartisan deal. This is completely unacceptable and a total disregard of the efforts by working-class people of color who helped Democrats win control of the Senate in 2020. Democrats must be reminded that they have full political authority and a moral responsibility to denounce any and all attempts from Republicans to put our lives at risk and advance their anti-immigrant agenda. Our communities will remember which Democrats held strong in rejecting Republicans’ amendments and which failed us.”