FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Februry 18, 2021
Contact: lmonsen@sojo.net
WASHINGTON, DC - Sojourners firmly believes that our immigration laws should honor the God-given dignity of every person, protect family unity, and promote thriving communities. This is why Sojourners applauds Sen. Bob Menendez and Rep. Linda Sanchez for introducing and cosponsoring the U.S. Citizenship Act, a bill that includes a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented people and an expedited pathway to citizenship for DACA recipients, TPS holders, and qualifying farmworkers. Sojourners also strongly supports the bill’s focus on keeping families together and reuniting families. The 11 million undocumented and under-documented immigrant people living in the United States have made it clear: "Home is here.” Sojourners is asking Congress to reflect this reality in our laws so that no person continues to live in fear of losing their home, family, or community.
Therefore, Sojourners calls on Congress to work together in a bipartisan way to pass the U.S. Citizenship Act. We urge our members of Congress to cosponsor the bill and pass this law in the first 100 days of this new Congress. When members of Congress pass this bill, it must include a pathway to citizenship for all 11 million undocumented and under-documented immigrant people. The bill must not include funding for cruel and ineffective detention and deportation practices that harm undocumented communities. It must not include new bars to legalization based on criminal history with our racially biased justice system. We are calling on our members of Congress to meet the urgency and opportunity of this moment with legislation that will honor the efforts of our immigrant communities and reflect our best civic and religious values. Now is the time for bipartisan leadership. We are long overdue for a permanent solution — for all undocumented immigrants.
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About Sojourners
Sojourners is one of the largest ecumenical networks of Christians in the United States focused on advancing the biblical call to social justice and peace. Sojourners seeks to inspire hope and build a movement to transform individuals, communities, the church, and the world. Our award-winning Sojourners magazine and online publication provide the latest news and thought-provoking commentary from social justice leaders; SojoAction mobilizes thousands of Chrisitan leaders around issues including immigration, climate justice, criminal justice, racialized policing, economic justice, and gender justice.
Rev. Adam Russell Taylor
Sojourners, President
Paola Fuentes Gleghorn
Sojourners, Immigration and Women and Girls Campaign Coordinator
pfuentes@sojo.net
Sandy Ovalle
Sojourners, Director of Campaigns and Mobilizing
sovalle@sojo.net